Mamafeast is a healthy breakfast cereal brand created by NextG Apex Pvt Ltd in December 2020; its product range includes muesli, corn flakes, peanut butter & chocolate spread
A 360-degree retail marketing and branding company, NextG Apex India Pvt Ltd announced pan-India expansion plans for its Made-in-India breakfast range brand – Mamafeast. Created in December 2020, Mamafeast breakfast line is already available in over 25,000 outlets in 30 towns. NextG Apex is all set to expand the business to 200-plus towns and one lakh-plus retail stores by the end of 2023.
Mamafeast’s healthy morning meal range includes corn flakes, muesli, peanut butter and chocolate spread – all high in dietary fiber and vegan protein, but free of gluten and cholesterol.
Chocolate Spread
Corn Flakes
Peanut Butter
The Muesli – available in Fruit & Nuts and Nuts Delight variants – is made from whole oats, multi-grains, nuts and real freeze-dried fruits. It provides proteins, dietary fiber and energy. It can be consumed as a ready snack or with hot/cold milk. The Corn Flakes can also be consumed directly or with milk. The Peanut Butter – available in crunchy and creamy variants – and Chocolate Spread (made with hazelnuts and cocoa) are healthy substitutes for butter and are rich in protein and nutrients. These products can be ordered on online retail stores like Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal.
Announcing the expansion plans, NextG Apex CEO-Executive Director Amarnath Halember said, “As a brand, our roadmap for Mamafeast is to motivate people to return to nutritious, healthy eating as part of their breakfast routine, or as an any-time-of-the-day snack option that’s quick-to-make and yet healthy. Taking inspiration from our own mothers and the simple, delicious dishes they would rustle up, we have crafted the Mamafeast’s range. All our products are nutritious and come at a price that makes it viable even for middle-class parents to purchase for their children. Hence, it becomes our solemn duty to ensure that the Bharat of tomorrow grows up eating nutritious fare to become strong and healthy.”
The Oral Thin Strips are available in two ranges – Disney Frozen Melts and Marvel Melts
India’s wholefood nutrition company Wellbeing Nutrition, in association with Disney, recently launched nutrition melts – Oral Thin Strips for children. These are the world’s first 100% USDA certified organic and plant-based nutrition melts.
The oral thin strips feature Disney Frozen characters – Anna, Elsa and Olaf – and Marvel Super Heroes – Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor and Black Panther. The nutrition melts were developed in collaboration with paediatricians, doctors and nutritionists from USA, to meet children’s nutritional needs.
The melt-in-mouth strips are power-packed with 16 critical multivitamins and minerals, prebiotic fibre, Omega-3, B12, D3 and added clinically studied immunity booster. They are available in Tropical Berries, Sweet Cherry, Strawberry Mint, Exotic Mango and Valencia Orange flavours. They are prepared from organic plants, fruits, vegetables and herbs collected from over 20 farms worldwide. These are sugar-free and have only Monk Fruit and natural fruit extracts.
Marvel Melts – Captain America
Marvel Melts – Iron Man
Disney Frozen Melts – Olaf
Disney Frozen Melts – Anna & Elsa
According to Wellbeing Nutrition Founder Avnish Chhabria, these kids’ nutrition supplements were developed after 2.5 years of research and they easily melt on contact with saliva, without the hassle to swallow or chew. “They fortify good bacteria in gut, help build cognition and memory, absorb more calcium, prevent digital eye strain and give the benefits of daily essential nutrients needed for growth and development.”
Founded in 2019, Mumbai-based Wellbeing Nutrition uses new cutting-edge pharma technology and nanotechnology to produce various combinations of nutritional supplements. It offers a wide range of products like daily wellness, functional nutrition and kids’ organic nutrition.
The company is planning to launch over 20 stock-keeping units in the next few months. It will soon bring out new product lines and categories including collagen, protein, digestive fiber and women’s wellness products. Further, it is looking forward to expanding its presence in international markets like USA, UK and UAE, besides launching its products in Germany and the Middle East.
In the latest edition of ‘Mann ki Baat,’ PM Modi applauded nutrition and wellness brands ‘Cureveda’and 'Kapiva' for their efforts to further Ayurveda
In his 87th edition of ‘Mann ki Baat’ - the Indian radio programme hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - the PM was all praises for Indian plant-based supplement brand Cureveda, which is promoting Ayurveda through its innovative health products. He also lauded Kapiva, another Ayurvedic nutrition and wellness brand, for its contribution to AYUSH. During the programme, Modi underlined that the AYUSH manufacturing business across the world grew from Rs 22,000 crore to 1.4 million crore in the last six years.
Bhavna Anand Sharma, Founder & CEO, Cureveda
Cureveda was set up by entrepreneur-couple Bhavna Anand Sharma and Siddhesh Sharma in Nagpur, three years ago. It offers dietary supplements for holistic life by using traditional knowledge and modern herbal research.
The brand completed five registered clinical trials on products for diabetes, anti-aging, thryroid, piles and urinary tract infection. The dietary supplements are available both online and offline in nearly 2,000 retail units including Wellness Forever, Apollo Pharmacy and Nobel Pharmacy in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune.
On the occasion, Cureveda’s Fouder-CEO Bhavna thanked the PM for his encouragement. “We gave a thrust to traditional science of oil pulling by creating products like Sparkle, premium jaggery-based Chyawanprash, on-the-go formats like gel sticks for eye health, reinvented Ayurveda by launching a unique beauty range, which includes bestseller Glow – collagen builder with pearl powder,” she said.
