We all love to hog on to a variety of delicious dishes. There are infinite dishes one can make using different ingredients. However, there remain many ingredients that haven’t been experimented with enough. Such an ingredient is Jackfruit.
Thus, Wakao Foods, a startup based in Goa took the initiative to try out making various products using Jackfruit. Let’s take a look at their startup.
What The Startup Is About?
It is the first such brand from India which makes various products using Jackfruit as its main ingredient. They have the vision to save mother nature and hence, they make the utmost use of natural products.
The company says, “It stands for creating a better tomorrow – one where humanity thrives, with products that are curated from ethically grown and sourced produce that is then hygienically processed and packaged.”
The USP of their brand is that they don’t use preservatives and they have a shelf life of 1 year. Plus, their products don’t require refrigeration as well.
The company was founded by Sairaj Dhound and it is very particular about creating brands that create a global footprint and is safe for the environment. Since veganism is gaining popularity, he tried to mimic meat which would be popular amongst non-vegetarians too.
Why Only Jackfruit?
I am pretty sure that many of you would be wondering why they chose Jackfruit when there are much better options available. The answer is- because of Sairaj’s childhood.
When Sairaj was young, he couldn’t differentiate between jackfruit and chicken. He loved his grandmother’s recipe of chicken gravy, even though it contained dices of fruit. Jackfruit got easily mixed with other ingredients while making juices, chocolates, toffees etc.
Another reason for picking this fruit is its health benefits. It has a high concentration of potassium, fibre, has antioxidant properties and can also absorb iron. Thus, after knowing all these amazing benefits, he decided to initiate Wakao Foods during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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While speaking to Better India, Sairaj stated, “If there’s one silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an increasing number of health-conscious people.
I was reminded of my grandma’s praises for jackfruit on seeing the spike in coronavirus-induced death rates and subsequent demand for immunity boosters. Meanwhile, the lockdown had affected my business. This gave birth to Wakao Foods in November.”
Achievements And Laurels
Despite being a new company, it has started gaining popularity amongst vegans. In about 30 stores that sell vegan products in Goa, you would easily find the Wakao Foods brand on shelves. Restaurants such as JW Marriot and Hyatt are also loving their vegan products.
According to Sairaj, “Jackfruit-based mock meat can revolutionise the way we look at healthy foods, and gluten-free foods in particular.” In just less than 10 months, Wakao Foods catered to more than 10,000 customers.
Though the company faces the challenge of not enjoying a mass appeal, the team is certain that now since COVID-19 cases are settling down, they would be able to expand in other cities.
Farmers from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra assist them in sourcing jackfruits for their products.
Initially, they began with three ready-to-cook and two ready-to-eat products, whereas now they are selling 2 to 3 tonnes of jackfruit monthly.
Image Sources: Google
Sources: Wakao Foods, The Better India, The Times Of India
Connect with the blogger: Palak Dogra
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