Nat'l Regional Food Store Chains Food retailing in India is predominantly a small-scale business. Small family-owned shops typically retail food products in urban residential areas, urban markets and in villages throughout India. These grocery stores mainly sell food commodities. Specialized food stores sell one or two product categories such as bakery products, dairy products, meat, fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses or spices. Specialized food stores are mainly located in shopping markets.
Hawkers sell fresh fruits and vegetables on open stalls or handcarts in wet markets.
The retail market for fruits and vegetables has grown at over 20 percent per year in the past few years. Sales of dairy products and meat products are also growing. The volume of spices, coffee, tea and cocoa sales in India is currently low, but is growing rapidly. Retail sales of subsistence foods such as cereals, breads, pulses and edible oils have started declining. As incomes have risen, there has been a shift in consumption, from subsistence to basic foods such as dairy products and meat.