India Food Forum 2026 Brings Food, Retail and HoReCa Leaders Together in Mumbai

 by Pranita Kurani 

Mumbai, September 23, 2026: The 19th edition of India Food Forum brought together leading names from India's food, retail and HoReCa sectors on September 22 and 23 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, with industry leaders discussing changing consumer behaviour, quick commerce, artificial intelligence, foodservice growth, sustainability and the evolving food economy.

The two-day forum brought together stakeholders from across the food business ecosystem, including food and FMCG companies, modern retailers, independent grocers, restaurant businesses, chefs, entrepreneurs, technology companies and supply-chain players.

The forum featured industry voices including Damodar Mall, CEO, Grocery, Reliance Retail; Padma Shri Chef Sanjeev Kapoor; Anjan Chatterjee; Anil Chugh; Hemant Malik; Prashant Peres; Rajneet Kohli; Rahul Nayak; Vipin Kataria; RS Sodhi; Seshu Kumar Tirumala; Sandeep Varaganti and Sanjay Sharma, among others.

Focus on India's Changing Food Consumer

The first day of the forum, led by Damodar Mall, focused on food and grocery retail and examined how changes in consumer behaviour are reshaping the sector.

Discussions covered the "Great Consumer Reset", the next million food consumers, India's food growth story, artificial intelligence-led route-to-market strategies, the changing food consumer and the evolving relationship between brands and retailers.

Quick commerce also emerged as a key theme, with industry discussions examining how the rapid growth of the channel is changing grocery retail, consumer expectations and the traditional brand-retailer equation.

Sessions including The Great Consumer Reset, Winning the Next Million Consumers, AI-Powered Route-to-Market, The FMCG Growth Dilemma, From Shelf to Scale and Retail in the Age of Quick Commerce addressed some of the key challenges and opportunities facing food and grocery businesses.

HoReCa and Foodservice Take Centre Stage

The second day shifted the focus towards foodservice and HoReCa, with Sanjeev Kapoor chairing discussions around the future of Indian cuisine, food entrepreneurship, protein, purpose-led growth, emerging consumption occasions, new food destinations, social dining and brand-retailer partnerships.

A key part of the day's programme was the Chefs Conclave titled Rooted or Reinvented? Where Is Indian Cuisine Headed? The discussion brought together chefs from across cuisines to examine the balance between preserving culinary traditions and adapting Indian food to changing consumer preferences.

The discussions also looked at the emergence of new food destinations and consumption occasions, alongside the role of entrepreneurs and brands in shaping India's expanding foodservice landscape.

Exhibition Highlights Food and Retail Innovation

Alongside the conference programme, the India Food Forum exhibition brought together food and grocery retailers, foodservice brands, technology companies and business solution providers.

The exhibition featured new products, innovations, technology solutions, product launches and emerging brands, while providing a platform for businesses, investors, channel partners and industry stakeholders to explore potential collaborations and growth opportunities.

Sustainability, scalability and innovation were among the themes highlighted across the exhibition, reflecting the industry's focus on adapting to changing consumer and business requirements.

Industry Excellence Recognised Through Two Award Ceremonies

The forum also featured two award ceremonies recognising achievements across India's food, grocery retail and foodservice sectors.

The Coca-Cola Golden Spoon Awards were held on September 22, recognising businesses and leaders across food and grocery retail.

The second evening saw the Pepsico IMAGES Food Service Awards, which recognised achievements across India's foodservice industry.

According to the organisers, more than 300 brands were in the race across the two award ceremonies.

With the conclusion of the 19th edition, India Food Forum brought together discussions spanning the consumer, retail, foodservice and technology segments, reflecting the changes taking place across India's broader food economy.

The two-day forum highlighted the industry's focus on new consumption patterns, digital and technology-led retail, quick commerce, emerging foodservice destinations, culinary innovation and the continued evolution of India's food and grocery ecosystem.