Krishna Mohan Puvvada, Regional President, Middle East, India & Africa, Novonesis
India’s accelerating push towards bio-energy and the rapid expansion of the nutrition and wellness market in the country are boosting demand for enzymes and microbial solutions, according to Danish bio-solutions company Novonesis..
The demand for bio-solutions is across a range of industries such as bio-fuel manufacturers, dietary supplement makers and also from bio-fertiliser producers among others, company officials said.
Novonesis, formed in 2024 through the merger of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, is a major player in bio-solutions and believes India’s expanding bio-economy presents significant opportunities as industries increasingly replace conventional chemicals with biological alternatives that improve efficiency while reducing resource consumption.
“Bio-ethanol and bio-fuels are very, very big topic and Novonesis has been a big part in this conversion process and bringing in this technology along with other engineering partners,” said Krishna Mohan Puvvada, Regional President, Middle East, India and Africa, Novonesis.
Indian operations
While ethanol remains the most visible opportunity, Novonesis sees the broader bioenergy segment including biogas, biodiesel and other renewable fuels as an under-penetrated market with significant room for expansion in India.
Enzymes play a critical role in improving conversion efficiency, enhancing yields and reducing production costs in these processes, making them increasingly relevant as India scales up its biofuel ambitions, Puvvada said.
In India, Novonesis manufactures juice enzymes, probiotics and vitamin K27 its facilities in Patalganga and Wada, exporting them to the global markets. The company has about a tenth of its global workforce, including the R&D staff, located in India, Puvvada said. The company has so far invested around Rs 4000 crore in Indian operations and has signed an MoU with Maharashtra early this year to invest between Rs 2500-3000 crore, he said.
Double-digit growth
Novonesis, Puvvada said, has been witnessing a double-digit growth in its India business. Beyond energy, Novonesis is witnessing demand for its bio-solutions from segments such as food and health segment, animal nutrition and bio-fertilisers among others.
The probiotics space is dramatically expanding as the country becomes a lot more wealthy and a lot more well-informed, Puvvada said. Consumers are increasingly adopting preventive health practices, boosting demand for probiotics, dietary supplements and nutrition products.
The company also sees significant opportunities for bio-solutions in early life nutrition such as infant formula, dairy processing, bread making, cheese production starch processing, plant-based foods and food additives.
Published on July 6, 2026
