Ajay Gupta is the founder of Capital Foods, the food company behind iconic Indian brands Ching’s Secret and Smith & Jones. An entrepreneur with a strong background in marketing and brand building, Gupta identified an emerging opportunity in the Indian market in the mid-1990s and founded Capital Foods in 1995–96. He went on to build Ching’s Secret around the concept of “Desi Chinese”, creating a distinct category of Indianised Chinese sauces, noodles, masalas, soups and chutneys.
Under Gupta’s leadership, Capital Foods evolved from a small portfolio of sauces into a sizable packaged-food business with a strong presence across India and international markets. His approach combined consumer insight, product innovation and distinctive marketing, helping Ching’s Secret become one of India’s best-known Desi Chinese brands. Gupta also developed Smith & Jones as a platform for international food products and ingredients.
In 2024, Tata Consumer Products acquired 75% of Capital Foods, with the remaining 25% to be acquired over the following three years. At the time of the transaction, Gupta was the company’s Founder, Chairman and Managing Director.
His LinkedIn profile describes his philosophy around “innovision” — combining foresight with disruptive ideas, reflecting the entrepreneurial approach behind Capital Foods’ growth.