NRAI Advisory: Restaurants & Local Procurement

New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has issued an advisory encouraging member restaurants to adopt measures like local sourcing of ingredients to cut import dependence, optimising food portion sizes to avoid wastage and improving kitchen efficiency, in light of supply chain disruptions emanating from the West Asia conflict.

The association has encouraged restaurants and food service businesses to adopt measures focused on energy conservation and responsible consumption.

As part of its recommendations, NRAI has advised restaurants to prioritise procurement of locally produced vegetables, grains, dairy, meat, seafood, spices, and beverages to reduce dependence on imported ingredients wherever suitable domestic alternatives exist, and promote "Made in India" food products and regional cuisines.

The recommendations further encourage restaurants to optimise delivery routes, shift a section of intra-city logistics towards EV-based delivery fleets, reduce non-essential generator usage, improve kitchen energy efficiency, and encourage employee carpooling and shared transport for staff.


NRAI has also advised portion optimisation and anti-food-waste initiatives, encouraging consumers to order responsibly and avoid wastage, while promoting healthier preparation methods and responsible consumption practices.

The advisory additionally highlights the importance of supporting domestic dining campaigns, regional culinary festivals, Indian seasonal menus, local food traditions and domestic travel-linked hospitality partnerships.

The industry body recommends the adoption of LED lighting, smart refrigeration systems, energy-efficient kitchen equipment, optimised air-conditioning usage, rooftop solar installations, where feasible, and stronger digital ordering and contactless payment systems.

Restaurants have been encouraged to strengthen domestic supplier networks, review dependence on imported products, source from sustainable farming networks and Farmer Producers Organisations, and promote awareness around food waste reduction.

Sagar Daryani, President, NRAI, said, "At the time of global economic uncertainty and supply chain volatility, coordinated voluntary action by the food services industry can contribute towards conserving resources, supporting local sourcing, and strengthening operational stability."