iD Fresh Food's new CMO eyes Indian breads as next big market disruptor

Gaurav Kwatra, the newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer at iD Fresh Food, likens his experience at the packaged food company to driving a Formula One car. "I'm still testing how fast the car can go, and how fast I can go in it," he says, reflecting on his first 100 days at the firm known for its idli and dosa batters, parathas, and ready-to-cook products.

Kwatra, who previously spent over a decade at Nestlé and nearly four years at Britannia, was at a crossroads between continuing his corporate journey or embracing entrepreneurship. His role in launching Purina PetCare in India gave him a taste of building a business from the ground up. However, when iD Fresh Food approached him, he found the opportunity to be a perfect fit.

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Switching from multinational corporations to an agile Indian company has been a notable shift, particularly in terms of speed. "At iD Fresh Food, we can move very fast, whether it's innovation or campaigns," Kwatra observes, contrasting it with larger organizations that take a more measured approach.

Kwatra's first major initiative at iD Fresh Food was launched on March 30, 2025. The campaign introduced new packaging for the company's batters, emphasizing their preservative-free nature. Additionally, the company invited schoolchildren to visit and audit its factory, a continuation of last year’s initiative involving grandmothers.

Kwatra recalls his initial meeting with iD Fresh Food's co-founder and chairman, PC Musthafa, as a defining moment. Musthafa was transparent about his attachment to the brand and his gradual transition toward delegating control. "I'll be very honest, it will take me time to give you full control of the brand," Musthafa had told him—a statement that resonated with Kwatra and ultimately convinced him to take on the role.

Among the various products at iD Fresh Food, bread has particularly captured Kwatra's interest—not the standard loaves found in bakeries, but traditional Indian breads like missi roti and millet-based varieties that have faded from mainstream consumption.

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Recognizing a gap in the market, Kwatra sees an opportunity for iD Fresh Food to revive and package these traditional breads. "Indian breads are a bit of a lost art; many have disappeared from our repertoire, leaving us mostly with chapatis and parathas," he says. The company is now planning to introduce a range of traditional Indian breads, catering to both indulgence and health-conscious consumers.

"I believe there is no one in the country today who owns this space, and iD Fresh Food has the right to build the traditional Indian bread category in a packaged format," Kwatra asserts, signaling exciting developments ahead for the brand.