The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Western Region has constituted a dedicated Agro-Food Processing Leadership Team to accelerate growth, innovation, and collaboration across the region’s agro-food ecosystem.
The initiative is part of ICC’s broader effort to strengthen industry participation and translate strategic dialogue into actionable outcomes across the agro-food value chain, with a focus on aligning business innovation with on-ground sector needs.
Adesh Kumar, a seasoned leader in India’s food retail and FMCG space—popularly known as the “Masala Man”—has been appointed Chair of the newly formed team. Kumar brings decades of experience across modern retail and food businesses, having held leadership roles at Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla Retail, Spencer’s Retail, and Food Bazaar. He currently serves as Director – Business Development & Innovation at Keya Foods International Pvt. Ltd.
Supporting the leadership structure, Leelavathi Gupte, Founder of Vibrant India and a HoReCa consultant with extensive experience in national and international food platforms, and Atul Marne, Co-convenor of KISAN, India’s largest agricultural exhibition, have been appointed as Co-Chairs. Marne also serves as Board Member and Secretary of the Institution of Maharashtra Agricultural Technologists Alumni Association, MPKV.
The leadership team will focus on fostering collaboration among stakeholders across agribusiness, food processing, and allied sectors, while developing frameworks to support innovation, policy engagement, and business growth. It is expected to play a key role in strengthening Western India’s contribution to India’s evolving food processing landscape.
Kumar’s appointment comes at a time when India is intensifying efforts to boost value addition in agriculture, formalise supply chains, and enhance rural incomes through food processing. The ICC Western Region’s new leadership initiative is expected to contribute meaningfully to regional industry development and emerging agro-food market trends.