Chana Integrated Bakery Solutions is a prominent company operating in India, Africa, North America, and Europe. The company helps prominent companies establish bakery production lines from processing to packaging. The company has reputed global partners and machinery manufacturers such as AM Technology, Boster, Kreazot, and Fox Food Machinery. Pawan Lohani, Senior Sub-Editor, Food Infotech Magazine, interacted with Dr. L.S. Channa, Founder & Director, Channa Integrated Bakery Solutions (CIBS), to dive into depth about the company’s expertise and their future plans.
With over 37 years of expertise in the bakery industry, what opportunities do you see in India’s Food Processing Industry? What challenges have you faced in the Indian market?
India’s food processing sector is undergoing a dynamic transformation. With a market potential exceeding USD 600 billion by 2030, the bakery is emerging as a vital growth engine. Over the last three decades, we’ve seen the transition from manual operations to semi-automated and now highly automated facilities. India is witnessing this transformation across industrial bakeries, QSR brands, institutional suppliers, and cloud kitchens.
The opportunity today is multidimensional. Firstly, India’s Tier II and III cities—such as Coimbatore, Indore, Bhubaneswar, and Lucknow—are demanding affordable, standardized, and nutritious bakery items. Secondly, consumer expectations have shifted. The Indian consumer doesn’t only want just taste but also functional value, regional familiarity, and wellness.
We see massive potential in millet-based, vegan, multigrain, and gluten-free products, supported by the government’s millet initiatives and global health trends. India can also leverage its low-cost manufacturing ecosystem to lead the clean-label and long-shelf-life product segment globally.
However, challenges persist. The bakery sector is still 65% unorganized. There is a high dependency on imported machinery, with customs delays, duties, and a lack of local servicing. Cold chain logistics are underdeveloped, and we face a shortage of industrial baking technologists. Regulatory clarity on labelling, shelf-life, and ingredients also requires harmonization.
To lead globally, India must strengthen its supply chain, foster domestic machinery innovation, invest in R&D labs, and professionalize bakery education at scale.
The Indian bakery segment is gaining momentum amid globalization and Western influence. Which sub-segments are seeing the most traction currently?
The Indian bakery sector is evolving from imitation to innovation. Consumers across age groups are increasingly turning to bakery items not just as indulgences, but as a source of daily nutrition and convenience.
Among the fastest-growing sub-segments are:
- Functional Bakery: Products like millet breads, ragi cookies, gluten-free cakes, and vegan snacks are seeing rapid adoption. Consumers in Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad are leading this shift.
- Frozen Bakery Formats: Items like garlic breads, croissants, and par-baked products are gaining popularity in hotels, cloud kitchens, and QSR chains. With increasing demand from food delivery platforms, shelf-stable convenience is now essential.
- Ethnic-Fusion Bakery: Indianized formats such as masala buns, khari puffs, and savory muffins appeal to regional tastes while offering modern convenience.
- Artisan Breads and Sourdoughs: These are growing in popularity among premium consumers in urban markets.
- Packaged Cakes and Bars: Driven by youth and working-class families, snack cakes, mini rolls, and dessert bars are scaling quickly.
The shift toward nutrient density, convenience, and clean-label transparency is driving India’s bakery renaissance.
How do you view the African bakery market? How is it different from India, and what kind of customers are you dealing with there?
Africa is a continent of immense opportunity. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion and rising urbanization, the African bakery market is expected to grow to USD 15 billion by 2030. At CIBS, we work extensively across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa—supporting industrial bakeries, mid-sized players, and food parks.
Africa differs from India in a few key ways. The focus is largely on affordability, with high-volume production of white bread and buns. Inputs like cassava, sorghum, and blended flours dominate, while industrial automation is just beginning to take off. Power supply challenges and import dependency persist, but there is a growing appetite for hygiene, consistency, and semi-automated systems.
