TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A business delegation from the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) visited I-Mei Foods Co.’s factory in Taoyuan’s Longtan District on Thursday, touring its food production lines, energy-saving systems, and drone testing facilities.
Led by Managing Director Raghu Raman, the group included representatives from India’s food, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, medical device, and logistics sectors.
The delegation was welcomed by I-Mei partner 7A Drones with a banner and a brief drone fireworks display. A demonstration followed, showing drone-assisted warehouse inventory management integrated with surveillance capabilities.
The company also unveiled two large drones currently in development. According to I-Mei, these UAVs are designed for applications such as search and rescue, cargo transport, and container delivery.
The group then toured I-Mei’s Bong-Khang wind tunnel, a facility for testing UAVs under four extreme weather conditions—cold, heat, wind, and rain. The 45-meter-long, 5-meter-wide tunnel includes a track designed to test robotic dogs on challenging surfaces such as pebbles, gravel, sand, mud, and water.
The tour also included I-Mei’s ice storage system, consisting of five silos ranging from 9 to 21 meters in height. The facility produces ice using off-peak electricity and stores it for use in daytime air conditioning, helping reduce overall energy consumption. A compact, containerized version of the system was also showcased for use in smaller venues.
Delegates sampled I-Mei’s freeze-dried snacks and learned about its vacuum freeze dryer system. The unit, which includes a freezing chamber 45 meters long and 2.5 meters wide, uses low-temperature freezing, vacuum drying, and ice sublimation to remove over 90% of moisture while preserving flavor, color, and nutrients.
I-Mei shared its company history, emphasizing its commitment to food safety and continual equipment upgrades to meet high standards. It also highlighted the growing friendship between Taiwan and India and expressed hope for future collaboration in both food production and drone technology.
Delegation members praised the factory for its cleanliness, automation, and dedication to food safety. Raman emphasized India’s market potential and encouraged I-Mei to consider exporting its products to India or investing locally. He pledged support for Taiwanese companies seeking to enter the Indian market.
As a gesture of goodwill, the delegation presented traditional Indian shawls and gift boxes, while I-Mei reciprocated with a selection of its products.
Founded in 1909, SICCI is one of India’s oldest chambers of commerce, representing a broad range of business sectors and promoting global trade and collaboration.
In May, India-Taipei Association Director General Manharsinh Yadav told Taiwan News that changing global supply chain demands have strengthened Taiwan-India economic ties. He noted potential areas for cooperation including electric vehicles, machine tools, electronics, non-leather footwear, and component manufacturing. Yadav also cited India’s development of industrial parks and incentive programs, such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, to attract Taiwanese investment.
*I-Mei is the parent company of Taiwan News
