Why the World Is Eyeing India’s Extruded Snacks: Growth, Trends & Export Goldmine
Introduction
India’s snack industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with extruded snacks emerging as a prominent segment. Driven by changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and increasing global demand, the extruded snacks market in India is poised for substantial growth. This article explores the current landscape, key trends, and export potential of India’s extruded snacks market from the lens of growth-focused brands and founders.
The Current Landscape of India’s Extruded Snacks Market
The extruded snacks market in India has witnessed robust growth in recent years. According to TechSci Research, the market was valued at USD 547.89 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 989.09 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.54% during the forecast period. This surge is fueled by rising urbanization, higher disposable incomes, and a growing appetite for convenient, ready-to-eat snack options.
The market is segmented by product type, including potato, corn, rice, tapioca, and mixed grains. Within this expanding category, corn-based extruded snacks currently dominate the market share, while mixed-grain extruded snacks are emerging as the fastest-growing segment due to their perceived health benefits.
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Snack Industry Trends: Health, Flavor, Packaging
Health and Wellness Focus
Consumers are redefining snacking by seeking healthier snack options, leading to an increase in demand for multigrain, low-fat, and baked extruded snacks. Brands are responding by reformulating products with nutrient-dense ingredients such as millets, legumes, and whole grains, aligning with the health-conscious trend and consumer expectations around functionality.
Flavor Innovation
India’s diverse palate has driven brands to experiment with unique seasoning blends. Snack brands are blending age-old spices with global tastes, creating bold, fusion profiles that excite both domestic consumers and international diaspora markets.
Packaging and Portion Control
Smaller, single-serve packaging formats are becoming prevalent, offering convenience and better portion control. This shift aligns with urban lifestyles and consumer interest in on-the-go consumption without overindulgence.
Export Potential of Indian Extruded Snacks
India’s extruded snacks are steadily making their way into global pantries, not just as nostalgic treats for the diaspora but as bold new entries in the world snack aisle. With 29,902 shipments between October 2023 and September 2024 (Volza), India emerged as a global leader in snack food exports, with the US, Canada, and Australia accounting for 75% of Indian snack food exports.
This export momentum is supported by competitive pricing, adherence to international quality benchmarks, and flavor adaptability. Indian snack brands are now focusing on creating export-ready products that meet strict international regulatory criteria and resonate with regional market preferences.
Challenges and Opportunities in Exporting Extruded Snacks
Regulatory Compliance
Navigating international food regulations is a crucial step for Indian snack exports. Export-ready snack manufacturing requires compliance with global food safety standards, clean-label guidelines, and nutritional labeling regulations for brand credibility and successful market entry. Countries like the United States, Canada, and EU member states have distinct requirements that must be mapped early in the product development cycle. Brands need to factor in everything from allergen declarations to permissible additive levels.
Supply Chain and Logistics
Maintaining product integrity throughout international transit requires precision in packaging formats, shelf-life planning, and freight partner selection. Temperature, moisture control, and crush-resistance must be validated for each snack format before export. Brands targeting international shelves must build logistics frameworks that safeguard product freshness while optimizing cost per shipment.
Suite42 has observed that high-rejection rates at customs often stem not from formulation flaws but from documentation gaps or poor transit resilience. A brand’s ability to scale hinges not only on demand but on backend reliability.
Market Research and Consumer Insights
Consumer behavior across international markets varies dramatically. A flavor that resonates in Tamil Nadu may require subtle adjustments to succeed in the UK’s South Asian retail aisle. Similarly, packaging tweaks like matte-finish pouches or bilingual labeling can also impact shelf appeal and brand recall, increasing shelf competitiveness.
Brands that invest in localized product-market fit strategies are more likely to create sustainable international channels. This includes sensory testing with regional focus groups and pricing architecture analysis to meet margin and positioning expectations.
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Controlled processing for portioning and calorie management
One of the less visible advantages of extruded snacks is the ability to control portion size and calorie density with precision. By adjusting moisture content, pre-mix ratios, and expansion pressure, manufacturers can create airy, low-mass snacks that offer perceived satiety with fewer calories per gram. This makes them ideal for portion-controlled diets, especially in urban markets where calorie-counting is common.
