From boba to biryani, Swiggy report shows India’s food market heading past $125 bn
According to the report, the organised segment will drive more than 60% of the industry’s future growth and is on track to surpass the unorganised market
- Nov 28, 2025,
- Updated Nov 28, 2025 3:20 PM IST
Swiggy recently unveiled the 2025 edition of its flagship annual report, How India Eats, created in partnership with Kearney. The second edition of the study maps the country’s rapidly shifting food preferences and forecasts that India’s food services market will exceed US$125 billion by 2030, with the organised segment set to expand at twice the pace of the unorganised side.
According to the report, the organised segment will drive more than 60% of the industry’s future growth and is on track to surpass the unorganised market. Food services today contribute 1.9% to India’s GDP, far lower than China’s 5% and Brazil’s 6%, leaving what the report calls “massive headroom for growth.”
Consumers are experimenting more
The report highlights a surge in experimentation, with a 20% jump in unique cuisines ordered per customer and a 30% rise in restaurants ordered from.
Two seemingly opposite trends are rising in parallel:
-
Late-night indulgence: Orders placed post 11 pm are growing nearly three times faster than dinner orders, driven by pizzas, cakes and soft drinks.
-
Health-focused choices: “Healthy and better-for-you” meals are rising at 2.3x the overall order growth, anchored in higher protein intake, calorie tracking and reduced added sugar.
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A revival of Indian culinary heritage
India’s hyper-regional cuisines are seeing a sharp resurgence. Goan, Bihari and Pahari dishes are expanding 2–8x faster than mainstream categories. Local beverages such as buttermilk and sharbat are growing at 4–6x the pace of overall beverages.
This shift is influencing global brands too: the report cites examples like Starbucks’ Kala Khatta cold brew and McDonald’s Chilli Guava drink. Tea consumption continues to accelerate, growing at more than 3x the overall beverage category, increasingly facilitated through digital channels.
Global flavours go mainstream
India’s palate is widening beyond the subcontinent:
-
Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican cuisines registered growth indices of 17x, 6x and 3.7x.
-
Peruvian and Ethiopian cuisines made their debut.
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Search volumes for Boba Tea and Matcha Tea surged 11x and 4x over the past five years.
For the urban, social media–driven consumer, dishes like sushi, tacos and Korean BBQ are fast becoming weekday staples.
What the industry is saying
Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace, said, “In a span of just over a decade, the industry has seen disproportionate evolution. Expectations on speed are being shaped by quick commerce; for instance, our 10-minute food delivery service Bolt contributes over 10% of platform orders."
Rajat Tuli, Partner, F&B Lead and QSR Asia Lead at Kearney, added, “GenZ offers high promise, growing 3x of other cohorts in the dining-out segment while demanding innovations like coffee raves and Instagram-worthy locations and menus. The next wave of leadership in food services will come from players who understand these new markets and consumers. Additionally, in food delivery, packaging innovation will substitute for format in dining-out.”
Swiggy recently unveiled the 2025 edition of its flagship annual report, How India Eats, created in partnership with Kearney. The second edition of the study maps the country’s rapidly shifting food preferences and forecasts that India’s food services market will exceed US$125 billion by 2030, with the organised segment set to expand at twice the pace of the unorganised side.
According to the report, the organised segment will drive more than 60% of the industry’s future growth and is on track to surpass the unorganised market. Food services today contribute 1.9% to India’s GDP, far lower than China’s 5% and Brazil’s 6%, leaving what the report calls “massive headroom for growth.”
Consumers are experimenting more
The report highlights a surge in experimentation, with a 20% jump in unique cuisines ordered per customer and a 30% rise in restaurants ordered from.
Two seemingly opposite trends are rising in parallel:
-
Late-night indulgence: Orders placed post 11 pm are growing nearly three times faster than dinner orders, driven by pizzas, cakes and soft drinks.
-
Health-focused choices: “Healthy and better-for-you” meals are rising at 2.3x the overall order growth, anchored in higher protein intake, calorie tracking and reduced added sugar.
Advertisement
A revival of Indian culinary heritage
India’s hyper-regional cuisines are seeing a sharp resurgence. Goan, Bihari and Pahari dishes are expanding 2–8x faster than mainstream categories. Local beverages such as buttermilk and sharbat are growing at 4–6x the pace of overall beverages.
This shift is influencing global brands too: the report cites examples like Starbucks’ Kala Khatta cold brew and McDonald’s Chilli Guava drink. Tea consumption continues to accelerate, growing at more than 3x the overall beverage category, increasingly facilitated through digital channels.
Global flavours go mainstream
India’s palate is widening beyond the subcontinent:
-
Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican cuisines registered growth indices of 17x, 6x and 3.7x.
-
Peruvian and Ethiopian cuisines made their debut.
Advertisement -
Search volumes for Boba Tea and Matcha Tea surged 11x and 4x over the past five years.
For the urban, social media–driven consumer, dishes like sushi, tacos and Korean BBQ are fast becoming weekday staples.
What the industry is saying
Rohit Kapoor, CEO of Swiggy Food Marketplace, said, “In a span of just over a decade, the industry has seen disproportionate evolution. Expectations on speed are being shaped by quick commerce; for instance, our 10-minute food delivery service Bolt contributes over 10% of platform orders."
Rajat Tuli, Partner, F&B Lead and QSR Asia Lead at Kearney, added, “GenZ offers high promise, growing 3x of other cohorts in the dining-out segment while demanding innovations like coffee raves and Instagram-worthy locations and menus. The next wave of leadership in food services will come from players who understand these new markets and consumers. Additionally, in food delivery, packaging innovation will substitute for format in dining-out.”