Tamil Nadu food and beverage sector grows at annual rate of 10%, association says

Tamil Nadu’s food and beverages industry is growing at an annual rate of 10% and is estimated to be worth more than ₹45,000 crore, according to the Tamil Nadu Hotels’ Association. M. Venkadasubbu, president of the association, said the sector was expanding despite challenges.

He was speaking on the sidelines of UNAVU Expo 2026, a three-day business event for the food, food-service and hospitality sectors at the Chennai Trade Centre. Venkadasubbu said the industry was concentrated largely in cities and tourist destinations. He added that rapid urbanisation and population growth were creating opportunities, while many small businesses continued to struggle to establish themselves.

The association is conducting training programmes at the expo for aspiring entrepreneurs and people already working in the sector. Venkadasubbu said the aim was to help the next generation operate in a competitive environment. Food Minister Venkataramanan inaugurated the event.

The exhibition features commercial kitchen equipment, food-service solutions, food and beverage products, refrigeration and cold-chain systems, and food-processing and packaging equipment. Other areas represented at the expo include hospitality technology, artificial intelligence and automation, energy and water management, hygiene and safety, interiors and furniture, laundry and facility management, and professional services. The association did not provide a breakdown of the industry’s estimated value or details of how the annual growth rate was calculated.

Its comments linked the sector’s expansion to business activity in urban and tourism centres and to the State’s changing population and economic conditions.