“We wholeheartedly agree with the Prime Minister's observation that quality is what will give acceptance to this global science – hence our focus on clinical research, choice of raw material, promise to use no added metals, or use of glass & recyclable packaging is all designed to deliver to that end,” she added.
Cureveda’s plant-based health sticks
Kapiva Dia Free Juice
Cureveda aims to be the global brand of choice for vegetarian, non-prescription healthcare remedies and revolutionary solutions for promoting well-being. Its formulations are 100% vegetarian, non-genetically modified and free of parabens, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, wheat, flavour or colour.
The brand offers a wide range of dietary supplements for hair & skin, digestion, urinary & kidney health, immunity, liver, general wellness, diabetes, women’s & men’s health, bone & joints, brain, neuro & memory and weight management. Its Cureveda Pro is three-plant protein powder that can be had with milk or smoothies. This vegan protein – made from pea, rice, quinoa and Blue Spirulina – comes in Chocolate Berry and Vanilla Berry flavours.
Kapiva is a Mumbai-based brand that aims to bring selectively sourced natural functional foods to modern-day Indian consumers. Founded by Shrey and Ameve Sharma, it is backed by the Baidyanath group. Its product range includes herbal juices, staples and plant nutrition.
The India’s first ready-to-serve prebiotic milkshakes are enriched with daily dose of essential nutrients to improve gut health and support immunity
Bengaluru-based food & nutrition brand Lil’ Goodness introduced its Prebiotic Break Shake line. These India’s first ready-to-serve prebiotic beverages will be available in vanilla and chocolate flavours.
The prebiotic milkshakes from Lil’ Goodness provide 3.10 g of protein per 100 ml serving and should be consumed within 6 hours of opening. Enriched with daily dose of essential nutrients including magnesium, calcium, potassium, Vitamin D and iron, these beverages help improve gut health and support immunity.
The Prebiotic Break Shakes are made from double toned milk, oats, natural prebiotic fibres, added vitamins & minerals and 40% lesser added-sugar. Priced at Rs 59 fr 200ml, these beverages can be bought from e-commerce delivery aggregators, grocery stores and modern retail outlets in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and select northeastern states.
Chocolate-flavoured Prebiotic Break Shake from Lil' Goodness
In a statement, Lil’ Goodness Founder-CEO Harshavardhan S said: “Our market research indicated a significant opportunity in the breakfast segment, especially in beverages. With schools and offices reopening, we wanted to create a product that met the need of a healthy, convenient on the go beverage snack. We leveraged market insights to identify the most preferred flavors and the ideal price points. What makes it even more special is that its irresistible flavours offer growing kids the goodness of milk, thus addressing essential nutrition deficiency among children. For milkshake aficionados and health and wellness-seekers in general, Prebiotic Break Shake as a part of breakfast means a refreshing start to the day.”
More yummy flavours will be added to the prebiotic milkshake range in near future, to inspire more people to get their breakfast and snacks right. Lil' Goodness is known for its products – created especially for kids and teens – that ensure gut health and fortify micro-nutrients at affordable prices. The products include Pop-It gummies, prebiotic jaggery chocolates, prebiotic chocolates, yogurt and milk squeezies, teff products and B12 jaggery. The brand has a digital presence in nearly 14,000 locations across India.
“Vegan food is all about efficiently using the already existing ingredients,” says Dhanesh Sharma, Chef-Owner of Hyderabad-based Terrassen Café
Back in 2012, soon after completing his engineering from Delhi University, little did Dhanesh Sharma know that life has some big plans for him! Originally a resident of Ajmer in Rajasthan, he landed a job in a Kolkata-based startup, but left it after 9 months. He then came to Hyderabad and worked as a school teacher.
Dhanesh Sharma, Chef-Owner, Terrassen Cafe
“It wasn’t a conventional school but more of an experimental one. It adopted different pedagogy, philosophy and methodologies – researched and proposed by the likes of Rabindranath Tagore. It was a different experience,” Dhanesh Sharma tells AYUVE.
However, two years later, he’d quit teaching, for, he had found his calling in food. “I come from a family where everyone loves food and cooking. I cook everywhere and on every occasion. Few years ago, for some reason, I suddenly went vegetarian. Six months later, in 2013-14, I found myself drawn to veganism.”
Even as the concept was in its nascent stage in India, Dhanesh turned vegan overnight. Then, he started experimenting with vegan food and simultaneously honed his cooking skills. “In vegan diet, there are no special ingredients. We can make milk and butter out of almonds or simply use them in gravies and savories. Both the vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes use almonds alike. So, vegan food is all about how efficiently we use the already existing raw materials, barring a few. Given the diversified food available across the world, the choices and combinations here are endless,” he quips.
Nevertheless, the self-taught chef in him asked for more. That’s when Dhanesh Sharma launched his own food truck – opposite Goethe Zentrum, the German Cultural Centre on Road no.3 in Banjara Hills – in 2015. In no time, the 4-table setup saw hordes of foodies fondly digging their teeth into those lip-smacking, healthy vegan dishes that would easily make for a menu at a vegan café.
Sunday brunch spread at Terrassen Cafe
Dhanesh Sharma preparing a crafted cup of clear coffee
Three years later, owing to the huge rush, the engineer-turned-entrepreneur rented a small space on Road no.4 in Banjara Hills and launched Terrassen Café as Hyderabad’s first vegan café. A year later, in 2019, it was shifted to the current location – Road no.7 in Film Nagar – and has been offering dine-in, takeaway and delivery services ever since.
