The developed shellac-based composite coatings showed good commercial attributes such as transparency, glossiness, quick drying nature and sound emulsion stability. The coatings when applied to green chillies resulted in restriction in metabolic activities and delayed senescence. Shellac-sodium alginate based coating could extend the shelf-life of green chillies by 12 days under ambient storage conditions (26 ± 2 °C, RH 68 ± 4%) against 5 days in the case of uncoated ones. Further, work may be carried out in studying antifungal properties of these coatings and their effectiveness on storage stability and their retention of other useful bioactive compounds.