About Food and Agriculture sector in India
The Food and Agriculture sector in India comprises 34.3K companies, including 1.99K funded companies having collectively raised $19.8B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 1.04K are Series A+ funded, and 1 has achieved unicorn status.
Food and Agriculture sector in India has seen 263 acquisitions and 482 IPOs.
This sector includes companies engaged in traditional farming, food manufacturing and distribution, and offline food retail, including those providing services to such businesses.
Food and Agriculture sector is also known as Agribusiness, Agriculture Sector, Traditional Farming or Food Industry.
It includes traditional farming businesses and companies providing services to them. It also includes food manufacturers and distributors, and offline food and food retail chains. It excludes Companies providing software solutions to the stakeholders in the agriculture and food industry like farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, etc. It also includes companies providing them with tech heavy hardware and advanced and innovative materials.
Top Food and Agriculture Companies in India
There are 34,307 Food and Agriculture startups in India which include Licious, Sid's Farm, Akshayakalpa, Epigamia, Chaayos. Out of these, 1,989 startups are funded, with 1,040 having secured Series A+ funding, and 1 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 646 Food and Agriculture startups in India. Over the past 10 years, an average of 1,051 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of IIM Ahmedabad, University of Delhi and IIT Delhi.
Here is the list of top Food and Agriculture startups in India
1. Licious
Retailer of fresh meat products available for online consumer purchase. This business facilitates the digital procurement of various raw meat items. Customers select products through an online interface for delivery. The operation focuses on the distribution of perishable food goods directly to households.
Key facts about Licious
- Founded Year: 2015
- Location: Bengaluru (India)
- Stage: Series G
- Total Funding till date: $490M
- Investors: Mayfield, Multiples Alternate Asset Management and 67 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series G, Sep 21, 2023, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 83/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 220 Competitors
2. Sid's Farm
Provider of a direct-to-consumer (D2C) premium dairy brand. The business processes raw milk into various food items such as butter, curd, ghee, paneer, and dairy-based beverages. These products are distributed through a direct-to-consumer model. The production process involves pasteurization and packaging of dairy goods for retail consumption.
Key facts about Sid's Farm
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: Hyderabad (India)
- Stage: Series A
- Total Funding till date: $20.9M
- Investors: Omnivore, Alteria Capital and 34 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series A, May 13, 2026, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 76/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 94 Competitors
3. Akshayakalpa
Brand of organic dairy products and various fresh food items. The product line includes milk, ghee, butter, cheese, paneer, curd, and buttermilk. Additional offerings consist of eggs, vegetables, honey, coconut oil, bread, and grain-based batter. These goods are produced using organic farming practices and are distributed through a subscription-based mobile application and retail channels.
Key facts about Akshayakalpa
- Founded Year: 2010
- Location: Tiptur (India)
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $58.1M
- Investors: Lok Capital, Venturedairy and 42 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, Feb 07, 2026, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 75/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 91 Competitors
4. Epigamia
Retailer of healthier snacking options. The company creates healthier snacking options made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. It ensures that its products do not contain preservatives, artificial flavors or adulterated ingredients. Innovation is a key aspect of the company, which experiments with unique flavors and creates new products.
Key facts about Epigamia
- Founded Year: 2007
- Location: Mumbai (India)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $67.3M
- Investors: Verlinvest, Danone Manifesto Ventures and 52 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Angel, Dec 04, 2023, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 75/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 111 Competitors
5. Chaayos
Chain of limited-service restaurants serving tea. Offer snacks and various types of teas such as green tea, herbal tea, and instant tea, honey, snacks as well as a social setting in order to facilitate informal meetings and local gatherings, enabling consumers to uplift their social environment after work.
Key facts about Chaayos
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Delhi (India)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $94M
- Investors: Elevation Capital, Tiger Global Management and 68 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Angel, Oct 25, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 74/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 75 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Food and Agriculture sector in India
646 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Food and Agriculture sector in India. 1,865 Food and Agriculture startups in India were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 646 |
2025 | 210 |
2024 | 583 |
2023 | 954 |
2022 | 1,095 |
2021 | 1,422 |
2020 | 1,865 |
2019 | 1,494 |
2018 | 1,227 |
2017 | 1,022 |
Stage-wise distribution of Food and Agriculture sector companies in India
Out of the total 34,307 Food and Agriculture companies in India, 1,989 have secured funding. Among them, 1,040 have reached Series A or higher, and 858 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 34,307
Funded - 1,989
Series A+ - 1,040
Series B+ - 858
Series C+ - 808
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 34,307 |
Funded | 1,989 |
Series A+ | 1,040 |
Series B+ | 858 |
Series C+ | 808 |
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Funding Trends in the Food and Agriculture sector in India
Total funding year-on-year in the Food and Agriculture sector in India
The Food and Agriculture sector in India saw a total funding of more than $12.2B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2019 at more than $2.95B. There has been a total funding of $1.98B in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $1.98B |
2025 | $941M |
2024 | $902M |
2023 | $706M |
2022 | $1.37B |
2021 | $1.11B |
2020 | $544M |
2019 | $2.95B |
2018 | $1.02B |
2017 | $631M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Food and Agriculture in India
In the year 2026, till July 2026, Food and Agriculture companies in India have raised $586M in equity funding across 104 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till July 2025), Food and Agriculture companies in India had raised $390M across 156 rounds.
