India, Nov. 5 -- "Straight from the packet or just a little pan-frying." That's the mantra with India's emerging consumer class of GenZs and millennials, and it's one that D2C startups selling ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods are banking on

Of course, convenience is just one part of the equation. Healthy, unadulterated and clean labels are the other side.The likes of The Whole Truth, Khetika, 24 Mantra, Slurrp Farms and others are trying to strike the right balance.

India's nascent INR 75,000 Cr ($9 Bn) market for clean label, and the the $6.65 Bn ready-to-cook meals market combined have attracted a whole host of retail startups and D2C brands. The latter is projected to reach $12 Bn by 2033, thanks to an accelerating consumer deman...