The Millet Opportunity: A Superfood and a Startup Space Waiting to Grow

India, with its ancient agricultural heritage, is rightfully hailed as the “Millet Powerhouse” of the world. The country grows a staggering 41% of global millet production—approximately 170 lakh tonnes annually—primarily from states like Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. In FY 2023-24, India’s millet exports crossed $340 million, clocking an impressive 38% growth over the previous year.

But despite this commanding lead in production, India’s branded millet presence in the global market is shockingly low—less than 5%. The majority of India’s millet exports are in raw, unprocessed form, yielding low margins while international brands take home the real profits.

This glaring mismatch between supply and value has created what experts call the "Millet Value Trap.”

The Millet Value Trap: A Missed Billion-Dollar Opportunity?

The global millet market is rapidly scaling, expected to hit $10 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 4.5%. Millets are being hailed as the next big superfood, thanks to their gluten-free, low-GI, and high-fiber properties. They're environmentally sustainable, drought-resistant, and nutritionally dense—ticking all the boxes for health-conscious consumers worldwide.

Yet, the economic benefits of this rising trend are being reaped not by Indian producers or Indian startups, but by foreign brands that have mastered the art of branding and value-addition.

A tonne of raw millet exported from India fetches approximately $400, but the same grain, when turned into gluten-free flour, snack bars, granola, or instant mixes, can command 10 times the price in Western markets.

Global brands like Bob’s Red Mill (USA), Nature’s Path (Canada), and Urban Platter (UK) prominently display “Ancient Grain” or “Superfood” labels, often sourcing their millets from Indian farms. But in the eyes of the end consumer, the credit—and the profit—goes to the brand, not the farmer or the country of origin.

Where Are the Global Indian Millet Brands?

While India boasts a few emerging D2C millet brands like Tata Soulfull, Slurrp Farm, and Millet Amma, none have yet become a global name. These brands are making commendable strides in domestic markets, especially among urban millennial and Gen Z consumers, offering millet-based breakfast cereals, snacks, and health products.

The government’s push during the UN-designated International Year of Millets (2023) gave a significant boost to awareness. Events, exhibitions, and policy dialogues celebrated millets as the “nutri-cereal of the future.” However, this momentum has not translated into global shelf presence.

In contrast, walk into any supermarket in New York, London, or Berlin, and you’re more likely to find millet-based products under foreign brand names. The term “Indian millet” might be found in the fine print on the back of the packaging—buried under branding that belongs to someone else.

The Policy-Brand Disconnect: Exporting Bulk, Not Brilliance

The Indian government has been actively promoting millet farming and exports. There are incentives for farmers, subsidies for production, and even support for exports. However, what’s missing is a robust retail strategy, startup support, and branding infrastructure.

According to industry estimates:

• Over 80% of India’s millet exports are in raw, unprocessed form.

• Less than 2% of the global branded millet product market is dominated by Indian companies.

• Domestic packaged millet food consumption has tripled in the last 5 years—but remains largely urban and fragmented.

The entire millet ecosystem in India—from farmer to food processor—is caught in a commoditization trap. Without value addition, processing, packaging, and product innovation, India is simply shipping sacks of grain while the world sells stories.

The Startup Playbook: How Indian Entrepreneurs Can Flip the Script

This is where India’s vibrant startup ecosystem has a chance to change the narrative. If we could build global icons in fintech, SaaS, or D2C beauty, why not food? Why not millets?

Here's where the opportunities lie:

1. Create D2C Superfood Brands

Indian startups can lead the way by launching millet-based snacks, granolas, cereal bars, cookies, porridges, and ready-to-cook meals tailored for global tastes but rooted in Indian nutrition.

2. Leverage Global Health Trends

The demand for clean-label, plant-based, gluten-free, and low-carb foods is rising rapidly in the West. Indian millets—especially ragi, bajra, and jowar—naturally fit these criteria. Strategic marketing can position them as “ancient supergrains with modern benefits.”

3. Integrate Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs)

Agri-startups can create farm-to-brand supply chains, working with FPOs to ensure quality sourcing while giving farmers a stake in value creation.

4. Use Technology to Build Trust

Traceability tech like QR codes, blockchain, and AI-based quality checks can help build trust in Indian millet brands abroad.

5. Target Global Markets with Cultural Context

Just as yoga, turmeric latte, and ayurvedic skincare have become mainstream globally, millets can be the next big Indian export—but only if positioned right.

Processing Is the New Production

Startups in the millet space must understand one key truth: Products outperform production.

Think of oats. Once a humble grain, oats have been transformed by brands like Quaker into billion-dollar breakfast products. The same holds true for quinoa, chia seeds, and even almond milk. The transformation didn’t come from producing more—it came from branding more intelligently.

India has the supply. What we need now are visionary entrepreneurs who can build global millet brands—who can turn the humble ragi laddoo into the next protein bar, or transform bajra porridge into a gluten-free breakfast cereal consumed in Tokyo, Toronto, and Tel Aviv.

From Fields to Fame: Time for a Millet Unicorn?

India has set a target to double millet exports by 2030. But to truly unlock the millet economy, we need to go beyond sacks and into shelves. Beyond nutrition, this is about nation branding, rural employment, women entrepreneurship, and startup innovation.

The future of Indian millets lies not just in growing them, but in owning the narrative around them.

Perhaps the next unicorn won’t come from an app—but from a millet bar.

At TICE, we believe that Indian startups have the creativity, grit, and storytelling prowess to transform sectors—and millets could be the next big one.

If you're an agri-entrepreneur, a food-tech innovator, or a D2C brand builder—the millet moment is now.

Don’t just harvest. Hustle. Brand. Scale.