TRENOS SiGINT: Indian Meal-Building - Accompaniments

JC Analyst – September 2025

Signal:

Indian meal-building accompaniments are moving from niche “world food” shelves into mainstream convenience. The combination of RTC breads, frozen appetisers, and chutneys creates a system play mirroring how Mexican food went from ethnic to everyday. The global value is already in the billions, but undercounted because the category sits across frozen, bakery, and condiments.

Human Factor:

For time-pressed families or young professionals, heating a naan or crisping samosas is enough to feel like they’ve cooked. It’s flavour, pride, and cultural comfort in minutes — especially in the air-fryer age.

TRENOS Metrics Snapshot

Signal	Accompaniments emerging as the “third lane” between RTE meals and scratch cooking
Data Point	Global category worth several $B annually; India’s RTC/RTE market forecast to triple from $870M (2023) to $2.9B (2031)
TikTok Views	#Naan, #Paratha, #Samosa, #IndianNight >100M cumulative views; spikes from air-fryer hacks
Retail Footprint	UK/EU/Indian supermarkets, US warehouse clubs, Q-commerce, diaspora outlets; fragmented shelf placement
Ingredient Format	RTC flatbreads, frozen appetisers, chutneys, raita bases, paneer cubes, spice pastes - shelf stable
Product Range	Classic (garlic and vegetable naan, veg samosa) → Regional (Malabar parotta, tamarind chutney) → Better-for-you (whole-wheat, GF, baked)
Consumer Segment	Families, diaspora households, young professionals, flexitarians, air-fryer adopters
Brand Origin	India, UK, EU producers; private label; food-service packs entering retail
Export Status	Rising exports from India/UAE/UK to US/EU/APAC; strong in UK/Canada; growing in US mainstream
Trend Classification	Meal Components / RTC Convenience / Heritage-to-Mainstream
System Pressure Point	Clean-label vs shelf life; oil/sodium reformulation; cold-chain logistics; lack of branded “meal system” merchandising

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