2023 will be the year of ‘India Shining’ for Indian cuisine and its culinary diversity, reveals Godrej Food Trends Report 2023

New Delhi (India), April 24: India is taking centre stage globally and setting standards for everyone to follow, whether it’s through the G20 summit, the ability to become the fastest-growing economy, global programs addressing climate change, or the International Year of Millets. India is now all set to be acknowledged as an Atlas of food in 2023, according to the sixth edition of the Godrej Food Trends Report, because of an unprecedented increase in interest from around the world in India’s diverse cuisine and enormous ingredient variety.

In the presence of the experts of India’s culinary world, Tanya Dubash – Executive Director & Chief Brand Officer, Godrej Industries Limited, released the sixth edition of The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 – India – An Atlas of Flavours.

The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 saw the coming together of over 350+ thought leaders that included celebrity chefs, home chefs, professional chefs, food bloggers, health professionals, media professionals, mixologists, nutritionists, restaurateurs, sommeliers, food producers, and more, all of who shared deep insights about their respective areas of expertise.

The world has historically perceived Indian cuisine as a monolith. A notion that has been gradually dismantled over the last decade with a growing realisation that culturally, India is more a continent than a country, with as many cuisines as there are dialects. At home in India, people are on an unprecedented quest for flavours and adventures on the palate. In the aftermath of the pandemic, people are also

becoming aware that Indian cuisine is a complex food matrix of constituents that interact with one another to deliver health and boost immunity. All of this has the Godrej Foods Trends Report panel foreseeing 2023 bringing an unprecedented rise in global interest towards India’s culinary plurality and prodigious ingredient diversity.

Commenting on the 2023 edition of the report, Tanya Dubash – Executive Director & Chief Brand Officer Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies said, “These are exciting times for the food industry! It was evident that the pandemic had resulted in changes in consumption patterns and consumer behaviors across the entire spectrum of the food industry. I am happy to say that the Godrej Food Trends Report is uniquely positioned to bring the nuances of this evolving foodscape to the forefront for the benefit of the F&B industry. I have personally always enjoyed watching food trends in our country, especially the year-specific trends predicted by our esteemed panelists. It gives me immense joy to see many of them coming to life subsequently. This year, I am personally excited to see growing international interest and recognition given to India for its rich culinary diversity, along with a growing demand for culinary knowledge and skills across all segments.”

Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, Managing Director, a Perfect Bite Consulting and Curating Editor of the annual Godrej Foods Trends Report, shares what to expect with the 2023 edition, “The world is looking at India as an Atlas of food, And the Indian consumer of 2023 is hungry for new adventures on the plate. The 2023 edition has been designed to empower the Indian food Industry to meet global and

local demands as well as keep consumers informed about what’s trending this year. This edition is bursting with insights on trends across verticals like Dining In, Dining Out, Health, Hygiene, and Lifestyle, Food Studies, and Emerging Conversations. All in all, I would liken the Godrej Food Trends Report 2023 to a multi-course beautifully crafted meal to be savored, one illustration, one visual, one section and one delicious flavour at a time!”

“The Godrej Food Trends Report 2023 is the sixth edition of what we launched in 2018. The vision was to spark conversations around contemporary food trends and provide a platform for the food industry specialists to cross-pollinate ideas and set trends. When I look back at its evolution and the expansive range of trends-related conversations the report has driven, I feel grateful to all who have contributed to it

and made it possible year after year. This year, India is in focus for its rich culinary heritage and more, and I am sure, like me, you will be wonderstruck at the staggering variety of food and culinary cultures India is home to. I hope you enjoy discovering some of that through the variety of essays, and insights in this edition!”, added Sujit Patil, Vice President and Head- Corporate Brand and Communication, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies Some key insights from The Godrej Foods Trends Report 2023 are:

