About

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) invites innovative proposals to design, prototype, and evaluate affordable, aspirational, and nutritionally effective food products tailored for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age (WRA). The initiative emphasizes product innovation, consumer-centric design, behavioural and social insights, nutritional efficacy, scalability, sustainability, and modern branding.

Projects should focus on nutrient-dense or fortified products, particularly with bioavailable iron (around 4–5 mg per serving), using synergistic ingredients to enhance absorption. Eligible formats include snacks, drinkable options, gummies, chewables, or hybrid food-supplement models incorporating regionally relevant flavours. Branding must be modern, identity-driven, and stigma-free, encouraging emotional ownership among target groups.

Solutions should integrate into public delivery platforms, retail, and e-commerce channels while ensuring cost-effective production, shelf stability, nutrient retention, and feasibility for local manufacturing. Packaging must be attractive, socially shareable, and clearly communicate benefits without classification as ultra-processed or HFSS foods. Products should align with mainstream food categories and daily consumption habits, balancing taste with long-term health outcomes.

The programme provides grant funding of up to ₹1 Crore for a one-year duration.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include universities and research centres with expertise in nutrition or food science, companies and startups in FMCG, fortification, or product innovation, and non-profit organisations engaged in nutrition, health, or community development. Proposals will be evaluated on their capacity to deliver effective micronutrient solutions, demonstrate measurable health outcomes (e.g., improved haemoglobin levels), and ensure scalability, sustainability, and alignment with the aspirations of adolescent girls and WRA.

Post Date: June 11, 2026