Farmley Attracts Interest from FMCG Giants Amid Healthy Snacks Boom

Emami, ITC, Britannia, and Orkla India are among a slew of prominent FMCG companies interested in acquiring a sizable share in the Farmley brand of nutritious snacks. According to media sources, Farmley could be valued at INR 2,000 crore as a result of this purchase. Farmley shares have been placed up for sale by a group of early investors who together own 31% of the company.

Nevertheless, it is still not known if the founders intend to sell their shares as well, which might transform the deal into a sale of a majority ownership. Akash Sharma and Abhishek Agarwal, the company's founders, own 32% of the company between them. The media has reported that Farmley is considering two different selling strategies, one including a minority interest divestiture and the other involving a majority stake sale. The initial investors are being advised by KPMG, and preliminary bids are due at the end of October.

Possible Stake Sale Plans of Farmley

According to data from Tracxn, a group of investors currently owns approximately 31% of Farmley. Omnivore Partners, DSG Consumer Partners, Insitor Partners, Indigram Labs, Trifecta Capital, and Alkemi Growth Capital are also part of it. In addition to LVMH and Groupe Arnault, another investor, L Catterton, has a 21% ownership. The sale of L Catterton's interest in this round is quite doubtful. Businesses, angel investors, and the Esop pool own the rest.

B2B suppliers of dry fruits and nuts to retail operations, Farmley was established in 2017 by Akash Sharma and Abhishek Agarwal, both of whom are alumni of IIT. It shifted its focus to be more of a direct-to-consumer brand in 2021. L Catterton acquired a 21% share in the firm in 2025 through a Series C funding transaction, which valued it at INR 944 crore, after investing around INR 194 crore. During the INR 223-crore round, DSG Consumer Partners expanded its investment, and some existing investors partially exited.

India’s Growing Healthy Snack Market

The size of the healthy snack industry in India rose from $3.13 billion in 2025 to $3.28 billion in 2026, according to data analytics firm Imarc. Moreover, from 2026 to 2034, it is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.80%, reaching $4.77 billion by 2034. More and more people are looking for low-calorie, high-protein, and natural snack options, and the need for easy, on-the-go meals is also on the rise, which is driving the industry.

Approximately 6,000 individuals of all ages were polled as part of a recent Farmley consumer insights study that took place at the Indian Healthy Snacking Summit 2025. The majority of snackers (72%) are concerned about their health and choose foods that will help them feel better (e.g., more energy, better mood, and more protein). In spite of the growing popularity of clean-label snacks, 94% of consumers still prioritised flavour when shopping for healthy snacks, and 55% wanted options that were natural and devoid of preservatives. At 34.8%, nuts, seeds, and trail mixes take center stage. The distribution is led by supermarkets and hypermarkets at 31.6%. North India controls 29.4% of the country's market.