From spices to sustainability: Transforming food processing

In this episode of the Food Frontiers series, India Business and Trade engages with Anand Chordia, Director of Technology and Innovation at Suhana Pravin Masale Wale, who aims to drive sustainability and innovation in the F&B sector. Under his leadership and guidance, Suhana has embraced net-zero emissions, zero waste, and circular economy practices, gaining global recognition. Through initiatives like India’s Waste Management Park and sustainable farming, his Eco Factory Foundation promotes eco-conscious growth.

Anand Chordia advocates for clean-label, minimally processed products and the integration of traditional foods with advanced technologies like IoT and AI to meet global standards. He stresses sustainability as essential for both environmental and economic progress and encourages collaboration between industry and government to boost exports and address global food standards.

He emphasizes product value, customer feedback, and supply chain efficiency over rapid valuations. Through platforms like Indus Food, he champions innovation and positions India as a global F&B leader.

IBT: The global business landscape is indeed buzzing with these two big keywords, sustainability and smart manufacturing. Please tell us how Suhana is embracing these principles to become a model of excellence in F&B manufacturing.

Anand Chordia: We have recognized that as a globally recognized food manufacturing company, it’s our responsibility to create a better environment within and outside our organization. Climate change, global warming, and pollution—especially in cities like Delhi—are critical issues. While no single entity can solve these challenges alone, we believe small, decentralized efforts can make a significant difference. Change can begin with us.

In 2014, Suhana began its journey towards net-zero emissions and zero waste. We’ve successfully managed industrial waste, such as biodegradable and plastic waste from our processes and packaging, using simple techniques to reuse, recycle, refurbish, and upcycle materials—embracing a circular economy. While many view sustainability as an expense, we see waste as a resource in the wrong place, focusing on turning it into wealth.

Through innovative scientific methods, we’ve converted waste into value-added products, giving us a competitive edge. Our waste audits help us understand and solve problems effectively. This approach has not only enabled us to recycle and upcycle but also inspired over 20,000 entrepreneurs and industry professionals who visited our facility.

Several of our units are now net-zero in energy, with one IGBC-certified and three rated as platinum green buildings. We’re integrating renewable energy and converting barren land into pesticide-free food forests, addressing residual pesticide limits and supporting eco-friendly farming practices. The FMCG and manufacturing sectors in India, not just food, should adopt such sustainable practices. Smart technologies like IoT, AI, and Industry 4.0 are essential in this transition, helping gather real-time data for better decisions, manage quality, control costs, and enhance processes.

To me, sustainability means balancing environmental, economic, and financial responsibilities to achieve the best outcomes for the planet, our business, and the future.

IBT: India is fast emerging as a hub for food processing, so how do you view this trend in spice processing particularly? What really excites you about the potential of the spice industry ?

Anand Chordia: Indian traditional foods represent a vast and growing industry, with our country being one of the most biodiverse in the world. Every region, every 100 km, brings changes in food habits, language, and cooking styles. This diversity offers a tremendous opportunity to process and create simple, nutritious, and convenient foods for the future. Indianised health products, supported by minimal processing and clean labels, are poised to make a significant impact on global markets as these attributes align with current global demands.

By blending nature’s offerings with evolving technologies, we can drive a dynamic transformation in India’s food industry, especially in traditional foods. At Suhana Masale, we are evolving to provide these products in a convenient way while addressing challenges like pesticides and insecticides that could hinder economic and industrial growth in the sector.

Growth areas like millet, which has seen a revolution, illustrate the challenges of establishing supply chains and defining crop varieties. While this process takes time, we believe that as markets develop and adapt to demand, Indian food and dishes will emerge as a key part of the global food palate, with a bright future ahead.

IBT- What do you think about F&B industry in India when it comes to entrepreneurial focus. Do you think it is a great industry to be entering into? What advice will you give to the entrepreneurs who are emerging into the process food industry today?

