The Indian food industry, unlike any other, serves to be a mecca for food fanatics not only in the nation but around the globe. According to the latest statistics available at the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (ibef.org), the Indian industry will be valued at a whopping US$ 65.8 billion by the end of this year. Moreover, with the sixth largest food and grocery market in the world and the food retail market expected to hit US$ 895 billion by 2020, the Indian food industry stands tall among the rest, rightfully claiming its place like a behemoth.

You will not find a tongue in the world that is not tantalized by the idea of devouring any of the numerous mouth-watering dishes that our country has to offer. Be it the infamous chicken tikka masala, the flavour-packed biryani or the mighty masala dosa, just to name a few. Heck! I’m salivating just writing about these. The diverse culture and the flavourful cuisine, always packed with a punch, is the quintessence of the Indian food industry.

It is self-evident that an industry of such magnitude will captivate the eyes of every food aficionado across the world. Thus, to satiate the never-ending curiosity pertaining to the Indian food industry and what it has to offer in the years to come, the Godrej group came out with the “Godrej Food Trends 2018 Report”.

This report has been curated by the finest experts in the food space. Many established food and health professionals, nutritionists, chefs, gourmet writers and bloggers have contributed their esteemed insights to this report.

“The goal of the Godrej Food Trends Report 2018 is to share useful data with the larger food fraternity.”, says Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal, Managing Director, A Perfect Bite Consulting.

This report is a culmination of the top food trends that are expected to catch on this year. Points like the rise of the local/indigenous Indian ingredients, environmental accountability, hyper-local sourcing of seasonal food and practices like mindful eating have made it to the list. These trends, among many others listed in the “Godrej Food Trends Report 2018” have already stirred a conversation among the food enthusiasts about the future of food in India.

Allow me to shed light on the trends in the Indian food industry, as listed in the Godrej Food Trends Report 2018 under Restaurant Trends.

 

Restaurant Trend Forecast 2018

 

1. Food inspired by ethnic ingredients/regional Indian cuisines

With the Indian food industry on the verge of blowing up and conquering the heart and souls of the gastronomic gladiators, people are recognizing the importance of incorporating ethnic and indigenous ingredients in their food. Be it the food inspired by locally grown ingredients or the rich cultural diversity of our nation, the culmination of the two is adding to the variance in food available in different regions. Thus, a massive 67% of the people backed this trend.

Imagine several restaurants being set up across the nation that promotes and serve the local ingredients and the rich cultural diversity of the region. People come to dine in and witness the vibrant and flavourful food prepared/inspired by the fresh ingredients that grow all around them and pays tribute to the prolific diversity offered by the region.

I do see this trend to be catching on soon.

 

2. Health-inspired menus

The Indian food is often associated with food items that are considered unhealthy/not good enough when it comes to the nutritional point of view. Be it the deep-fried samosas, or the Ghee ka Parantha (rich in bad saturated fat) or even the desserts that are loaded with processed sugar, people end up consuming unhealthy food daily.

However, with the imminent rise in awareness among the Indian community, people are being more and more concerned about the food that they consume. Presently, the Indian demographic is inclining towards adopting a healthy lifestyle. There is a huge uproar in the community regarding the endorsement of a healthy lifestyle. Everything ranging from the nutritional content of the food (the macros – protein/carb/fat) or the consumption of only natural, organic food is at a rise.

The restaurants too, understand the need to develop a health-inspired menu that not only satiates the taste buds of the ravenously hungry food fanatics, but also takes care of their health. Such health inspired food menus will help encourage the Indian demographic to adopt and sustain a healthy lifestyle. This “all aboard the health train” trend better catches on among the restaurants and not just end up being a dark horse in this race.

 

3. Pop-up Restaurants

Pop-up restaurants are a huge hit abroad and it is a trend that seems to be taking on in India too.

These are makeshift restaurants that are set up for a day or two. The promotion is done mainly through social media sites or blogging.

These often have a theme and are an absolute crowd-puller. Imagine walking past an empty store one day and witnessing a pop-up restaurant established at the same place the very next day. Wouldn’t you want to go in and feast on the variety of food being offered? Of course, you would. You might even rave about it to your friends. In this era of Instagram and Twitter, such pop-up restaurants often end up trending and turn out to be a massive success. We all have witnessed how crowded it gets when a food truck comes around with mouth-watering bites to eat.

A pop-up restaurant called the “The Secret Chulha” is often set up in Pune, Maharashtra. Here is a look at their menu.

Next time you’re out for a stroll and stumble across a pop-up restaurant, be sure to check it out and be a part of this rocketing trend.

 

4. Mindful Eating

Creating awareness amongst ourselves about the importance and benefits of adopting and sustaining a healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance. People need to be conscious about the food that they so hurriedly ingest. Our bad eating habits have resulted in most us being obese and unfit. Thereby resulting in the majority of population being either underweight/malnourished or overweight/obese.

According to the Times of India, India is 1^st in the underweight population and among the top 5 when it comes to the overweight population.

Thus, we need to ride the wave of adopting a healthier lifestyle and engage in mindful eating. This includes partaking all natural and organic foods and staying away from junk and processed food.

The restaurants too, on seeing that there is an opportunity to create a niche in the Indian community and serve all organic and healthy food, are willing to adapt and ride the wave, thereby encouraging the concept of mindful eating.

We need to be calorie conscious. We need to be aware of our macros. And we need to deviate towards all organic food and stay away from junk and processed foods.

Only then will this trend catch on and “lead to a greater demand for products and services that encourage mindful eating”.

 

5. Buddha Bowls

If you spend most of your day on social media, you probably are aware of the breathtakingly aesthetic Buddha Bowls. These are big bowls of wholesome nutritious goodness that will keep you healthy and might even get you a lot of likes on Instagram.

The basic recipe for preparing a buddha bowl is as follows.

• You start with a grain, be it quinoa or any other grain that you prefer.
• Add some green leafy vegetables.
• Top it off with an array of diced vegetables.
• Finish it off with a protein source like chickpeas.

These bowls are highly customizable, and you may add anything to them. Avocados and zucchini are among the top choices among vegans.

The internet is flushed with many such recipes considering how big of a trend these buddha bowls are.

Here is a link to a list of 14 buddha bowl recipes that you might like to try – Click here.

To get the Godrej Food Trends Report 2018 – Click here.

 

“Note: “This post is a part of the Godrej Food Trends Blogging contest hosted by Fashionablefoodz in association with Vikhroli Cucina and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. Godrej Food Trends Blogging contest, Fashionablefoodz or Godrej is not responsible for any kind of Infringement caused.”