ITC Ltd expects consumer spending on its flagship Aashirvaad brand to double from over ₹10,000 crore to ₹20,000 crore within five years, driven by expansion into ready-to-cook meals, frozen foods, and other kitchen categories.
The company plans to grow its core atta business while adding products such as ready-to-cook chapatis, frozen naans and parathas, besan, vermicelli, rava, soya chunks, fresh chutneys, and sambar. Hemant Malik, Chief Executive Officer of ITC’s Foods Division and Executive Director at ITC Ltd, confirmed the brand would reach the new spending target in half a decade.
“We will double in the next five years,” Malik said.
Aashirvaad’s Journey from Atta to Full Portfolio
Launched in May 2002 as a whole wheat atta brand, Aashirvaad has since expanded into staples, spices, fresh foods, and frozen products. The brand now carries more than 200 stock-keeping units across diverse food categories. ITC manufactures Aashirvaad products at 66 facilities across India, enabling shorter delivery times and broader distribution.
In FY26, ITC’s entire FMCG portfolio reached around 28 crore households and recorded nearly ₹37,000 crore in consumer spending, which includes net sales, channel margins, and applicable taxes.
Premiumisation and Convenience
Malik noted that consumers increasingly look beyond price when selecting packaged foods. “Premiumisation is not merely about a higher price point. Consumers today are willing to spend on products that offer tangible value, whether through superior quality, convenience, health and nutritional benefits built through meaningful innovation,” he said.
ITC is entering categories where it can address specific consumer pain points through innovation and differentiation. For example, its ready-to-cook chapatis, with no added preservatives and a shelf life of five to six days, target younger households with limited cooking time.
Sattu Expansion
ITC has also added Aashirvaad Chana Sattu to its portfolio, focusing on protein-rich traditional foods. The product, made using a traditional sand-roasting process, is initially available in Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. ITC also introduced Sattu Masala under the Sunrise spice brand acquired in 2020.
“While we have initially launched it in the eastern markets, we see significant potential in the product. Our ambition is to scale it nationally and make ‘sattu’ a widely accessible and affordable protein option for consumers,” Malik said.
The expansion into sattu, ready-to-cook foods, frozen products, and premium atta variants forms part of ITC’s broader strategy to widen Aashirvaad’s presence across India and achieve the ₹20,000 crore consumer spending goal.