Nestlé India signs MoU with MoFPI to boost investments in food processing sector
The planned investments will focus on building sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready food systems, alongside strengthening its brand and infrastructure presence in the country.
INDIA – Nestlé India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) to accelerate investments in greenfield and brownfield projects across Odisha and its existing manufacturing locations.
The agreement was formalised at the World Food India Summit 2025 in New Delhi and is set to drive significant capacity expansion over the next two to three years.
Announcing the development, Manish Tiwary, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India, said the initiative is part of the company’s long-term commitment to India’s food processing ecosystem.
“The signing of this MoU underscores our commitment to investments in the food processing sector. These projects are expected to create both direct and indirect employment opportunities, reinforcing our commitment to India’s growth story as we continue on this journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
Nestlé India said the planned investments will focus on building sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready food systems, alongside strengthening its brand and infrastructure presence in the country.
The company is already working on setting up its tenth manufacturing facility in Odisha, complementing nine existing plants that serve India’s fast-growing packaged food market.
Highlighting Nestlé’s scale and reach, Kunwar Himmat Singh, Head of Corporate Affairs at Nestlé India, noted, “With over 113 years of presence, we work with more than 100,000 farmers across dairy, coffee, spices, wheat, sugarcane, and rice. Our nine factories manufacture high-quality products that reach consumers through 10,000 distributors and redistributors and 5.2 million retail outlets.”
Nestlé India reported revenue of ₹20,202.56 crore ($2.42 billion) in FY 2025 and remains the largest MAGGI market globally, as well as the second-largest Out-of-Home business for Nestlé in the Asia, Oceania, and Africa region.
The company has previously announced a ₹5,000 crore ($600 million) investment plan in India by 2025, with funds allocated to new product lines, expanded factory capacities, and the Sanand facility in Gujarat for confectionery, prepared dishes, and cooking aids.
Community and food safety initiatives
Alongside industrial expansion, Nestlé India continues to strengthen its community engagement.
The company has reached over 16 million people through nutrition awareness, sanitation, water access, and village adoption programmes. A key initiative is Project Serve Safe Food, which trains street food vendors in hygiene and safe handling practices.
Most recently, Nestlé expanded the programme in Meghalaya by collaborating with the Food and Drug Administration, Meghalaya, and the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) to train more than 300 vendors in East Khasi Hills.
This takes the total number of vendors trained in the state to over 1,800, and more than 92,800 nationwide across 26 states and 4 Union Territories.
Dr. Taruna Saxena, Head of Sustainability and Societal Initiatives at Nestlé India, said the project empowers vendors by equipping them with skills to improve food safety and hygiene.
“We have been scaling up the Project and are confident it will bring about positive behavioural change over time and contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of their businesses,” she added.
By coupling large-scale industrial investment with grassroots-level initiatives in food safety, Nestlé India is positioning itself not only as a market leader but also as a long-term partner in the country’s journey towards sustainable growth and improved public health.
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