Moreover, the extrusion process ensures uniformity, a critical factor for nutritional compliance and consistent consumer experience. When coupled with clean-label seasoning systems, extruded formats offer a scalable base for functional claims without ingredient overload.
Texture, crunch, and shelf life without artificial preservatives
Extruded snacks, when processed with optimal barrel temperature and die design, yield natural crispiness and extended shelf stability. This eliminates the need for excessive preservatives, often used in fried snacks to prevent rancidity. Antioxidant-rich natural oils like rice bran and tocopherol-based stabilizers are now replacing synthetic TBHQ in health-conscious formulations.
These technical advantages not only support clean-label positioning but also simplify compliance with FSSAI, EU, and US FDA additive regulations. Suite42 ensures every snack format goes through packaging compatibility tests to maintain integrity, from nitrogen-flushed pouches to compostable films for premium lines.
Suite42’s ability to scale healthy snacks without compromising quality
Scaling is where most good ideas fail. The nutritional integrity of a snack developed in a lab must translate seamlessly into high-output manufacturing environments. At Suite42, we solve this through calibration-focused onboarding, moisture mapping, extruder tuning, seasoning consistency tests, all before a single full run begins through our new product development and contract manufacturing.
Whether it’s a high-protein puff for athletes or a millet-based children’s snack, our integrated network of manufacturing partners and QA teams ensures your formulation is never diluted or derailed during scaling. Brands that choose Suite42 for recipe formulation continue with us because we own not just the formula but also the fidelity of its replication.
Check out our Categories: Snacks/Savouries
The Role of Suite42 in Scaling Export-Ready Snack Brands
Suite42 enables emerging and established food brands to scale extruded snack innovations with full-stack support tailored for international markets. From concept to execution, every phase of the product lifecycle is backed by deep technical capabilities, an experienced manufacturing partner network, and regulatory alignment across geographies.
Recipe Formulation and Product Development
Suite42 crafts health-oriented, region-specific extruded snack recipes built on validated sensory and nutritional parameters. Whether it’s developing a millet puff with added fiber or reformulating for a sugar-conscious market, the approach blends R&D rigor with consumer alignment. Our innovation center offers end-to-end new product development services.
Pilot-scale production ensures all recipes are technically viable before full-scale manufacturing begins, reducing formulation failure at scale.
Contract Manufacturing Infrastructure
Brands working with Suite42 contract manufacturing gain access to a calibrated extrusion network capable of fulfilling D2C, retail, and HORECA volumes. Facilities are equipped to handle diverse base materials, from corn and rice to pulses and oats, with rigorous control over moisture, expansion, and textural consistency.
Batch-level traceability and in-line quality testing ensure that every unit meets the specification agreed upon during pilot trials. Suite42 is your trusted partner for food contract manufacturing.
Global Compliance Readiness
Suite42 assists brands in preparing FSSAI, BRC, US FDA, and EU documentation, including ingredient traceability records, labeling validations, shelf-life studies, and compliance declarations.
Whether the end market requires nut-free zones, gluten-free lines, or Halal certification, compliance planning is embedded from the early stages of product design.
Integrated Logistics Partnerships
Coordinating production, warehousing, and international logistics is a core part of successful export-ready snack manufacturing. Suite42 supports seamless coordination between them. From temperature-controlled freight to smart palletization, logistics partners are selected based on product sensitivity, target geography, and export mode.
Whether shipping a limited-run trial to North America or launching a long-term supply program to GCC countries, the process is designed for continuity and control.
Conclusion
India’s extruded snacks market presents an unparalleled opportunity for food brands ready to innovate and scale. With the increasing demand for functional, regional, and health-forward products, both within India and globally, brands that adopt a structured, quality-first approach stand to gain the most.
The opportunity is not just in product creation, but in creating formulations that travel well, meet compliance thresholds, and deliver on flavor experiences that resonate with new markets. Execution matters.
With a trusted partner like Suite42, food brands can confidently scale their extruded snack portfolio across India and beyond, with formulation, regulatory alignment, and production capability embedded from day one. Contact us today to get started.
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