Food Processing Industries minister Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal made the comments after meeting PepsiCo CEO and chair Nooyi in New Dehli last week, according to a statement from the nation’s Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
According to the ministry Nooyi told Badal that PepsiCo had already invested substantially in India’s food processing sector but wished to “double its investment in coming years”.
She also committed to providing tasty, healthy and nutritious products – after Badal flagged up the important of providing healthy packed lunches to school children.
Given that large numbers of Indian children suffer from iron deficiency, the minister proposed that PepsiCo partner with Indian government researchers to develop food products that can be supplied as part of the midday meals in rural India.
Expanding on the theme of healthy and nutritious products, Badal noted the oat-based products that are now available in western markets, which she said could be sold in India with a (in the ministry’s words) “family focus on health and nutrition”.