Indian consumers are becoming significantly more conscious about what enters their kitchens. Across urban markets, conversations around preservatives, ultra-processed foods, ingredient transparency, nutritional density, and clean-label consumption are moving from niche wellness communities into mainstream household decision-making. This shift is forcing food brands to rethink not only product formulation, but also trust, freshness, and customer experience itself.
At the same time, modern consumers are increasingly questioning the long-standing industrial logic of packaged staples. In categories such as atta, where products are consumed daily across millions of homes, convenience and shelf-life optimization have historically taken precedence over freshness and nutritional integrity. However, growing awareness around health outcomes and ingredient quality is beginning to reshape expectations around what “everyday food” should deliver.
The rise of clean-label food customer trust reflects a broader transformation underway across India’s food ecosystem. Consumers no longer evaluate brands solely on price or taste. They increasingly expect transparency, traceability, nutritional accountability, and authenticity — particularly in categories directly linked to family health and long-term wellness. In that environment, brands capable of combining traditional food wisdom with operational innovation may gain a powerful competitive advantage.
Ashish Bajaj, CEO and Co-Founder of 10on10 Foods
In this CXQuest interview, we speak with Ashish Bajaj, CEO and Co-Founder of 10on10 Foods, a Bengaluru-based food-tech company focused on rebuilding India’s staples category through freshness, nutritional integrity, and transparent sourcing practices.
Before launching 10on10 Foods alongside co-founders Avinash Jain and Mohsin Ali, Ashish built an extensive career across some of India’s leading organizations including Narayana Health, MediBuddy, Ola, Microsoft, and GroupM. Widely recognized for his work across marketing transformation, digital strategy, and consumer engagement, Ashish brings a combination of brand-building expertise and health-focused entrepreneurial vision to the food sector.
The discussion explores how consumer expectations around food are evolving, why freshness may become a defining differentiator in staples consumption, how transparency builds customer trust, and what it takes to create meaningful customer experiences in India’s highly competitive FMCG environment.
The Clean-label Movement
Q1. The clean-label movement is growing rapidly in India. What deeper consumer behavior shifts are driving this transformation beyond simple health trends?
AB: Consumers today are moving from passive consumption to informed decision making. Earlier, people largely trusted what was written on the front of the pack. Today, they are reading ingredient labels, comparing nutritional values, and questioning how products are made. This shift is being driven by rising awareness around lifestyle-related health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and digestive disorders.
What is particularly interesting is that consumers are no longer looking for niche “health foods” alone. They want everyday staples like atta, breakfast foods, and snacks to deliver better nutrition without compromising on taste or convenience. The clean label movement is therefore less about following a trend and more about a fundamental re-evaluation of what families consume every day.
Q2. You’ve said that India doesn’t have a staples problem but a freshness problem. What led you to that conclusion, and why has the industry overlooked it for so long?
AB: For generations, Indian households consumed freshly ground atta from their neighbourhood chakki. People instinctively understood that fresher flour retained better taste, aroma, and nutrition. As urban lifestyles evolved, convenience became the priority, and packaged staples became the norm.
The challenge is that in order to maximize shelf life and support large-scale distribution, many products became increasingly processed. While they offered convenience, they often moved further away from the nutritional quality consumers were accustomed to. That is why we believe India does not have a staples problem, it has a freshness problem. Consumers still consume atta every day, but the quality of what they consume has changed significantly over time.
Trust in Food Categories
Q3. Trust is becoming increasingly important in food categories. How is 10on10 Foods building and measuring clean-label food customer trust operationally?
AB: At 10on10 Foods, trust begins with transparency. One of our most distinctive initiatives is our video proof of milling. Customers receive a timestamped video showing exactly when their atta was milled, and that timestamp matches the details printed on the product pack. This gives them tangible proof that the product is genuinely fresh.
We measure trust through behavioural indicators such as repeat purchase rates, product upgrades, and basket expansion. Today, we are seeing a 28% repeat purchase rate, an average basket size of 1.4 products per order, and 30% of customers upgrading from 1 kg to 5 kg packs on subsequent purchases. For us, these are strong indicators that consumers are experiencing the difference and coming back for more.
Timestamped Video Proof of Milling
Q4. The idea of providing timestamped video proof of milling is unusual in the staples category. What consumer insight led to that experience decision?
AB: The insight was simple: if consumers cannot see how their food is made, they are being asked to trust blindly. Many people say they want fresh atta, but there has traditionally been no way to verify that claim. By sharing video proof of milling with a matching timestamp, we are making freshness visible and verifiable.
This idea is rooted in the broader belief that trust should be earned through evidence, not just marketing.
Q5. Many FMCG brands optimize heavily for shelf life and scalability. How do you balance freshness, nutrition, taste, convenience, and operational efficiency simultaneously?
AB: It requires a fundamentally different operating philosophy. At 10on10 Foods, our starting point is nutritional integrity rather than maximum shelf life. We then design the supply chain and manufacturing processes around preserving freshness and convenience.
Technology, process discipline, and a focused product portfolio help us maintain this balance. It is certainly more operationally demanding, but we believe today’s consumers value products that are genuinely better for them.
