Suzuki the same company known for cars like the Swift and Jimny has ventured into an unexpected business in Japan: ready-to-eat Indian vegetarian curries.
A Surprising Success
Suzuki Motor Corporation, the parent company of Maruti Suzuki, launched its packaged food line in June 2025 under the name Suzuki Cafeteria Indian Vegetarian Curry. In just three months, the brand has sold over 100,000 curry packets, making it one of Japan’s most talked-about new ready-meal products.
How It All Began
The idea didn’t come from a marketing team — it started inside Suzuki’s own cafeteria in Hamamatsu. Over 200 Indian engineers work at the facility, and to make them feel more at home, Suzuki partnered with Torizen, a 150-year-old local restaurant, to serve Indian curries on site.
The Internal Hit That Went Public
What began as a comfort meal for Indian employees quickly caught on with Japanese staff. Seeing the popularity, Suzuki decided to commercialize it and bring the product to market. Each pack costs around ¥900 (₹500) and is now available in stores across Japan.
Four Flavours, More Coming
The curries come in four varieties:
- Daikon Sambar
- Tomato Lentil Curry
- Chickpea Masala
- Moong Dal Green Curry
Suzuki also plans to roll out 14 more flavours in the coming months.
From Cafeteria to Consumers
What started as an internal experiment has turned into a mainstream success. Suzuki’s unexpected leap from cars to curry shows how even the most traditional manufacturers can find new opportunities in simple, authentic ideas.
Would you try Suzuki’s curry?
