PRESS NOTE – India Food Expo 10th Edition Organised by IIA

IIA’s New Year Gift to MSMEs: India Food Expo–2026

10th Edition Concludes a Successful Day-2 with Strong Industry–Government Connect Lucknow, 17 January 2026

The Indian Industries Association (IIA) marked another major milestone with the successful completion of Day-2 of the 10th Edition of India Food Expo–2026, popularly described as IIA’s New Year Gift to MSMEs. Despite a foggy morning, the enthusiasm of entrepreneurs, youth, and industry professionals remained unstoppable, as thousands continued to visit the Expo being held at Regalia Green Lawns, near 1090 Crossing, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.

The Expo, running successfully for the last two days, has emerged as a powerful platform for learning, networking, and exploring new ventures across the food and allied sectors. With 100+ stalls showcasing food processing machinery, advanced technologies, startups, skill development initiatives, packaging solutions, cold chain infrastructure, e-vehicles, and allied services, the Expo has already attracted over 4,000 visitors from across the state and beyond, creating strong business and collaboration opportunities for MSMEs. Distinguished Visit and Vision for Infrastructure Development.

The Guest of Honour for Day-2, Shri Manikandan K. IAS, Vice Chairman, Bareilly Development Authority (BDA), Bareilly, on the special invite by the national president IIA shri Dinesh Goyal, Mr Manikandan IAS, visited the Expo and interacted extensively with exhibitors from diverse domains of the food sector. He showed keen interest in understanding their business models, technologies, and growth plans, and appreciated the concept and scale of India Food Expo as a catalyst for MSME-led industrial development. He recalled the vision of shri dinesh goyal during the planning of this expo. The expo is beyond imagination with its powerful impact and footfall.

Technical Seminar: Vision 2047 and MSME Growth

Apart from the heavy footfall at exhibition stalls, industry members and delegates from various cities actively participated in the technical seminar sessions. The seminar was initially addressed by Shri Alok Agarwal, Senior Vice President, IIA, who highlighted the purpose and relevance of the Expo in alignment with Vision 2047, emphasizing MSME growth, ODOP/ODOC initiatives, Vocal for Local and Local to Global strategies.

The technical session was chaired by Shri Manikandan K. IAS, and moderated by Shri Chetan Diyo Bhalla, Chairman – India Food Expo 2026, beginning with the ceremonial lamp lighting.

Key Session Highlights

Infrastructure for Setting up Food Processing Industries in Uttar Pradesh

Shri Manikandan K. IAS elaborated on BDA’s ambitious plan to develop a 300-acre industrial township at Rahpura Jagir village, Bareilly, aimed at boosting industrial growth and employment. The proposed industrial township will be developed in four zones—Logistics Hub, Warehouse Zone, Transport Nagar, and Industrial Area—with plot sizes ranging from 750 sq. m. to 10,000 sq. m. Residential facilities will also be developed to ensure integrated work–life balance.

He further shared that:

• The project will be launched within the next 15 days, with possession starting within 6 months.
• 33/11 KV power supply with dedicated substation will be provided.
• Located within 5 km of the Ganga Expressway with 30-meter wide connectivity.
• Time-bound NOC framework (15–30 days) with deemed approval.
• Freehold land, all applicable subsidies, and linkage with Nivesh Mitra.
• Modern amenities including ETP, STP, EV charging stations, gas pipeline, fire station, medical center, common facilities, and solid waste management.

He termed the current period as a golden opportunity for safe ROI investments, inviting entrepreneurs to Bareilly to benefit from this landmark initiative. During the interactive Q&A, industrialists appreciated the BDA model and expressed hope that other states would replicate such proactive industrial development efforts. He also explained BDA’s entrepreneur-friendly payment model to support new investors.

Entering into Exports of Food Products

Shri Alok Mishra Ji, Associate – Export Promotion, delivered a keynote session on food exports, highlighting the critical role of APEDA in registration, quality control, branding, financial assistance, and global market access. He explained how Uttar Pradesh’s agricultural strength aligns perfectly with APEDA’s schemes, enabling MSMEs and farmers to access international markets and enhance value-added exports. Dairy Development

Dr. Sunil K. R. Rathore, Deputy Director, Nand Baba Dugdh Mission, presented the vision of Uttar Pradesh’s flagship dairy initiative launched in June 2023 with a ₹1,000 crore outlay. He highlighted UP’s position as India’s largest milk-producing state and invited investments in animal husbandry, dairy infrastructure, and cooperative models to strengthen farmer income and rural livelihoods. Development of Poultry Sector

Dr. Brijesh Kumar Tripathi, Deputy Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, explained the UP Poultry Development Policy 2022, detailing incentives such as interest subsidies, electricity duty waivers, and stamp duty exemptions. He also addressed recent misinformation regarding egg consumption, clarifying facts based on scientific testing, and emphasized responsible practices including avoidance of antibiotic misuse.

Panel Discussion: Building a High ROI Hotel Business

An engaging panel discussion on “Building a High ROI Hotel Business” brought together:

• Shri Aviral Sharma, Senior Architect, A Sharma & Associates
• Shri Neel Kamal Chauhan, Founding Partner, HPTS Consulting
• Shri Jay Kumar Gupta, General Manager, SIDBI

The panel was moderated by Shri Sulabh Agarwal, Co-Founder, The Big Hotel Store. Speakers shared insights on smart design, operational efficiency, revenue optimization, and financial planning for hospitality entrepreneurs. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri Alok Agarwal, Senior Vice President, IIA. With two highly successful days completed, India Food Expo–2026 continues to reinforce IIA’s four-decade legacy of empowering MSMEs and strengthening Uttar Pradesh’s position as a rising hub for food processing, agribusiness, and allied industries.

Shri Awadhesh Kr Agarwal, National Treasure and Co-Chairman Sh Vikas Khanna has informed the HIGHLIGHT for the last day /closing – 18 january 2026

*11AM : Panel Discussion Session – From Idea to scale : Building Funding & Growing Successful F&B Business.

*Exhibition Last day opportunities to connect and explore to setup your own food industry.

*Closing ceremony: 04 PM

Chief Guest : Honble Minister Independent Charge – Shri Asim Arun ji,

Guest Of Honor – Shri Manoj Kumar Singh – CEO, State Transformation Commission, UP.