Q6. Customer expectations around health and ingredient transparency are evolving rapidly. What are consumers asking today that they were not asking even three or four years ago?
AB: Consumers are asking far more specific questions today. They want to know when the product was made, how it was processed, whether it contains preservatives, how much protein and fibre it offers, and whether the nutritional claims are meaningful.
There is also a stronger focus on everyday staples rather than occasional indulgences. Consumers increasingly want products they use daily to support long-term health.
Nutrition-led Product Philosophy
Q7. Your product philosophy appears strongly nutrition-led rather than margin-led. How difficult is it to maintain that positioning inside a highly price-sensitive market like India?
AB: India is price-sensitive, but consumers are willing to pay for products when they clearly understand the value. Our goal is to make better nutrition accessible rather than exclusive. For example, our High Protein Atta delivers 25 grams of protein per 100 grams and costs approximately ₹15 per 100 grams, which is significantly more affordable than many protein bars that provide lower nutritional value.
When consumers see superior nutrition, fewer additives, and better economics, the proposition becomes compelling.
Q8. You’ve shared strong repeat purchase and upgrade metrics. What do these behavioral indicators reveal about changing consumer relationships with staple foods?
AB: These metrics indicate that consumers are becoming more intentional about staple purchases. When customers reorder and move to larger pack sizes, it reflects both satisfaction and trust. It also suggests that staples are no longer viewed as commoditized products chosen solely on price.
Consumers are recognizing that everyday foods can have a meaningful impact on their health and are making choices accordingly.
Q9. Millets such as jowar and ragi are seeing renewed adoption. How are regional food traditions and modern wellness trends converging in today’s consumer landscape?
AB: Millets are a great example of traditional wisdom being rediscovered through a modern wellness lens.
These grains have been part of Indian diets for generations, but are now being appreciated for their nutritional benefits, including fibre, micronutrients, and a lower glycemic impact.
Consumers are increasingly embracing familiar ingredients that offer both authenticity and health benefits.
Crowded FMCG Ecosystem
Q10. In a crowded FMCG ecosystem, how do you differentiate customer experience beyond packaging and marketing communication?
AB: Our differentiation lies in product truth. We provide evidence of freshness, develop products with nutritionists, and focus on measurable nutritional outcomes rather than superficial claims. For example, our High Protein Atta offers more protein, more fibre, less sugar, less fat, and no preservatives compared with many products marketed as health foods.
Ultimately, customer experience is shaped by what consumers consistently receive and how they feel after using the product.
Q11. You’ve worked across healthcare, technology, mobility, and digital ecosystems before entering food entrepreneurship. How has that background shaped your approach to consumer trust and brand-building?
AB: My experience across sectors taught me that trust is built when brands solve real problems with honesty and proof. Whether in healthcare, technology, or mobility, consumers ultimately value transparency, reliability, and outcomes over marketing claims alone.
The inspiration behind 10on10 Foods became deeply personal when my son’s health condition required freshly milled, stone-ground wheat as part of his diet. That experience made me realize how important staples are because they are consumed every single day in almost every Indian household. Even small compromises in quality or nutrition can have a long-term impact on health.
When we started 10on10 Foods, we ensured that nutritionists played a key role in product formulation so consumers could trust that health and nutrition were being prioritized over just shelf life or margins. We also focused heavily on transparency because today’s consumers want to understand how their food is made and why it is better for them. For us, the goal is not just selling food but rebuilding trust in everyday staples.
Freshness, Nutrition, and Ingredient Integrity
Q12. Looking ahead, how do you see India’s staples category evolving as consumers become more conscious about freshness, nutrition, and ingredient integrity?
AB: India’s staples category is becoming increasingly health driven as consumers grow more conscious about freshness, nutrition, and ingredient quality. People today are asking deeper questions around processing methods, preservatives, sourcing, and whether their everyday food is actually supporting long-term health.
Interestingly, this shift is also bringing consumers back to traditional food practices such as stone grinding, fresh milling, and the use of grains like jowar and ragi. Many of these practices were always part of Indian households and were designed to naturally support better health and nutrition. Consumers are now rediscovering their value through a modern wellness lens.
Going forward, staples will move beyond being viewed as basic commodities and become an important part of preventive health and everyday nutrition. Brands that can combine convenience with freshness, transparency, and nutritional integrity will lead the next phase of growth in the category. At 10on10 Foods, that is exactly the long-term vision we are building towards.
Evolution of India’s Food Ecosystem
The evolution of India’s food ecosystem is increasingly becoming a trust conversation as much as a nutrition conversation. As consumers become more informed about ingredient quality, processing methods, and long-term health outcomes, brands are being pushed to rethink how staples are produced, communicated, and experienced.
Clean-label food customer trust may ultimately become one of the most important competitive differentiators in modern FMCG categories. In sectors where products are consumed daily and deeply integrated into household routines, transparency, freshness, and nutritional credibility carry implications far beyond conventional branding.
For customer experience leaders, the broader lesson extends beyond food. Consumers across industries are increasingly rewarding brands that combine operational transparency with genuine product integrity. In that environment, experience is no longer defined only by convenience or communication — but by whether the product itself consistently delivers trust at the most fundamental level.