Anand Chordia: There are many entrepreneurs turning traditional foods into frozen or dehydrated formats and offering them in the market. These entrepreneurs face challenges with global food labeling norms, supply chain traceability, and maintaining consistent quality as they grow their businesses. Ensuring that the quality remains consistent is crucial, so customers get the same product they enjoyed when they placed their first order. This is key to growing the customer base. Entrepreneurs must also ask themselves: Am I listening to my customers correctly? Am I adopting the changes that I learn from them?

Some entrepreneurs are also working on finding financing solutions. Many times, I have advised them that, rather than focusing on company valuation, they should prioritize the value that their product is offering to customers. Nowadays, a lot of young entrepreneurs focus on the valuation of their company, without considering the value they provide through their products. It is important to strike a balance between both. Additionally, it is crucial to understand that not all industries experience rapid growth. Sectors like food require patience and consistency. Entrepreneurs need to know their suppliers and buyers well and maintain proper supply chain management.

My grandfather always emphasized the importance of suppliers and farmers in the business. These are factors that young entrepreneurs should keep in mind. With the right approach, success will follow!

IBT: What do you feel are the key steps or suggestions that you would like to give to the government and trade promotion bodies of the ecosystem, to expand India’s FNB exports, particularly for the SMEs which are emerging?

Anand Chordia: Initiatives like Indusfood and similar exhibitions have significantly accelerated the global reach of Indian brands, and I deeply appreciate the Ministry’s vision for creating such platforms. These events bring the world together for a few days, fostering fantastic opportunities. However, a pressing issue remains: addressing the challenges of pesticides, insecticides, and residue levels that are increasingly affecting not just spices but many other Indian commodities, hampering global trade.

To tackle this, there’s a need for collaboration across multiple ministries, including Agriculture, Food Processing, and Commerce, to align mandates towards this shared goal. We are working with farmers, FPOs, and FPCs to organize farming practices and improve sourcing. By analyzing products and sharing feedback with farmers, we aim to enhance process controls and ensure globally accepted standards.

As global trade becomes more stringent due to geopolitical shifts, these issues require urgent attention. Establishing a high-level committee to address these concerns across ministries would expedite solutions, easing the path for farmers and boosting trade growth while aligning with global expectations.

IBT- Tell us about your experience at Indusfood over the years and its importance for Indian F&B exports in your view. And if you would like to also share your insight on the upcoming edition, where we are having an integrated farm to fork concept within this food manufacturing and in this food agri-tech. What are your views on this?

Anand Chordia: In the last event, I gained a better understanding of the conference and realized it is one of the best ways to address various challenges in the industry. I understood how it covers everything from farming and farm machinery to food processing and chefs. Many aspects of the food industry are involved in this emerging sector, and I’m truly excited and looking forward to being fully involved.

This is going to become extremely nourishing, and a powerful experience for economical and trade growth of every industry, and great interactions will happen. For so many years, we have been participating in one of the finest exhibitions of India, Indusfood. We’ve been getting very overwhelmingly great responses, for our international reach out. It has given us a lot of inputs also, which, from the customer side, has allowed us to evolve to the next level of market servicing. 

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Mr. Anand Rajkumar Chordia, Director of Technology and Innovation at Suhana Pravin Masale Wale. Mr Chordia is a visionary force and a driving energy between Suhana Pravin Masale Wale. He is a trailblazer in the fields of technology, sustainability and entrepreneurship. As director of technology and innovation, he has elevated Suhana into a household name across India and globally. His passion for a sustainable future inspired him to establish the Eco Factory Foundation, a pioneering initiative that is transformative like India’s Waste Management Park and The Shashwat Bharat Setu.

His unwavering dedication earned him prestigious honours including Pune’s highest accolade , the Jayantrao Tilak award , The Bhartiya Khadya Shiromani Award and recognition among the University of Auckland’s 40 under 40 most inspiring alumni from over 2 Lakh graduates in 2020.

These accolades reflect his relentless pursuit of excellence and his commitment to building the greener, cleaner and the most sustainable India.