So, 2026 has seen a 50.4% rise in funding in Food and Agriculture companies in India as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Food and Agriculture companies in India:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Series D | 4788 | Jul 27, 2026 | ||
Seed | 8899 | Jul 27, 2026 | ||
Seed | 8315 | Jul 27, 2026 | - | |
Seed | 5027 | Jul 15, 2026 | ||
Series C | 8163 | Jul 15, 2026 |
Top Investors in Food and Agriculture in India
BIRAC is the top investor in Food and Agriculture companies in India based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Food and Agriculture companies in India:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Delhi (India) | ||
Singapore (Singapore) | ||
Greenwich (United States) | ||
Bengaluru (India) | ||
New York City (United States) |
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M&A activity in Food and Agriculture sector in India
In the year 2026, till July 2026, 13 acquisitions happened in Food and Agriculture sector in India. Last year, in 2025, a total of 26 acquisitions happened in Food and Agriculture sector in India.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Food and Agriculture sector in India:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Jul 13, 2026 | - | |
Business Acquisition | Jul 01, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 11, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Apr 15, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Apr 03, 2026 |
Acquisition trends in Food and Agriculture sector in India
Here are the acquisition trends in Food and Agriculture sector in India:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 13 |
2025 | 26 |
2024 | 32 |
2023 | 25 |
2022 | 42 |
2021 | 26 |
2020 | 10 |
2019 | 13 |
2018 | 11 |
2017 | 13 |
IPOs in Food and Agriculture in India
In the year 2026, till July 2026, 9 IPOs happened in Food and Agriculture sector in India.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Food and Agriculture sector in India:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Jul 06, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) | |
Jul 03, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) | |
Jun 12, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), National Stock Exchange (NSE) | |
Jun 01, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) | |
May 27, 2026 | Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) |
Colleges which produce the most Food and Agriculture companies in India
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Food and Agriculture in India
Most number of Food and Agriculture startups in India have been founded by alumni from IIM Ahmedabad, University of Delhi and IIT Delhi.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
IIM Ahmedabad | 44 |
University of Delhi | 40 |
IIT Delhi | 31 |
BITS Pilani | 29 |
IIT Kharagpur | 28 |
Indian School of Business | 26 |
IIT Bombay | 25 |
IIM Calcutta | 24 |
INSEAD | 18 |
London School of Economics and Political Science | 18 |
Total funding in Food and Agriculture companies founded by alumni from top colleges in India
In the last 10 years, Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow graduates' Food and Agriculture companies in India have raised the most funding among top colleges. IIT Bombay alumni are second, and IIM Bangalore alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Indian Institute Of Management–Lucknow | $495M |
IIT Bombay | $440M |
IIM Bangalore | $299M |
Wharton School | $269M |
University of Pennsylvania | $269M |
IIM Calcutta | $221M |
The Wharton School | $190M |
NYU Stern School of Business | $185M |
IIM Ahmedabad | $149M |
Harvard Business School | $148M |
Top News in Food and Agriculture in India
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Baedal Minjok signs MOU with Baskin Robbins... Exclusive new product launchHankooki•Jul 06, 2026•Woowa Bros, co.kr, Baskin Robbins
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Subway Accelerates Expansion in Spain with Plans to Open 25 New Locations This YearExpansion•Jul 03, 2026•Subway
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Paradise Biryani plans 20 Bengaluru outlets as part of its ₹100 crore national expansionHotelierIndia•Jul 01, 2026•Paradise
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Subway Canada introduces footlong hot dog featuring Schneider's beefProvisioneronline•Jun 29, 2026•Subway
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OZiva Launches New Acne Spot Corrector After Extensive Consumer TestingBusinessFortNight•Jun 26, 2026•OZiva
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ADAMA Launches Novali™, a High-Load Liquid Pyroxasulfone Herbicide for Row CropsPR Newswire•Jun 24, 2026•Adama
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Subway® Canada and Lay’s® Launch Iconic Italian Herbs & Cheese Flavoured Potato ChipsBusiness Wire•Jun 04, 2026•Subway, LAY'S
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