Over the years, the café grew into a regular hangout for people who love to enjoy a cup of coffee or favourite dish over peppy conversations or spend longer hours with their own selves. “We do have the support of vegan community. But, our customers include vegetarians, meat-lovers, flexitarians and others. In fact, few regulars have been visiting us since 2015,” Dhanesh Sharma says.
So, what’s the USP of Terrassen Café? It’s definitely the menu. Unlike other cafés and restaurants, there’s no fixed menu here. It's changed frequently, even though a few dishes are repeated often as per customers’ demand and popularity. But nothing gets a permanent place. “This gives a refreshing experience for foodies. Our regulars visit us two times a week, on an average. We obviously can’t expect them to eat the same dish every time, when they can actually satiate their taste buds with thousands of options. So, we keep experimenting a lot and make sure that our menu stands out.”
Given the fact that there are no vegan hospitality institutes in India, Dhanesh creates/designs the dishes himself and also trains his team of chefs. At present, the café is serving 60-70 varieties of dishes ranging from soups, starters, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, pizza, kathi rolls, biryanis, kulchas & naans, noodles, coffees & teas, fruit juices, fermented probiotic non-alcoholic drinks, smoothies & beverages, cakes, desserts and doughnuts.
Falooda
Dhanesh Sharma brewing Matcha, Japanese ground tea
Sumptuous soups
The cuisines vary from Indian, Mexican, European, Mediterranean, Continental, Chinese, etc. Every dish is made from carefully chosen plant-based ingredients – yes, the biryanis too! “We are popular for our vegan biryanis – prepared and served in earthen pots. Even hardcore meat-lovers drop in here occasionally to relish our mock-meat biryanis. However, we don’t have any bestseller. Every dish of ours has got its own identity and a set of admirers,” he adds.
Dhanesh mostly prefer to experiment with the ingredients to bring out newer versions of popular dishes. Biryanis didn’t find a place in the café’s menu until two years ago. There were no rice items, millets or tandoor either. Sometimes these experiments work and sometimes they don’t.
Ask him about the cost-effectiveness of vegan diet in India and pat comes the reply: “All our Indian breakfasts – like plain dosa, idli and poori– are vegan and cheap. Add ghee, butter, masala, egg or chicken to them and their prices jack up. This is the case with our meals too. Extra curd will cost you more, but not simple dal. This is why people celebrate eating meats and dairy products – because they’re costly. It took generations of systematic efforts like marketing and subsidies to make dairy, poultry and meats cost-effective and yet, they’re not affordable for everyone. If the same thing is applied for vegan diet, it could become cost-effective too. Now that veganism has become a revolution, we may expect this in future. But, my 7 years of experience as a chef-restaurateur taught me that customers do love to spend on a product, as long as it’s worthy. At Terrassen Café, we only deliver the best!”
Japan's Shizuru launched three flavours of its green tea or ‘Ocha’ in India - Gyokuro, Sencha & Genmaicha
Renowned Japanese brand Shizuru launched its green tea or ‘Ocha’ in India. It signed a pact with Mittal Teas to introduce the product line here.
Green tea has a unique 1200-year history of craftsmanship and refinement in Japan, and is known across the world for its restorative and antioxidant benefits. Owned by EIJ Consulting PVt. Ltd., Shirzuru gets ‘Ocha’ from its top tea estate – Kakegawa Estate, where the warm climate and soil have been ideal for green tea production. The Kakegawa Estate is the winner of the Japanese Emperor Cup, among others.
Shizuru’s Gyokuro-flavoured green tea
Shizuru’s Genmaicha-flavoured green tea
Shizuru’s Sencha-flavoured green tea
Shizuru’s green tea is available in three soothing flavours – Gyokuro, Sencha and Genmaicha. Gyokuro is one of the finest premium green teas of Japan, with a sweetish flavor and unique fragrance. The leaves are dried in sunlight for nearly 20 days. It is priced at Rs 980. Sencha, priced at Rs 590, is a green-coloured steamed tea with grassy and sea-weedy flavour. It can be used to make both hot and iced teas. Since the leaves are handpicked and hand-rolled, it has an organic taste.
Genmaicha is a blend of roasted rice kernels with Sencha tea leaves. This is why it carries the 'ricey' aroma and taste. This can be enjoyed by children and the elderly people, too. It is priced at Rs 540. The green tea collection can be ordered from Shizuru’s website.
Launching the ‘Ocha’ collection, EIJ consulting Pvt. Ltd. CEO Yosuke Shibata said, “We can’t wait for our Indian consumers to experience the different flavours of ‘Ocha’ and learn more about its district tastes and benefits. We will first launch three flavours here and then add on more shortly. We also plan to bring the authentic ‘Matcha’ flavour to India very soon. For now, we are spreading the word through taste-marketing at restaurants and specialised events.”
The taste and texture of these 12 ready-to-cook plant-based protein products – made from green gram, chickpeas and peas – resemble their non-veg counterparts
Food-tech plant-based protein company Might Foods introduced its first phase of retail products in Mumbai. The ready-to-cook frozen foods are all artisanal and handcrafted. These will enable a few restaurants in the HoReCa segment to turn into quick service restaurant kitchens.
Quesedilla
The newly-launched food items include Mighty Plant Fish Curry, Turkish Seekh Kebab, Dreamy Dimsums, Supreme Chilli Basil Spring Roll, Mighty Burger Patty, Mighty Plant Prawns in Black Pepper Sauce, Signature Kheema Samosa, Mighty Plant Kheema Bao, Grilled Plant Fish, Mighty Plant Kheema, Lucknowi Gulaoti Kebabs, Loaded Spinach Quesadilla and Mighty Plant Prawns in Thai Curry.
