Gujarat Gets Ready to Serve the World as NRAI Summit Puts Food Industry in Spotlight
From GIFT City to Global Tables, Gujarat Serves Up a New Food Economy
Sagar Daryani: Restaurants Work Holidays, Drive Jobs and Keep the Economy Moving
Aanal Kotak: Gujarat’s Food Ecosystem Gets Ready for Its Global Moment
Pranav Rungta: Gujarat Emerging as the Next Growth Engine for India’s Restaurant Industry
From GIFT City to Global Tables, Gujarat Serves Up a New Food Economy
Gujarat’s Taste Buds Prepare for the World as Ahmedabad Hosts NRAI Food Delivery Summit
5th NRAI Food Delivery Summit brings India’s restaurant industry to Ahmedabad as Gujarat prepares for a bigger global hospitality role
Bilkul Bazaar | By Rafat Quadri
Ahmedabad
The 5th NRAI Food Delivery Summit 2026, India’s biggest food business summit, is set to bring together over 5,000 attendees, 70+ speakers, 1,500+ brands and delegates from more than 30 cities in Ahmedabad on August 20. More than a food-industry gathering, the Summit comes at a significant moment for Gujarat as Ahmedabad, GIFT City and the state position themselves for a larger role in India’s global business, tourism, sports and hospitality landscape.
Gujarat: The Happening State Is Getting Ready Through Its Taste Buds
Gujarat is emerging as one of the country’s most dynamic business and consumption hubs, and its restaurant industry is increasingly becoming part of that growth story.
With Ahmedabad hosting more than 20,000 restaurants, a restaurant sector growing at an estimated 10–12% annually, and more than 500 NRAI members across Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot, the state’s food ecosystem is expanding rapidly.
At the same time, GIFT City is creating a new corporate and international consumption centre, while Ahmedabad is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and strengthening its credentials as an aspirant city for India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In many ways, Gujarat is preparing for that larger global role through its taste buds — building the food, hospitality and catering ecosystem that will be essential to welcoming athletes, tourists, business visitors and international guests.
NRAI Food Delivery Summit Gets Government Push as Gujarat Eyes Global Spotlight
Aanal Kotak, Chapter Head, NRAI Ahmedabad and Founder, The Secret Kitchen (India & Global), underlined the importance of the Summit in this larger Gujarat growth story.
According to Kotak, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi has been keen to promote and encourage Gujarat’s tourism sector and took a personal interest in ensuring that the Summit is organised on a significant scale.
She said Sanghavi emphasised that the event needed to be conducted exceptionally well as it would contribute to showcasing Ahmedabad and Gujarat’s capabilities as a potential host for major international events.
The Summit, therefore, is not merely about restaurants and food businesses. It is also an opportunity to showcase Gujarat’s hospitality, culinary diversity, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and ability to host large-scale national and international events.
Kotak said Gujarat’s food ecosystem is becoming increasingly diverse across cities and formats.
“Ahmedabad has a strong base of established and emerging restaurant businesses, while Surat and Rajkot add significant depth to the state’s overall market. At the same time, GIFT City is creating a new business and consumption environment that can open up opportunities for food and hospitality businesses.”
She added that the combination of entrepreneurship, changing consumer preferences and new economic activity makes Gujarat an important market for the future of the restaurant industry.
Restaurants Drive Revenue, Jobs and the Wider Economy
Sagar Daryani, President, NRAI and Co-Founder & CEO, Wow Momo Foods, brought a broader perspective to the role of the restaurant industry, highlighting its contribution to revenue generation, employment and the wider economic ecosystem.
An energetic and jovial foodpreneur who continues to remain closely involved with the business he co-founded, Daryani said restaurant entrepreneurs operate through weekends and holidays and face a complex web of regulations and responsibilities.
“We work on Sundays and holidays. The role of the government, its food regulatory agencies and the entire ecosystem of restaurant-related entrepreneurs is tricky and difficult. But if we join hands, understand the need and importance of each other and recognise our role in society as a whole, we can run the industry smoothly and bring a smile to everyone’s face.”
Daryani also pointed to the continuing dialogue between the restaurant industry and government machinery on issues including VAT, service charges, labour laws and other regulatory matters.
He said NRAI regularly engages with the concerned authorities to seek practical solutions and create a more conducive environment for restaurants and food-service businesses.
His comments reflected the association’s effort to represent the industry from the front while balancing the concerns of restaurant entrepreneurs with the larger regulatory and social ecosystem.
Gujarat Poised for the Next Phase of Restaurant Growth
Pranav Rungta, Vice President – NRAI and Director – Mint Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., said Gujarat represents the kind of market from which the next phase of growth in India’s restaurant industry is emerging.
“The restaurant industry in India is seeing its next phase of growth come from markets that have strong entrepreneurial ecosystems and increasingly diverse consumers. Gujarat is an important example of this shift.”
Rungta said the strength of restaurant businesses across Gujarat, combined with the emergence of new consumption centres such as GIFT City, creates a strong opportunity for the industry.
He added that the NRAI Food Delivery Summit is designed to bring the industry together to discuss how technology, entrepreneurship and evolving consumer behaviour will shape the next generation of restaurant businesses.
GIFT City Adds a New Dimension to Gujarat’s Food Story
The emergence of GIFT City is adding another dimension to Gujarat’s restaurant and hospitality growth story.
The expanding financial, corporate and international business ecosystem in the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar region is creating opportunities in business dining, corporate catering, premium food experiences and new restaurant formats aimed at a growing professional and business audience.
The Summit’s focus on GIFT City reflects the emerging intersection between Gujarat’s food businesses and a rapidly developing global business environment.
Technology and AI Reshaping Restaurant Operations
Technology is increasingly becoming a core part of restaurant strategy, with businesses using AI and digital tools for menu engineering, demand forecasting, inventory management, ordering, customer engagement and day-to-day operations.
As restaurants seek greater efficiency and scalability, technology is moving beyond being an operational support tool to becoming an integral part of business growth.
Sports and Infrastructure Could Boost Hospitality Demand
Gujarat’s expanding sports and infrastructure ecosystem could further create opportunities for the restaurant and hospitality sector.
Ahmedabad’s preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, along with its aspirations to play a role in India’s 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games ambitions, could generate demand for food, hospitality and catering services on an unprecedented scale.
NRAI said it would work with stakeholders to bring the restaurant and food services industry into discussions around the food, hospitality and catering requirements associated with sporting events, tourism and infrastructure development.
A Taste of What Lies Ahead
As Gujarat prepares to welcome the country—and potentially the world—its restaurant industry is ready to play a bigger role in the state’s growth story. “Good food brings people together, and Gujarat is preparing to bring the world together, one delicious plate at a time.”
(Rafat Quadri, Editor Bilkul Bazaar can be reached at editorbilkul@gmail.com)
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