The rapid rise of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India is not only reshaping the country’s corporate landscape but also creating a massive opportunity for workplace experience providers like Sodexo India. The global leader in sustainable food and workplace services is investing heavily in large-scale kitchen infrastructure to meet the surging demand for high-quality, nutritious, and engaging food experiences in the post-pandemic era.
“The economy is growing at a robust pace and so are we. With the momentum in GCCs and more global capability centres coming to India, we are witnessing significant growth,” said Rakesh Agarwal, Chief Operating Officer – Business Food, Sodexo India, in an exclusive interaction.
Scaling Infrastructure to Meet Corporate Demand
- The Hyderabad facility, operational for 20 months, caters to thousands of meals daily.
- The Bengaluru master kitchen, started in 2023, currently serves 25,000 meals daily, with a scale-up target of 40,000 meals this year.
- Each kitchen is designed to handle 20,000 to 40,000 meals per day, ensuring consistency, safety, and innovation.
Food as a Talent Magnet in the Post-Covid Workplace
The role of food in the workplace has evolved from being a utility to becoming a strategic tool for organisations. In the post-Covid environment, food has emerged as a key factor in talent attraction, retention, and employee engagement.
“Earlier, food was just a utility. Today, organisations are using food as a big tool to attract talent, retain talent and most importantly, bring employees back to office,” said Agarwal.
Employees are also more health-conscious and discerning. To meet these demands, Sodexo has:
- Introduced transparent calorie counts and nutritional information.
- Eliminated palm oil and artificial colours.
- Elevated chefs to the forefront, directly engaging with employees.
Culinary Innovation and Talent Transformation
Sodexo is redefining corporate catering by investing in culinary innovation and attracting top chefs from five-star hotels. The promise of better work-life balance, weekends off, and opportunities to innovate make Sodexo an attractive employer for hospitality professionals.
“Our central kitchens also act as innovation hubs, where chefs can experiment with new culinary recipes and create fresh employee experiences,” Agarwal noted.
Beyond Meals: Event Catering and Employee Experience
The shift in corporate event catering has been dramatic since the pandemic. While earlier, 90% of corporate events relied on hotels, today, 80% are managed in-house with Sodexo’s culinary teams plating food that rivals luxury hotels.
Organisations are also redesigning office spaces to encourage social interactions around food, investing more in employee wellbeing and workplace experience.
Outlook: Corporate Catering at the Forefront of Growth
While Sodexo India also serves the healthcare and education sectors, the corporate office ecosystem remains the fastest-growing segment. With the GCC boom, India is witnessing companies spend significantly on food as an employee engagement tool, making it central to the future of workplace culture.
“We see a lot of focus from organizations on employee wellbeing and experience—and food is playing a vital role in that transformation,” Agarwal concluded.
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