All these frozen foods are made from green gram, chickpeas and peas. Besides being cholesterol-free, these are rich in protein, amino acids and dietary fiber. They contain fewer allergens and lower GI distress triggering agents. Each recipe has been designed and curated in a such a way that the flavor and texture resembles its non-veg counterpart. The plant-based protein products can be ordered on the website of Mighty Foods.
Dimsums
Launching the ready-to-cook plant-based protein foods, Mighty Foods Founder-CEO said, “Rather than getting too caught up with simply catering to full-blown omnivores, we’re reaching out to early adopters, non-vegetarians and anyone who’s on the lookout for new options. With Mighty Foods, we’ve consciously chosen not to tell you to alienate yourself from your food choices, but give you healthier options.”
The Mumbai-based brand comes under FMCG company Freshezy, which makes frozen foods like springs rolls, samosas, tikkis, momos, etc. The new protein products are sealed in tamper-proof packs with cooking steps mentioned in detail. Dibyendu Bindal has wide experience in the food and beverage industry. He assisted in the launch of several restaurants and food ventures across the world and in India. He had set up Mighty Foods to help the young individuals in meeting their daily protein requirement.
Mumbai-based ‘Vegan Heart’ is the only brand in India to offer vegan ice-creams made from oat milk
A popular name with the ice-cream-lovers in Mumbai, Vegan Heart stood out amongst its competitors for using dates as natural sweetener, instead of sugar. Launched in February 2018, the brand was founded by mother-son duo Guncha Wadhwa and Kapil Wadhwa of Vegan Heart Ventures.
Mother-son duo Guncha Wadhwa & Kapil Wadhwa
Guncha did MA in Economics and Diploma in Management, while her son (25 now) did BA in Economics. They both handle everything at Vegan Heart – right from conceptualization, procuring raw ingredients, making ice-creams and packaging to delivery, retail marketing, consumer feedback and publicity.
So, how did it all begin? “Our family always had a sweet tooth and a special liking towards ice-creams. But there came a time when we realised how our food habits and choices affect animals. Since then, animal-cruelty became a ‘no-no’ for us,” explains Guncha, who is also the Head Chef at Vegan Heart Ice-creams.
As their awareness on veganism grew, the Wadhwas realised that plant-based ice-creams are a necessity in the market. All these factors prompted them to launch the brand, in a humble way initially.
“We started by selling our ice-creams at Juhu Farmers’ Market, organized by Sharan – an organization that promotes wholefoods and plant-based diets. Everyone loved them. And in no time, we started home-delivering customized orders. Soon, we realized that there’s huge market for vegan ice-creams and began stocking our products at various stores. The rest is history,” the 55-year-old recollects.
Custard Apple flavor
Thandai ice-cream
The Vegan Heart Ice-creams are free from dairy, gluten, preservatives and, of course, guilt! These are all made from coconut milk and coconut cream, which are considered the healthiest alternatives for dairy. “Our ice-creams are naturally sweetened with dates and don’t contain added preservatives or artificial flavors and colors. Our product is diabetic-friendly, too.”
At present, Vegan Heart is offering eleven 100% natural flavors including Mawa Malai, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, Coffee Bean Cinnamon, Chikoo, Mango, etc. But, Belgian Chocolate has been its bestseller. The brand serves 6 flavors throughout the year, but adds new artisanal flavors to the menu as per season – to satiate those cravings. For example, customers love to binge on thandai and mango flavors during summers, and strawberry in winters. There’s also chikoo and custard apple.
Through Vegan Heart, the Wadhwas advocate vegan diet as the best option for one’s health; for, it provides wholesome foods that are great for gut, nourishing, lesser in cholesterol, induce weight loss, etc. “Our ice-creams are no exception to this, without compromising on taste. This is exactly why we have vegans, vegan-curious individuals and non-vegans as our customers,” she explains.
Since the pandemic, the demand for vegan foods and brands has doubled. And to have that competitive edge, it has become imperative for the manufacturers to bring in some uniqueness and novelty to their products.
Cookies & Chocolate Cream
An ice-cream in the making
“Vegan Heart never lags behind on that front. In fact, we are currently the only brand in India that offers vegan ice-creams made from oat milk. We’re serving an acute differentiator by making our product wholesome, flavorsome and supremely healthy,” Guncha is all smiles.
The brand recently ventured into retail business and managed to do well at shops like Sharan Organic Store, Society stores, Farmers Stores, Rare Earth Cafe, Roman General Stores and Grrovers Supermart (Mumbai), Nature's Soul in Delhi, etc. It also made its way into online retailing through Vvegano, Greend and other websites.
These 100% natural artisanal ice-creams can be ordered on Zomato or Vegan Heart’s website. They are available in 120ml and 480ml packs in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Goa and Chennai. They come with a shelf life of 90 days from the manufacturing date.
Meanwhile, the Wadhwas have plans to expand into more cities in India. “But, for now, we’re focusing on gaining a stronger foothold in Mumbai and channelizing our energies into forming a better e-commerce ecosystem,” Guncha sums it up.
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli invested an undisclosed amount in Rage Coffee, which manufactures & markets curated flavor-infused coffees
After his recent association with plant-based meat brand Blue Tribe Foods, along with his actor-wife Anushka Sharma, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli teamed up with Delhi-based 'Rage Coffee' – both as a brand ambassador and an investor.
Sparky Orange from Rage Coffee
Launched in 2018, Rage Coffee is known for its curated flavor-infused coffees that cater to people in the age group of 18-35. Rage Coffee offers instant coffee, liquid coffee, cold brew bags, sachet shots and ground coffee.
