Living the lockdown life, something as insignificant as snack time, often happens to be the best part of the day. F&B brands gave us respite from boredom with a burst of flavours and guilt-free indulgences that we sorely need to lift our spirits.
These top Indian food and beverage startups have revolutionised snack time with yummy and healthy additions that both millennials and boomers are thankful for. If you haven’t tried any of these Indian F&B brands, about time you placed an order or pick ’em up on your next grocery run.
Move over ramen, glucose biscuits and fizzes. It’s time to level up your binge-game with the real deal.
Godesi foods
Born and bred in India, Go Desi celebrates sweet Indian nostalgia with their signature product- tangy pops. Available in Tangy Imli, Real Aam and Kaccha Aam flavours, their products are handmade in rural kitchens with Indian spices. Go Desi has sold over 5 million Imli Pops till now and are innovating new, delish products that are ‘Indian at heart’ like Jackfruit bar, Amla bites and Banana Bites.
Pop one in and rediscover the tangy taste of tamarind while you take a trip down the memory lane.
Mr. MakhAna
Who knew plane jane fox nuts could come in so many unique flavours?
Mr Makhana fox nuts are loaded with flavours in every bite, without the oil, crisp and guilt of potato chips. Unlike plain makhana which is usually recommended by dieticians with weight-loss plans, this guilt-free, tasty snack keeps you from diving your joy and sorrows into a bucket of chips. Cream & onion, Himalayan salt & pepper, Piri Piri, Butter tomato, Lime & chilli- Mr Makhana’s got them all!
Atmosphere
‘Fermented tea’ was uncharted territory for non-tea drinkers. Until Atmosphere came along.
Within a few months since its launch, this kombucha brand became an unrivalled contender in the fermented tea category. This heavenly blend of exotic plants, flowers and herbs make both your gut and soul happy. Available in a wide range of delicious blends , Atmosphere is giving ‘tea-time’ a flavourful makeover and replacing caffeine with exotic flavours. Whether you are a ‘tea person’ or a ‘cold coffee’ person, India’s fermented tea brand Atmosphere, is a must-try!
Epigamia
The only marriage our gut is thankful for.
Featuring one of India’s top actresses and investor Deepika Padukone as the brand ambassador, Epigamia had no trouble rising up the shelves of grocery stores and becoming a household name. Soon enough, India’s top dairy brands entered the ‘Greek yoghurt’ fray, becoming tough contenders to the brand that revolutionised flavoured yoghurt in India. Epigamia is best known for introducing a wide array of Greek yoghurt flavours in the Indian market that go beyond the usual berry blends. Recently the brand introduced a ‘no added sugar’ range.
Another reason to pick up additional jars on our next grocery run.
Happy jars
If you haven’t tried this already, you will go nuts about this one. Literally.
A health food brand, Happy Jars has transformed the breakfast staple ‘peanut butter’ into a range of finger-lickin’ variants. From almond butter, cashew butter to chilly chutney peanut butter blends, Happy Jars has got breakfast, lunch and dinner-covered. With more and more peanut butter brands crowding grocery shelves everyday, Happy Jars stands out because of its vegan, protein-rich ingredients and replacing sugar with jaggery. Their unsweetened range is indeed a dream come true for fitness lovers and keto dieters. Their diverse flavours let you mix and match with all kinds of foods and zhush up the taste effortlessly.
A PSA for all the brothers and sister who can’t cook to save their lives.
SNACKIBLE
With a healthy version of every snack you can every think of, Snackible is on a mission to make snack time healthy AF.
Snackible is an upcoming Indian snack brand with the majority of its business online. Chips, cookies, pizza sticks, seeds, Indian khakhra, nuts, cereals- you will get a tasty version of every snack time favourite here. Their range of energy bars is a good choice if you are tired of granola or ‘chocolate’ protein bars. Made with natural ingredients like Spirulina, Alfafa, Jaggery, their all-natural products like the ‘Moringa Energy Bars’ is like a breath of fresh air.
Try ordering a Snackible you have never seen/heard of before. If you ask us, that would be 50% of their entire catalogue.
PRASUMA MEATS & DELICATESSEN
Prasuma has been a lockdown hero for momo lovers across India.
Indian cities like Delhi swear by momos which could be found at every nook and corner before the lockdown. Prasuma’s range of momos became an evening staple for thousands of Indian households who could not do without their daily dose of dim sums. Best part? no preservatives and they taste exactly like the momos you will find at an upscale restaurant. Their ‘Himalayan momo’ recipe is a huge hit on and off social media with loyal evangelists promoting the product on Insta stories and putting in a good word for the brand on DM requests appreciating their ‘cooking’ skills.
.The second-best invention after instant noodles that can be prepped within 2 minutes.
Sleepy Owl
Contrary to its name, half a bottle of this magic potion is enough to wake up your soul+spirits.
Those who need a splash of coffee to deal with life, Sleepy Owl has the fix you need. Available in both cold and hot brews, their cold brew continues to be a ‘hot’ favourite across grocery stores and food outlets. Unlike freshly brewed coffees, the cold blend is brewed overnight to create a naturally sweet and strong taste. If you don’t like your cold coffee extra sweet or bitter AF, Sleepy Owl has just the right balance of flavours.
Grab a bottle or order a crate to keep your spirits high through the lockdown (minus the hangover).
Svami Drinks
Speaking of getting your spirits high, lets talk tonic.
Indian by nature, Svamidrinks is here to mix a lot of flavours and fun into happy hours. The beverage brand identifies itself as a ‘Progressive Drinks Company’ serving the perfect tonics and ale to take your spirits up a notch. You might want to skip this if you like it ‘neat’ but if you are hosting happy hours for one every other day, we suggest some ale and tonic to go with it.
All natural and low-sugar, you can trust Svami ji to pop in some fun and pep up your usual mixes.
WHITE CUB
White Cub is India’s one-of-a-kind dairy-free ice-cream brand and a cub in shining armour for vegans and lactose intolerant ice-cream lovers,
A recipient of PETA Vegan food awards, White Cub is revolutionising ice-cream in India with a dairy-free alternative. The company is quite vocal about ethical practices in animal husbandry and discourages all kinds of cruelty against animals. Making every scoop, way sweeter.
If you wish to stay away from both dairy and sweet, White Cub also has a delicious sugar-free range to keep you guilt-free and happy.
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