Diffusion of Innovation in the Food Processing Industry: A Case Study of Meira Food Industry in Manipur, India

Innovation has become an important driver of industrial development and competitiveness, particularly in small-scale and indigenous industries. It is a rapidly growing field of research, particularly on aggregated levels, such as systems of innovation, clusters and various network-theories. Nevertheless, we still know very little about the ‘process’ of innovation, and we are unable to account for how innovation evolves in practice. This paper is a contribution to unpacking this black box, through its investigation of innovation processes and practices in one small sector of Food Processing Industry in Manipur: Meira Food Industry and its innovative product bamboo shoots pickle. It is an ethnographic case study of the organising of innovation processes, meaning the development and commercialisation through the utilisation of indigenous resources and traditional knowledge systems. The study is theoretically guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation and analyses how innovation adoption is shaped by perceived advantages, communication processes, social interactions, and institutional support mechanisms. Drawing upon narrative accounts, entrepreneurial experiences, and contextual observations documented in the case, the study explores the stages through which entrepreneurial ideas are conceptualised, implemented, and institutionalised. The findings indicate that innovation process in the food processing industry is not solely determined by technological innovation but also by social networks, local knowledge, communication channels, market responsiveness, and adaptive learning processes.