In a statement, Rage Coffee’s Founder-CEO Bharat Sethi said: “Apart from being a world-class athlete, Virat is also a fitness enthusiast who is committed to an attitude that fosters a healthy lifestyle and it seamlessly aligns with the ethos that Rage Coffee promotes. We are thrilled to have him onboard! Our association with him sets us on a journey where we envision perfection through our constant efforts directed at being the best in our segment. Rage Coffee and Virat both share a mutual objective – to be the best!”
Virat Kohli said, “I’ve been using Rage Coffee products for some time, and, I am excited to be a part of its growth journey. The team at Rage Coffee has shown high levels of business execution and stupendous growth over the last couple of years. Rage Coffee has developed some trailblazing products that conform with my innovative approach and align with my lifestyle. I see tremendous potential for the brand to become one of the most iconic coffee companies of our time.”
Rage Coffee has more than 1.7 lakh customers, with 50% sales happening online – from its D2C website of which 70% revenue is generated from regulars. It also has over 2,500 touch points and the products are available in 600 outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chandigarh.
The coffee brand is also present in other tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Jammu, Dehradun, Benaras, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Nagpur. Besides, it is retailing the coffees in USA, Europe and Middle East, too. In all, it is supplying 80% of its products to HoReCa segment. In August 2021, the FMCG brand raised $5 million of growth capital, as part of its Series A funding round led by Sixth Sense Ventures.
15,000 bottles of naturally-brewed, all-purpose Kikkoman Soy Sauce will be distributed in seven Tier-1 cities for testing & tasting
Kikkoman Corporation, the world’s leading producer of naturally-brewed soy sauce, launched an innovative initiative called ‘Meet-Use-Experience’, as part of its ‘Kikkoman Honjozo Authentic Soy Sauce Experience’ started in October 2021.
Under this initiative, the company will distribute around 15,000 bottles of its soy sauce in seven Tier-I cities in India – Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune. The main objective of this move is to create awareness among the professionals in hospitality sector about the versatility of the all-purpose soy sauce.
Kikkoman soy sauce
Free samples of 10,000 bottles (of 500 ml) will be disbursed among 10,000 restaurants in the HORECA market in the next six months. Each restaurant can have the opportunity to ‘meet, use and experience’ the soy sauce for the first-time ever. Another 5,000 bottles will be distributed among hospitality/culinary institutions and catering colleges in these cities; for, this helps the company reach out to working chefs and prospective chefs.
Kikkoman Corporation implemented the concept in millions of food outlets across the world, thereby getting wide popularity for its all-purpose product and increasing its distribution network. The soy sauce is brewed naturally, with Japanese technique called ‘Honjozo’, from soybeans, wheat, water and salt. The process takes several months and allows the sauce to develop its complex, mellow flavor.
The product contains no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or added MSG. The soy sauce gained worldwide popularity due to its unique ability to enhance not only Asian but also Western cuisines.
Formerly called Noda Shoyu Co. Ltd., Kikkoman was formed in 1917 in Japan’s Noda through merger of eight family companies. It adopted a single brand name in 1940 and started expanding its network in over 100 countries including Sans Francisco, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Netherlands, California, Thailand and China.
The Cinnamon, Hazelnut & Caramel flavors from Keventers are likely to make the consumers fall in love with cold coffees all over again – by keeping them alert during those hot work days
With the onset of summer, the food & beverage manufacturers in India are grabbing eyeballs by doling out new products – something cool and something healthy. The latest is renowned dairy brand Keventers.
The iconic milkshake-and-dessert-maker launched three new cold coffee flavors – Cinnamon, Hazelnut and Caramel. Cinnamon cold coffee is a fine blend of cinnamon and vanilla; Hazelnut is a classic cold coffee with a hint of hazelnut, while Caramel comes with a dash of caramel in signature cold coffee flavor. Keventers already produces classic cold coffee.
Cold Coffees from Keventers
In a statement, Keventers Founder-CEO Agastya Dalmia said, “We have always been on the top of our game when it comes to satisfying the customers. We haven’t had an official summer season for the last two years and wanted to make sure that this year the customers get more of their favorites. Our new coffee flavors will keep you alert during those hot work days and make you fall in love with cold coffees all over again. We look forward to adding more flavors to our milkshakes and keep everyone wanting more.”
The new line has already been made available in the pan-Indian market from March 15. The price of Keventers’ cold coffees start from Rs 169 and they can be ordered on Swiggy and Zomato, with an assured door delivery within 30 minutes. Keventers offers a wide range of delicious milkshakes in the categories of ‘Classic’ (like Strawberry and Butterscotch), ‘Chocolate’ (like Mint Oreo Crumble and Choco Brownie), ‘Specials’ (like Bubblegum and Sitaphal) and ‘Flavors of India’ (Rasmalai and Kesar Badam). It also offers 6 types of Sundaes and 4 varieties of ‘Heatwarmers’ (hot coffees).
Set up in India in 1925 by Edward Keventer, a Danish dairy entrepreneur, Keventers became synonymous for milkshakes. However, it was acquired by Ram Krishna Dalmia in 1940 and then revived by Agastya Dalmia in 2015, along with his friends Aman Arora and Sohrab Sitaram. Keventers also produces toned milk, skimmed milk, full cream milk, butter, ghee and condensed milk powder. The brand has its presence in Nepal, UAE, Oman and Kenya as well.
