APEDA’s Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet Attracts 530 Global Buyers and Enables 4,600+ B2B Meetings

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry participated as the Export Partner in the 4th edition of World Food India (WFI) 2025, held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

With 142 exhibitors and 120 stalls, APEDA’s pavilion showcased the diversity of India’s agri-food sector, including GI-tagged products, Basmati rice, millets, organic produce, livestock products, and value-added foods. The pavilion also featured dedicated thematic zones such as the GI Gallery, Fresca Zone, Basmati Export Development Foundation stall, and a BHARTI Zone focused on startups and innovation.

As Export Partner, APEDA organized the Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM), which attracted more than 530 international buyers from 68 countries, including leading supermarket chains such as Walmart, Nesto, Al Madina, Mustafa Singapore, and Choithram. Over 4,654 curated B2B meetings were held during the event, providing Indian exporters and startups an unprecedented platform to explore new markets, showcase innovative products, and establish long-term business linkages.

APEDA further strengthened global market access by signing a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LuLu Hypermarket LLC on September 25, 2025. The collaboration, under the BHARTI (Bharat’s Hub for Agritech Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement) Initiative, will provide Indian agri-food startups shelf space across 252 LuLu outlets in the GCC, along with product sampling campaigns, consumer engagement, and access to LuLu’s export division for global distribution.

The BHARTI Initiative was another major highlight at WFI 2025, with a dedicated stall and an interactive seminar on “From Farm to Global Markets: Startup-Driven Innovation for Agri-Food Exports.” The session brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to deliberate on strategies for empowering 100 agri-food ventures through mentorship, branding, technology adoption, and global market intelligence.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, APEDA, Shri Abhishek Dev said that World Food India 2025 has been a milestone in showcasing India’s agri-food potential to the world. As Export Partner, APEDA successfully brought together more than 140 exhibitors and over 500 buyers from 68 countries, enabling thousands of business meetings and new opportunities for exporters. The Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet, the MoU with LuLu Hypermarket, and the BHARTI Initiative together reflect APEDA’s commitment to empowering startups, strengthening international partnerships, and building a future-ready, innovation-driven export ecosystem.

Through its active participation at World Food India 2025, APEDA reaffirmed its mission to build a globally competitive agri-food export sector. By combining large-scale buyer engagement, strategic international collaborations, and startup-driven innovation, APEDA continues to position India as a trusted partner in global food trade and a leader in sustainable, innovation-led growth.

Export partnership expands market access through strategic MoU, buyer-seller engagements, and startup export enablement programs. APEDA, as Export Partner at World Food India 2025, organized a Reverse Buyer Seller Meet to enable extensive B2B engagements between Indian agri food exporters and international buyers. APEDA signed a strategic MoU with LuLu Hypermarket under the BHARTI Initiative to provide shelf space, sampling campaigns, consumer engagement, and access to LuLu's export division, while BHARTI advances startup export enablement through mentorship, branding, technology adoption, and market intelligence.