By Chokkapan S (chock@imaws.org)
Ernakulam: India’s IT capital, Bangalore, was voted recently as one of the best cities in the world for vegans, by National Geographic, much to the surprise of many. One may wonder how – and when – Indians joined the ‘vegan wave’, despite being one of the highest dairy consumers globally, but the answer lies, well, within. “Bengaluru’s vegans blend their own milk and cheese from cashews to add creamy textures to dhals, create new curries based on heritage grains like millet, and craft syrupy desserts from dates,” clarifies the Nat Geo report.
Indians are not alien to the adage: ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ and, therefore, indulge in jugaad. So does Sara Spices, now renamed as Saras from The God’s Own Country. The popular food products company, from the reputed Anna Group, has taken it upon itself to make cooking ‘enjoyable and effortless each day’. The Kerala brand is renowned for its curry powders and masalas, besides Ready-To-Cook (RTC) and Ready-To-Eat (RTE) dishes.
The FMCG player has now introduced Saras Vegan Sambar, intending to cater to the growing cult of plant-based diet consumers in India. The innovative offering is certified by Global Vegetarian Certification Services’ (GVCS) under the Whole Plant Scheme.
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living, which seeks to exclude – as far as is possible and practicable – all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals,” is the funda behind Saras Vegan Sambar. The product does not have any animal fat.
There are many ways to embrace vegan living, explains the Saras team, “Yet, one thing all vegans have in common is a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods, such as meat (including fish, shellfish, and insects), dairy, eggs, and honey – as well as avoiding animal-derived materials, products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment.”
Saras has positioned its RTC range as “not only delicious, nutritious and safe, but also affordable and highly time-saving.” Saras’s RTC products are manufactured in state-of-the-art grinding mills and processing plants, to ensure 100 percent hygiene in quality ingredient selection, process operation, packaging, and shipping. “Through the process of sterilization, all microorganisms are completely destroyed to prevent microbial spoilage and thus poisoning and re-contamination is totally prevented by packing in air-tight three-layer metalized retort pouches,” the company vouches.
“These mouth-watering RTC products are made using 100% natural and organic ingredients and don’t contain any artificial preservatives or chemicals that are harmful to your health. All our RTC products are Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certified, and are manufactured in Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certified unit to ensure matchless quality and hygiene.”
Saras RTC products, including its vegan sambar, have been approved by the Export Promotion Council and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States. The product is launched in India as well as the Middle East and received a good reception, thanks to the brand name.
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