A vegan, entrepreneur and former head of PETA India, Anuradha Sawhney shares the story behind starting her successful ventures – ‘Back to Basics’, ‘Bombay Cheese Company’ and the recently launched cruelty free sweets line - ‘Meethi Kahani’
The first thing that PETA’s former head, animal-lover and practicing vegan Anuradha Sawhney did after finishing her tenure was starting a vegan home-delivery service ‘Back to Basics’. She was the head of PETA India for 9 years and became a vegan from vegetarian the day she joined PETA. And one of the main problems she had was sourcing vegan alternatives. ,
The urge to do something for the cause she believes in made her start ‘Back to Basics’ in 2009, where she ended up delivering the first meal order personally. Soon, the orders increased and there has been no looking back. What started as an answer to one of the major problems at the time, continues to be one of the sought-after vegan food delivery brand. A restless foodie and a passionate vegan entrepreneur, she began to explore, experiment and soon ventured into making vegan cheese, and founded the 'Bombay Cheese Company', by introducing a cheddar cheese block.
Even as innovation is under way, mozzarella cheese was added to the portfolio and more are on the way. Anuradha launched ‘Meethi Kahani’ in July 2021. She takes us along her journey – the tale of a vegan, woman-entrepreneur and cheese-maker.
Vegan sweets from Meethi Kahani
“I joined PETA to help animals. Until then, I was a vegetarian, and I had the habit of drinking milk every day. I was also not into cooking and food had become a major challenge. Around this the time, no one wanted to hear about being a vegan. The high point came when I first rescued monkeys from a lab. When I saw the caged monkeys – fed with maggot-filled water and rotten vegetables – walk free into sunlight and into the rehabilitation centres, the scene pumped me up. I rescued many animals from the circus. I could see how animals were suffering in the thabelas. I am glad I hung in there and continued to be a vegan.”
It all Began With a Book
“By the end of 2009, I put together a cookbook that had 50 recipes I sourced from Bollywood celebrities: The Vegan Kitchen – Bollywood Style. They were not complicated or fancy recipes, but many popular actors like Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Gulshan Grover, John Abraham, Hema Malini, Sonam Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Akshay Khanna – all of them shared one vegan recipe each.
I had been a vegan since 2000. However, during the time, the alternatives were not easily available and whatever little available was not of good quality. I ate whatever I found that was vegan. I did not look into whether it was balanced diet, if it had protein or if I ate enough fruits or right kind of food. As a result, I ended up with high cholesterol, diabetes and high triglycerides.
Then, I shifted to plant-based and oil-free diet, and reversed my health condition. For the book, famous Indian and international doctors wrote on reversing heart disease and diabetes etc., with plant-based diet. I had two big launches – one in New Delhi by the king of Bhutan and the other in Bombay where all the actors in the book ended up, and there were others like Mahima Chowdhury – it was a star-studded event.
Growth of Veganism in India
Vegan entrepreneur Anuradha Sahwney
By the time the book came, there were at least some vegan alternatives available in the market, unlike when Anuradha became a vegan way back in 2000. She relates, “There was probably one brand that made soy milk somewhere. It was probably in 2003 and 2004 that Godrej started soy milk, and fake meat was also found once in a while. Soya Nuggets were always there.
By 2005, we could go and order a vegan dish in a restaurant, and if it was a manager or a chef or someone senior, they would understand and make your order. Until then, we used to carry a long list of things we couldn’t eat and told the staff we had allergy – otherwise they would end up using at least a little dairy. By 2010, vegan products grew well even though it wasn’t anything like now.
Rise of the Vegan Entrepreneur
After the book, I started making wholegrain and oil-free tiffins, and called my tiffin service in Pune – Back to Basics. The first tiffin, I went and delivered on my own. But within a week, orders grew and I had to hire people. Soon, I started making vegan cakes at a time when there was no one else doing this. I used to make gluten-free cakes, keto varieties – 20 varieties of cakes – it was a vegan bakery, but a cloud kitchen where people could order what they liked. Using jaggery, stevia, dates etc., and soy cream, almond or cashew cream, and customising cakes according to preferences was what I did.
Mozzarella cheese from Bombay Cheese Company
Bombay Cheese Company
Once the vegan cakes began to roll, I started exploring vegan cheese. Whenever, I went abroad, I would scout for vegan cheese and brought it home. I began to experiment, and try various concoctions until I reached the perfect cheese. After 18 months of trials, I made what I called Cheddar cheese. This was just before the pandemic. During the pandemic I made Mozzarella.
The ‘Meethi’ Kahani
In addition to cheese, I realized that Indians are big on mithai and there aren’t many mithai shops making vegan sweets. Not many can imagine making sweets without using dairy. ‘Meethi Kahani’ offers a wide choice. The sweets are completely handmade, healthy, and are shipped across the country in boxes where each sweet is diligently wrapped and separately packed.
I will not make one item that my mother won’t eat. Be it ‘Bombay Cheese Company’ or ‘Meethi Kahani’, I make the products safe enough and if she can eat it, then everyone can eat it. That’s my benchmark. For making sweets, I use dry fruits, seeds, nuts, jaggery as much as possible. I use dates or figs to sweeten as well.
We use silver foil that is made using machine and does not have any animal product involved. All the sweets are handcrafted and finally, we pack by wrapping each piece individually. We do not add preservatives, but make them fresh and hence the shelf life is 7-9 days.
Plant-based sweets from Meethi Kahani
Passion Helps Overcome the Challenges
The volume of work has increased. I just happen to be the one who can never relax. I basically am very involved in every aspect. I have a good team. And we manage.
