Rohit Bhalla, Head, Food-Tech Business, ITC Ltd

Anyone living in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai or Pune can order ITC’s signature dishes — from delectable kebabs, dal makhani, biryanis, khichdi or even crystal dimsums — on food delivery apps from the comfort of their home.

ITC’s food-tech business is looking to launch in more geographies, strengthen distribution and expand the portfolio of its flagship dishes for home delivery.

Beyond its presence in three south Indian cities and the recent venture into Maharashtra, the cloud kitchen business of diversified conglomerate ITC is set to enter key north Indian markets — Delhi, Gurugram and Noida — next fiscal.

Identified as a new vector of growth, as part of the ITC Next strategy articulated by Chairman Sanjiv Puri, the food-tech business is being scaled up in phases, region by region, based on market opportunities.

The focus is also on expanding the range of cuisine on offer, in tune with evolving food trends, and adopting a multi-channel distribution model.

Premium dining@home

Kolkata-headquartered ITC launched the food-tech business about five years ago in Bengaluru. Currently, it has over 65 cloud kitchens, offering a range of cuisines under four brands — Aashirvaad Soul Creations, ITC Master Chef Creations, Sunfeast Baked Creations, and Sansho by ITC Master Chef.

Its recent launch in Mumbai and Pune is backed by 14 and six cloud kitchens, respectively, with more planned in three to six months.

“We built the food-tech business from scratch, as a multi-brand, tech-enabled, data-led hub-and-spoke model, in a strategic distribution partnership with online food delivery aggregators. The unique business model was envisaged at the intersection of digital and our diverse enterprise strengths in food sciences, culinary expertise, manufacturing, agri-sourcing, sustainable packaging, as well as the trust and equity of ITC’s established food brands, leveraged in the cloud kitchen offerings,” Rohit Bhalla, head of ITC Ltd’s food-tech business, told businessline.

“Driven by our goal to provide a premium dining experience accessible in the comfort of people’s homes, the venture has today received significant consumer love, leading to consumer retention and growth,” Bhalla added.

The cloud kitchen business recorded 100 per cent CAGR over the last three to four years in terms of gross merchandise value (GMV). A similar momentum is expected this year too.

Varied offerings

Asked how the food-tech business will grow while remaining a premium option on food aggregator platforms, Bhalla said an analytics-backed, well-segmented ‘portfolio strategy’ would enable it to cater to a range of cuisine preferences and consumer needs.

For example, the company introduced the best of north Indian cuisine in south Indian markets through ITC Master Chef Creations, which went on to be voted the No.1 premium north Indian food delivery brand in Bengaluru on food aggregator apps.

Aashirvaad Soul Creations offers nutritious Indian meals at affordable prices, including khichdi, simple home-style curries, and phulkas. Sunfeast Baked Creations offers artisanal bakery products, including croissants, bagels, and fine breads tailored for Indian palates. Sansho by ITC Master Chef offers premium pan-Asian cuisine.

Under Master Chef Creations, the average order size is around ₹950; veg kebabs and non-veg kebabs start from around ₹400 and ₹680, respectively; veg and non-veg biryanis start from around ₹430 and ₹540, respectively. The average order size for Aashirvaad Soul Creations is ₹450; khichdis start from around ₹220.

The two-brand strategy for north Indian cuisine — catering to distinct preferences, target groups and price points — is being replicated for other cuisines too. So, along with a premium pan-Asian brand, it is looking at launching a popular segment Chinese brand.

Bhalla emphasised that premiumisation is today a macro trend across categories. Consumers are willing to pay for differentiated and high-quality premium food.

Digital backbone

In alignment with ITC’s overall digital architecture, the food-tech business has developed an in-house operating system to run the supply chain, enabling an agile hyper-local model to deliver high-quality food and experience to consumers, Bhalla said.

Soon the business will evaluate complementary channels, he added. However, the partnership model with food delivery aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato would remain at the core of the distribution model.

The food delivery market is growing rapidly. Currently valued at about ₹1 lakh crore, it is expected to double by 2030, growing at 18-20 per cent annually. “The opportunity is enormous and the proof of the pudding is in the encouraging consumer appreciation that we have achieved in the last five years. Going forward, the pace of penetration would be faster. A lot more is yet to be achieved, though in a phased manner, leveraging our multiple levers of growth,” Bhalla said, adding, “The priority is to put our heads down and create an impact among food lovers in the country.”

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Published on January 5, 2026