•  EXPLORATION OF CUISINES: 64% panel foresee the yearning for adventure for the palate will

drive people to explore cuisines other than their own such as regional cuisines

• LOCALLY PRODUCED ARTISANAL PRODUCTS: 62% panel sees a significant consumer

focus on locally produced small-batch artisanal products such as cheese, pickles, kimchi, dips and

preserves to augment meals with flavour and textures

• CONSCIOUS SPENDING & MINDFUL CONSUMPTION – 76% panel forecasts people buying

from local farmers and food, producers will be a top consideration. 70% predict seasonal and local ingredients like desi rice and millet varieties, doodhi (bottle gourd), tinda (apple gourd), bhindi (Okra) will see more demand in 2023

•  RISE OF TRAVELING BARS & RESTAURANTS: 71% panel predicts that travelling restaurant/bar with chefs/ mixologists/restaurants popping up in other cities to be a top trend

• CUISINE-AGNOSTIC CHEF-DRIVEN MENUS – 65% of experts feel chefs are increasingly coming into their own as creators and artists patronised by a loyal following of diners looking for new adventures in cuisine-agnostic chef-driven menus. 64% panel forecasted regional Indian cuisine concepts continuing to see traction.
• CULINARY TRAVEL – 75% panel believe the Northeast states are where people will flock most to discover food experiences, followed by Goa (73%), Tamil Nadu (60%) and Uttarakhand (58%).

 Globally, the panel predicts people will visit South Korea (53%), followed by Vietnam (52%) and Spain (45%).

• FOOD CONTENT – 75% expert panel predicts that Instagram Reels and short-form video content will trend.
• CLEAN, HYGIENICALLY PACKAGED MEATS AND SEAFOOD – Hygiene is foremost since 2020, 43% of the expert panel predicts the demand for clean, hygienically packaged meats and seafood will continue to grow in 2023.
• GOURMET PREMIUM GHEE – With health, nutrition and immunity all play a significant role in choices when it comes to ingredients used in home kitchens and dietary fats and cooking mediums being the cornerstones of cooking in any home, their quality and provenance will always register change. No wonder that 50% of the panel predicts an increased focus on gourmet premium ghee.
• BEVERAGES – 72% panel predicts that 2023 will see a rise in gourmet Indian-origin, artisanal coffee and tea. 75% panel is firm in the fact that global fermented beverages (eg. tepache, kombucha, kvass, etc.) is going to be the top non-alcoholic choice in 2023.
• DESSERTS: Special diet versions of traditional Indian mithai will be in demand, as per 99% of experts.

75% panel also sees a rise in interest in hyper-regional sweet offerings (like the Chena Poda of Orissa or Pootharekulu of Andhra Pradesh). 75% of experts forecast a growing interest in gourmet and artisanal ice creams and an equal number of experts predict a rising demand for clean ice cream that are transparent, simple, wholesome and understandable i.e. ‘clean’ labeling.

Since its inception in 2018, the Godrej Food Trends Report has emerged as one of the most credible platforms on themes that significantly impact the food industry each year. Over the last 6 years, the report has drawn on insights from over 1500 experts and thought leaders from food, beverage and allied industries spanning across industry verticals and geographies.

“Godrej Food Trends Report is a good barometer on what’s going to happen, where to invest, and, mostimportantly, to safeguard the security of our cuisine, which now has custodians. India’s soft power is our cuisine and its sheer diversity and the power of our history, plurality, and continuity. And I’m happy to see it finally valued for being authentic and unapologetically true to itself”, shares Masterchef India Judge and celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna. 

Celebrity Chef Ranveer Brar said, “The Godrej Food Trends Report is the food equivalent of fashion trend forecasts. A food trend forecast by the Indian food industry for the Indian food Industry. For the longest time, we have been carpet-bombed with a generalised idea of Indian food defined by political boundaries. But whatever prism you use to break it down by, the context for regional cuisines will always be the geography, agriculture, climate, and culture of a place.”

Godrej Food Trends Report 2023 is available for download at www.vikhrolicucina.com

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