Even now, the biggest challenge, though not as strong, is the Indian mindset. We have grown up watching cows around us, and dairies closely. Using dairy is a normal activity. Even I never understood about the cruelty in dairy industry until I learnt about it. It is difficult for many to accept anything other than dairy as an alternative.
Today, the vegan movement in India is spearheaded by younger generation that is very receptive. The older generation is forced to go vegan for health reasons. Yet, unlike West, Indians are not open to the idea.
My plan is to continue working on cheeses. Plans are afoot to launch four more types of cheeses, and diversify the plant-based sweets menu.
Ice-creams and health never go hand-in-hand. But now, it’s a thing of past - thanks to the low-carb vegan options available in the market
Here’s the list of 5 best healthy ice-cream brands in India that have created a revolution-of-sorts in the frozen dessert segment. Besides the fact that they are made from 100% plant-based ingredients (non-dairy), they are free from preservatives, artificial colors, flavors and gluten.
And unlike their counterparts, they’re also low on carbs due to non-usage of sugar – the very fact that these have become the favs of vegans and diabetics, too. Now, hesitate not to satiate your cravings this summer.
WhiteCub
WhiteCub vegan ice-creams
A personal decision to ditch dairy gradually developed into a mission through WhiteCub – encouraging more people to avoid dairy consumption and making the dairy-free foods accessible across India.
WhiteCub DairyFree Foods, owned by Compassionate Choices Pvt. Ltd., was founded by Sonal in 2013. The India’s first cholesterol-free, transfat-free, vegan ice-creams come in 20 delicious flavors like Red Velvet Cake, Forest Bathing, Coconut Freezy, Indian Wedding, Choco Hazel Swirls, Buddha’s Fig, Blueberry Nights, Banarasi Paan, Almond Coffee Bite, etc.
WhiteCub became an instant hit with lactose-intolerant, people with dairy allergy and vegans, who had no option but to exclude ice-creams in their diet. Over the years, the brand expanded its base in Delhi NCR, Gurugram (Haryana), Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Noida, Coimbatore, Siliguri, Ludhiana and Kolkata. The ice-creams are available on WhiteCub’s website and also on online retail stores including Urban Platter, Big Basket, Modern Bazaar, Nature’s Basket and Greend, to name a few.
Nomou
Nomou's Classic Vanilla Gelato
A brainchild of husband-wife duo, Nomou is a vegan artisanal gelato brand. Originally created in 2016, the gelatos were sold under 'Vegan Bites', a meals catering service set up by Mumbai-based Samir and Hemali. The couple worked relentlessly to turn their vegan son’s wish – including ice-creams in his diet – into a reality. They launched the plant-based artisanal gelatos as a brand – Nomou – only in 2020.
“Our Nomou vegan gelatos are made from almond milk, coconut milk and soy milk. They have jaggery as natural sweetener and are free from dairy, artificial flavors and additives. All the flavors of Nomou's are made in small batches to avoid use of preservatives and prepared from 3-5 ingredients, which are sourced locally to avoid carbon footprint,” explains its Co-founder Samir.
The brand is quite popular among flexitarians and vegans. The ice-creams are available in 22 flavors including Bourbon Vanilla, Saffron Pistachio, Fresh Mango, Cacao Nibs, Paan, Notella, Thandai and Mix Berry Blast. They can be bought from Nomou’s website, other e-commerce sites like VVegano & Greend and retail outlets in Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Goa, Jaipur, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Indore and Kolkata.
Koozies
Koozies vegan ice-cream range
Launched in 2015 by Nishkarsh Arora, a gymnast, dancer and MTV Roadies’ finalist, Koozies is India’s first whey protein ice-cream brand. Whey protein is the liquid that separates from casein in milk or after making cheese. It has 9 essential amino acids and has 0.9g of protein in 100g of powder.
Arora realized that ice-creams in India always come as ‘too-sweet’ for diabetics and ‘full-of-fat’ for fitness freaks. His interest and research led to him founding Koozies ice-creams. The brand serves curated frozen desserts made from whey in 3 categories – Protein, Vegan and Premium.
The Protein range has flavors like Creamy Coffee & Banana Peanut, and provides healthy protein to the customers. The Vegan range has flavors like Tender Coconut & Magic Mango, and is for non-dairy enthusiasts. The Premium range has flavors like Rabdi Kulfi & America Nuts, and is perfect for making creamy shakes. Customers also choose their own combo from among these.
Koozies serves around 7.4g of protein in 85g of ice-cream – which it claims is ideal for body-builders and pregnant women. The low-fat, zero-sugar protein ice-creams are available on its website, in several retail outlets in Delhi NCR region and websites like Vvegano.
Vegan Heart
Coffee Bean Cinnamon ice-cream from Vegan Heart
A dream of mother-son duo Guncha Wadhwa and Kapil Wadhwa, Vegan Heart Ice-creams came into being in 2018. The Mumbai-based frozen desserts are homemade and prepared by 55-year-old Guncha herself in small batches, to avoid the use of preservatives or additives.
“We use dates instead of sugar and other natural ingredients to offer a dairy-free and guilt-free experience to the consumers. Usually, we sell 6 flavors like Belgian Chocolate, Cookies & Cream and Coffee Bean Cinnamon throughout the year. However, we bring out additional flavors like thandai, custard apple, mango, chikoo and strawberry as per season,” says Guncha.
The sales of Vegan Heart have doubled up after lockdown, due to the growing demand for healthy foods. The brand believes in advocating veganism, for it is one of the best options for weight loss, gut health, nourishment, etc. “Our ice-creams are no exception to this, since we use coconut milk as core ingredient – considered the healthiest alternative for dairy – without compromising on taste. We are the first and only brand in India to introduce oat milk-based ice-creams,” she adds.
