At AAHAR – International Food & Hospitality Fair 2026, held from 10 to 14 March at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, global flavor solutions company Monin highlighted its commitment to innovation, localisation, and sustainability in the Indian market. During the exhibition, Germain Araud, Managing Director of Monin India, shared insights into the company’s journey, its upcoming manufacturing facility in India, and the brand's next phase of growth in the region.

A 115-year global legacy with a growing Indian story

Introducing himself and the company’s legacy, Araud explained that Monin has been a family-run business for more than a century. The company’s association with India spans over two decades, but its direct operations in the market began more recently. Araud noted that the past several years have been focused on establishing a stronger local presence. “Our journey in India spans more than 20 years. However, our direct journey in the Indian market started seven years ago. Personally, I have been working in India for more than 20 years across different businesses, and for the last seven years I have been fully dedicated to creating what we call Chapter One and Chapter Two of the Monin story in India,” he explained.

According to Araud, the first phase of this journey has recently concluded. “Chapter One has just concluded. It was essentially the phase from 2021 to 2025, when we started Sales & Marketing support directly in India and conducting our own R&D for the Indian market.” During this period, Monin established its subsidiary in Hyderabad in the state of Telangana and announced a major greenfield investment aligned with the Make in India initiative and the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

₹400 Crore investment in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility

One of the major highlights shared during the conversation was Monin’s upcoming manufacturing facility in India. The company is investing more than ₹350 crore in a state-of-the-art plant designed to strengthen both domestic supply and regional exports.

“We strongly believe in India’s long-term potential. That is why we decided to invest more than ₹350 crore in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the phase 1 of our greenfield project alone,” Araud said. “It will be equipped with the best machinery from Europe and India to ensure that our product quality remains consistent—if not even more consistent—than what we currently offer.”

The facility is being developed on a 40-acre campus and will also house the company’s research and development centre and headquarters. “The factory itself, which represents Phase One of the project, will cover around 1.3 to 1.4 lakh square feet. Since this is only the first phase, we have plans for future expansions,” he explained, adding that expansion plans are already being considered within five to seven years based on market growth.

Araud also emphasised that the new facility will be one of the most advanced within the global Monin network. “In fact, this will be the most advanced factory in the entire Monin group to date,” he noted.

Focus on sustainability and clean manufacturing

Sustainability has been integrated into the design and operations of the new facility. The company aims to reduce environmental impact while expanding production capabilities.

“We want this factory to be as environmentally responsible as possible,” Araud said. “We are aiming to produce our first bottle using solar energy, as we are installing solar panels on the factory roof. This will help us minimise carbon emissions.”

The plant will primarily produce Monin’s wide range of beverage ingredients. “In terms of products, we plan to manufacture our entire range of syrups, which is the largest segment of our portfolio. In addition, we will produce fruit mixes and develop crushes in India,” he added.

Serving India first, then the region

The upcoming facility will initially focus on meeting the growing demand within India while gradually supporting exports to nearby markets. “Initially, the focus will be on India and neighbouring markets,” Araud said. “We will start with exports to countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Over time, we may expand further, but for now our priority is to serve the Indian market and nearby regions.”

Innovation takes centre stage at AAHAR 2026

At AAHAR 2026, Monin’s booth highlighted both its classic portfolio and a range of new product innovations tailored to evolving consumer preferences.

“As always, we are focusing heavily on innovation,” Araud said. “Of course, we also display our classic products, but this event is a very important moment for us to interact with our partners and clients.”

Among the key highlights was the company’s new healthier product line. “This year we are highlighting a range called ‘Pure by Monin’, which we launched globally about a year ago. This range addresses the growing consumer demand for healthier options. These products contain zero added sugar and are made only with fruit concentrates. They do not contain sweeteners such as aspartame, stevia or sucralose. They are clean-label products with natural colours, natural flavours and no added sugar,” he explained.

The company is also strengthening its India-inspired flavour portfolio. “We are also promoting our Raw Mango by Monin, which we launched last year. Since it is now the summer season in India, it is particularly relevant because aam panna is very popular during this time,” he said.

Another notable success has been the company’s spice-inspired flavour. “About three or four years ago we launched ‘Spice Jamun’ in India, which has already become one of our top flavours in India,” Araud added.

Further expanding its flavour innovations, Monin introduced a new variant inspired by traditional taste profiles. “This year we are also launching Anise, which is a big trend. Anise is traditionally a French flavour, but it has similarities with flavours used in India—particularly saunf, which people often consume as a mouth freshener after meals.”

AAHAR: A key industry meeting point

For Monin, AAHAR remains an essential annual platform to connect with the broader hospitality ecosystem.

“For us, this event is a very important annual occasion,” Araud said. “It allows us to meet all our partners from across India. Our distributors come here, and we also organise gatherings such as gala dinner with them.”

He added that the event also helps the company stay aligned with industry trends. “It is also a great opportunity to meet our clients and observe emerging industry trends, while showcasing our own innovations to the broader foodservice and hospitality industry. For us, it is a show that we simply cannot miss.”

Entering “Chapter Two” of the Monin India journey

With the manufacturing facility nearing completion, Monin is preparing to move into the next phase of its India strategy.

“Right now we are entering Chapter Two of our journey in India,” Araud explained. “The immediate priority is to successfully launch our Make in India factory and ensure that customers are fully confident about the quality.”

He acknowledged that transitioning from imported products to local production sometimes raises questions among customers. “That is why we will be very transparent about our processes and facilities. We will invite partners and customers to visit the factory and see the operations themselves.”

Araud emphasised that the company’s standards will remain uncompromised. “When I say it is a state-of-the-art facility, I truly mean it. It is one of a kind in the beverage industry in India, and there will be zero compromise on quality, safety and food safety standards.”

The new facility will also allow Monin to offer customised beverage solutions for large foodservice chains. “Another major advantage of the factory is that it will enable us to develop customised products for key clients. For example, we will be able to create tailor-made solutions for major national and international chains such as KFC, McDonald's and Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality,” he said.

Commitment to sustainability and natural ingredients

Closing the conversation, Araud reiterated the company’s commitment to sustainability and natural ingredients. “Everything we do at Monin must always be done in a sustainable way. Sustainability is very close to our hearts,” he said. “We are rapidly transitioning to fully natural flavours and colours. In India today, more than 70% of our portfolio already uses fully natural flavours rather than nature-identical ones.”

He concluded with an ambitious goal for the industry. “Our commitment is to reach 100%, and we aim to be the first company in the industry to achieve that. We also have a strong commitment to the community, to people and to nature. At our factory, besides solar panels, we have implemented several innovative initiatives to protect and regenerate the surrounding environment.”

As Monin prepares to begin local production and deepen its presence in the country, the company’s participation at AAHAR 2026 highlighted both its global heritage and its growing integration with India’s rapidly evolving beverage and hospitality landscape.