Why India: a deep processed-foods ecosystem—from traditional namkeen clusters to modern retort and dehydrated lines—backed by export scale. In FY 2023–24, India shipped US$7.70 billion of processed foods, with big buckets that cover instant mixes and snacks: Cereal Preparations = US$841.79 M and Miscellaneous Preparations = US$1,326.24 M. Processed foods contributed 23.4% of total agri exports that year—evidence of capacity and demand.

Market proof (numbers buyers trust)

• Processed foods exports: US$7.70 B (FY 2023–24) overall; sub-buckets include Cereal Preparations (US$841.79 M) and Miscellaneous Preparations (US$1,326.24 M)—categories typically spanning instant mixes, breakfast/ready mixes, extruded & snack items.
  
• “Food preparations n.e.s.” (HS 2106): US$708 M in 2023—a common export bucket for mixes, seasonings and RTE bases.
  
• Snack heritage with GI credibility: Bikaneri Bhujia (Rajasthan) and Ratlami Sev (Madhya Pradesh) are Geographical Indication–registered—a strong provenance story for namkeen-led assortments.
  

Net takeaway: India isn’t just competitive on raw agri—value-added, ready formats already ship at scale to the US/EU/MEA.

What we can build for you (illustrative)

• Ready-to-Eat (RTE): retort pouches/cups (dal, rajma, chana, poha/upma, pulao), ambient bakery & sweets, heat-and-eat curries and gravies.
  
• Instant mixes / Ready-to-Cook (RTC): idli/dosa, gulab jamun, batter & dessert mixes, masala-upma/poha, khichdi, millet-based blends, instant noodles/pasta sauces, breakfast cereal mixes.
  
• Snacks: extruded & baked snacks, sev/bhujia/mixtures, roasted chana/peas/fox-nuts, flavored nuts, cereal & granola bars.
  

Packaging formats: high-barrier pouches, cups/bowls with lidding films, nitrogen-flushed snack bags, MAP trays, retail multi-packs and e-com shippers (ISTA tested).

Compliance & safety (US/EU/India) baked in

• India (FSSAI) labelling: we prepare artwork to Food Safety and Standards (Labelling & Display) Regulations, 2020—name of food, veg/non-veg symbol, lot/best-before, FSSAI licence, allergens, nutrition, and e-commerce disclosure rules.
  
• Industrial trans-fat: India limits iTFA to ≤2% in all foods/oils (effective Jan 1, 2022); we validate frying mediums and claims accordingly.
  
• EU consumer info: labels aligned to Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 (name, net qty, allergens emphasis, nutrition declaration, operator details, languages).
  
• US: nutrition & ingredient declarations per 21 CFR Part 101 (incl. §101.9).
  
• Acrylamide mitigation (EU snacks/bakery): process checks to Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 benchmark levels (e.g., potato crisps, fine bakery wares, cereals); HACCP integrates mitigation + verification sampling.
  
• Food-safety systems: factory shortlisting biased to BRCGS Food or FSSC 22000 certified sites (GFSI-benchmarked) to satisfy retailer acceptance.
  

Quality we lock before you print the label

• Micro & contaminants: Salmonella/E. coli, TPC/yeast-moulds; aflatoxin/ochratoxin where nuts/millets apply; pesticide residue screens for herb/spice-heavy mixes.
  
• Chem/physical: moisture & water activity (aw); oil quality (Peroxide/AV/FFA) for fried items; sieve/mesh for mixes; texture (TPA) and sensory panels.
  
• Shelf life: accelerated & real-time studies tied to barrier specs (OTR/WVTR); validation of nitrogen/MAP and desiccants.
  
• Transit-ready: ISTA drop/vibration/compression; barcode files GS1/ISO verified.
  

How IndiaUnbox turns this into retail-ready programs

• Brief → recipes & formats
  Co-develop flavor profiles (mild/medium/hot, clean label/no MSG), target macros, and price bands; prototype multiple bases (retort vs. dehydrated vs. baked/extruded).
  
• Right factory, right process
  Shortlist GFSI-benchmarked plants for retort, dehydrated mixes, and snack frying/baking/extrusion; lock HACCP plans and CCPs.
  
• Regulatory pack
  Country-specific artwork redlines (FSSAI/EU/US), nutrition panels, allergen statements, iTFA compliance proofs, acrylamide mitigation SOPs (EU), and CoAs.
  
• Costing & negotiation
  Normalize quotes to edible oil, cereal & pulse inputs, packaging films, and freight; issue ready-to-send ask notes when benchmarks move.
  
• Packaging engineered for performance
  Barrier films and formats validated to shelf-life targets (nitrogen-flush/MAP for snacks; retort pouches/cups with easy-open features for RTE).
  
• Kitting & launch
  Assorted-SKU cartons for club/e-com, display shippers for retail, and country-specific barcode/label files.
  

Typical MOQs & lead times (guide)

• Instant mixes / snacks: 5,000–20,000 retail packs/SKU • 40–60 days post approval
  
• RTE retort pouches/cups: 3,000–10,000 units/SKU • 45–65 days (incl. stability tests & artwork)
  

Suggested stat badges for the webpage

• Processed foods exports: US$7.70 B (FY 2023–24) • Cereal Preps US$841.79 M • Misc. Preps US$1,326.24 M.
  
• HS 2106 “Food preparations n.e.s.” from India: US$708 M (2023).
  
• Snack provenance: Bikaneri Bhujia & Ratlami Sev = GI-registered specialties.
  
• India iTFA rule: ≤2% trans-fat in all foods (from Jan 1, 2022)—cleaner labels for fried/baked snacks.
  

Bottom line: India has the scale, certification depth, and heritage to deliver RTE, instant-mix, and snack programs that are tasty, compliant, and cost-true. IndiaUnbox stitches this together—recipes → certified factories → compliance → packaging → logistics—so your brand launches faster with fewer surprises.