India’s journey can serve as a blueprint for Africa. Our ability to offer compact, cost-effective, and reliable bakery lines, along with localized training, makes us a trusted partner across the continent. CIBS is building bridges not only through technology, but through knowledge sharing and scalable best practices.
What are the main hurdles in importing bakery machinery into India? Have recent government initiatives helped?
Importing bakery machinery in India remains a complex affair. High import duties (28%–40%), cumbersome customs processes, and lack of spare part availability pose significant barriers. Most advanced machines come from Europe or Korea, and local alternatives are still limited in precision and consistency.
Though initiatives like PMKSY, Mega Food Parks, and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme have laid strong infrastructure, bakery-specific machinery support remains under-addressed.
We recommend:
- Clear classification and rationalized HS codes for bakery machinery
- Lower GST rates on equipment and parts
- Support for indigenous machinery R&D and Make-in-India clusters
- Incentivized preventive maintenance programs
Only with these reforms can India reduce its dependency and catalyze local manufacturing ecosystems.
What is the potential of the vegan snacking sector in India and globally?
Vegan snacking is the most exciting frontier for global bakery. The U.S. market is projected to reach USD 42 billion by 2030, with plant-based, dairy-free, and allergen-friendly formats leading the charge. Europe is already saturated with oat-based cookies, pea-protein bars, and soy-free cakes.
India’s market, though smaller (USD 870 million in 2024), is expected to grow to USD 1.3 billion by 2027. More importantly, India has the ingredients, heritage, and cost advantage to emerge as a global manufacturing hub for vegan snacks.
At CIBS, we are co-developing vegan cookies, bars, cakes, and fillings with international partners. Makhana blends, almond flour, coconut milk, and jaggery are native to India, but are global in appeal. By aligning with clean-label trends, we can serve export markets while nurturing local demand.
The future of the bakery is plant-powered, and India is ready.
How do you foresee India’s bakery growth, and what is your global strategy at Chana Integrated Bakery Solutions to lead this change?
India’s bakery industry is poised to surpass USD 20 billion by 2030. We expect double-digit growth in frozen, vegan, and export-focused segments. With the convergence of health, convenience, and affordability, India can define the next generation of global bakery trends.
At Chana Integrated Bakery Solutions, our strategy is clear:
- Technology Partnerships: We collaborate with AM Technology, Magna Cool, and Fox Food Machines for 3D shaping, high-humidity lines, and forming technology.
- Turnkey Projects: We offer end-to-end solutions from design and installation to compliance and training across India, Africa, and the U.S.
- Product Innovation Lab: Focused on frozen SKUs, vegan formats, ethnic lines, and shelf-life enhancement.
- Digitalization & Skilling: Launching bakery ERP systems and certified training modules across India.
- Global Co-manufacturing: Building export-ready bakery lines to supply U.S., EU, and ASEAN markets.
We are not just building bakeries—we are building an ecosystem that empowers Indian innovation and global competitiveness.
What final steps would you recommend to strengthen India’s bakery ecosystem?
To position India as a global bakery leader, we must:
- Create Make-in-India clusters for bakery machinery
- Streamline GST and HS codes for equipment and ingredients
- Invest in bakery R&D labs and food-tech incubators
- Develop structured manpower and bakery certification frameworks
- Promote millet and makhana innovations via subsidies and government support
- Enable co-packing hubs in Tier II cities
- Improve preventive maintenance culture and supply chain traceability
- Strengthen FSSAI enforcement and pan-India labelling standards
- Facilitate India–U.S. and India–EU manufacturing alliances for vegan formats
Conclusion: Building India’s Global Leadership
India is ready to rise—not just as a consumer market, but as a global innovator and exporter of purpose-driven bakery solutions. With deep expertise, government support, and global alignment, we can outperform Western benchmarks. At Chana Integrated Bakery Solutions, we are committed to building a future where Indian bakery technology, products, and talent make a mark across continents. Let us bake a healthier, smarter, and more sustainable world—together.