The vegan ice-cream brand is available at several retail stores in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Chennai and Jaipur, besides on Vegan Heart's own portal and other e-commerce aggregators like Greend, Vegan Mall and Vegan Dukan.
Papacream
Papacream Thandai ice-cream flavor
A mechanical engineer from Carnegie Mellon University, Papacream’s Founder-CEI Tanvi Chowdhri worked as an investment banker on Wall Street, New York. Her passion for food made her travel a lot, to try out local cuisines and research local ingredients and cooking techniques.
After returning to India in 2015, this Mumbai resident turned into an entrepreneur by setting up Papacream with her savings – with a view to bring gourmet ice-creams accessible to the masses here. Initially, she came up with a couple of delectable flavors like pani puri sorbet and nacho-cheese ice-cream. Thanks to the amazing response from consumers, Tanvi didn’t look back.
Papacream brings out vegan, premium milk-based and sugar-free ice-cream range. The vegan category has 6 flavors including Raspberry Sorbet, Coffee Mocha Crunch, French Vanilla, Chocofudgy Cake, Mango and Chocolate. These handcrafted vegan indulgences are made of plant-based ingredients and without added sugar or gluten; hence, they're are guilt-free. Every flavor is influenced by a childhood memory or the other.
The brand’s website delivers the products only in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. However, it sells the ice-creams through several stores in Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Goa, Indore, Surat, Lonavala, Dehradun, Moradabad and Ahmedabad. They can also be ordered online through Big Basket, Vegan Dukan, Modern Bazaar, Greend, etc.
The new product range is a fusion of the flavors of Indian desserts like gulab jamun, classic malai & falooda with ice-creams
Premium ice-cream brand Vadilal Entreprises Ltd. launched its new Gourmet Natural Ice-creams. It also started a campaign on the new collection by roping in a ‘Gulab Jamun’ Uncle, to entertain the viewers with quirky humor. The new ice-cream range comes in flavors like Gulab Jamun, Alphonso Mango, Kesar Pista, Classic Malai & Falooda (available in tubs) and Badam Pista Kesar & Rajwadi (both kulfis).
According to Vadilal’s Brand Director Aakanksha Gandhi, the creamy flavors have been curated to match the Indian palate. "The Gourmet Natural ice-creams replicate a never-before sensory experience, by amalgamating the flavors of Indian desserts with ice-creams. Consumers really liked the fusion touch the company is offering and the new product line is receiving a widespread acceptance in the market."
Meanwhile, the campaign comprises a 20-second TV commercial depicting ‘Gulab Jamun’ Uncle satisfying his craving for the dessert through Gulab Jamun flavor available in the Gourmet Natural ice-cream line. The ad ends with the slogan – ‘Har Dil Bole Waah! Vadilal!’.
Vadilal Enterprises Ltd was set up in 1926 as Vadilal Soda Fountain Outlet, in Ahmedabad. Over the years, it became a renowned ice-cream brand and also grew into a network of over 1.25 lakh dealers across India. It offers over 150 ice-cream flavors available in 250-plus packages – in the form of candies, bars, ice-lollies, cones, small and big cups, family packs and economy packs. The company makes around 8 lakh ice-creams in a day and every ice-cream goes through over 50 quality checks, before reaching the consumer. It also produces frozen vegetables, ready-to-eat snacks, curries and breads.
The popular Bengaluru-based dairy alternative brand is launching 5 new products this year
Renowned vegan dairy brand GoodMylk has changed its name to ‘One Good’. Its Founder-CEO Abhay Rangan made an announcement to this effect.
“It's a big day as we change our name from Goodmylk to One Good. We've thought long and hard about what kind of company we want to be. Are we a plant-based mylk company? We're more than that. We've made all kinds of plant-based products affordable and accessible. And we want to do more. We want to be the most customer-centric plant-based company, ever. You can't find a company like us anywhere else in the world because solving for Indian needs requires an approach that is made in India, for India,” he said.
Vegan dairy range
Founder-CEO Abhay Rangan
Vegan Mayo
On the occasion, Abhay also announced that the brand would launch 5 new products this year – mylk with millets, summer drinks, chocolates, ‘plant-based something’ and ‘vegan deliciousness’.
Earlier in March, One Good introduced barnyard millets into its mylk. Apart from its neutral flavor and creamy texture, the barnyard millets are environment-friendly and indigenous to India. The summer drinks – buttermilk and mange mylkshakes – are hitting the market from today (March 19). They’ll be available through the end of summer.
In February, the erstwhile GoodMylk launched mini mylk chocolates, as Valentine’s Day special edition. In view of the tremendous response they received, the company is re-launching them, but as full-sized bars. The chocolate range includes Country Crunch & Butterscotch, Sea Salt & California Almond and Hazelnut. One Good entered into a pact with CARRA Chocolates to produce these chocolate bars.
Vegan chocolate special edition
Butter Mylk & Mylkshakes
The vegan dairy brand is also bringing out “totally next level” something in plant-based segment, which it likes to keep it a surprise until the launch. In the next few weeks, One Good is introducing 'vegan deliciousness' for soon-to-be vegans who are afraid of losing out on deliciousness.
Bengaluru-based One Good manufactures a wide range of plant-based dairy alternatives like oat milk, peanut curd, spreads, dips, butter, cheese and paneer. It recently acquired plant-based nutrition brand PRO2FIT. The products are delivered in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR.
Bombay Cheese Company
