How iD Fresh Is Turning South Indian Staples into a Global Fresh Food Brand

For nearly two decades, Bengaluru-based iD Fresh Food has stood as a quiet disruptor in India’s packaged food landscape. From its iconic idli dosa batter to its layered parotas and filter coffee, the company has built a reputation on one unyielding promise: fresh, preservative-free, authentic food.

“At iD, we remain steadfast in our guiding principle to deliver fresh, preservative-free, authentic, and convenient food, any product that requires preservatives or artificial additives is off-limits,”  says Rajat Diwakar, CEO (India), iD Fresh Food. 

That ethos now extends to iD’s newest innovation, the Ready Mix range, a clean-label collection of South Indian tiffin mixes designed for modern, time-strapped households. The company plans to make the mixes available across 1 lakh outlets in the next two years, signaling its most ambitious expansion yet.

The Ready Mix Revolution

Launched in August 2025, the Ready Mix range marks iD’s entry into a category long dominated by compromise. Each pack, from Rava Idly to Plain Dosa to Protein Idly, promises the comfort of homemade food with none of the chemical trade-offs.

Each variant comes with a six-month shelf life and is produced in FSSAI-compliant facilities to ensure safety and consistency. For health-conscious consumers, the Protein Idly variant offers 17 grams of protein per 100 grams, reflecting how the brand continues to balance innovation with nutrition.

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Balancing Growth, Freshness, and Technology

In a retail landscape crowded with “me-too” products, iD has managed to carve a loyal following through differentiation and trust. Its flagship batter and parota lines remain category leaders, even as competitors rush to emulate its success.

“The adoption of our batter in non-South markets has been particularly strong, it validates that traditional foods can transcend regional boundaries when offered with authenticity and convenience,” shares d Diwakar. 

Behind the scenes, the company relies heavily on technology, not as a buzzword but as a critical enabler of scale. From manufacturing automation and route optimizsation to predictive demand forecasting and packaging design, iD has woven innovation into every layer of its operations.

He further says added, “Technology isn’t an add-on, it’s a critical enabler to keep fresh food truly fresh at scale. We are experimenting with smarter supply chain systems, better consumer insights, and sharper media targeting.”

Channel Play and Profit Focus

While quick commerce continues to reshape retail dynamics, iD is not betting on any single channel. The company believes in maintaining a balanced distribution mix across general trade, modern trade, and digital platforms.

“For fresh, staple food categories, we expect quick commerce to grow by 15 to 20 percent in the coming years. That said, general and modern trade remain equally important. Our investments are aligned to strengthen each of these channels,” says Diwakar noted.

Despite the category’s capital intensity, iD’s focus now lies firmly on profitable growth, not just expansion. “Our focus is on profitable growth. We have always focused on building long-term consumer trust, and that has translated into strong investor confidence,” he says said Diwakar. 

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Scaling the Fresh Food Promise Globally

From a single product in Bengaluru in 2005, iD Fresh has evolved into a global brand with a footprint across India, the Middle East, the US, Canada, and the UK. The next phase of its expansion, however, looks inward, toward Tier 2 cities and the deeper corners of India.

“In India, we are expanding our presence into Tier 2 cities and introducing our core portfolio. Internationally, we are already present in markets such as the US, Canada, and the UK, driven by strong demand among the Indian diaspora,” says stated Diwakar.

Even as it scales, iD refuses to compromise on what Diwakar calls its product integrity. “Our boldest bet is to scale fresh categories across geographies, all while preserving product integrity and freshness. That’s the challenge we’re most excited about solving.”

The Road Ahead

As Indian consumers grow more health-conscious yet convenience-driven, iD Fresh finds itself at the intersection of both. The company’s focus on fortified and regional specialties, from ragi and multigrain batters to theplas and puran poli, positions it well for the next wave of culinary demand.

“Health-first consumers are already embracing our protein-rich batter, multigrain and ragi millet batters,” said Diwakar says. “At the same time, India’s culinary diversity excites us. We have launched puran poli and thepla recently, and are looking at more regional specialties.”

Looking ahead, Diwakar’s five-year vision is ambitious yet grounded. “We want to make fresh, natural, and preservative-free food accessible to households across the world and redefine fresh food on a global stage.”

With its Ready Mixes now hitting shelves and its technology backbone humming quietly behind the scenes, iD Fresh seems poised to do just that, taking India’s comfort foods from the kitchen counter to the world’s pantry shelves, without losing the soul of what made them special in the first place.