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Food start-up Wegan Foods gets funded by RAK’s Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi
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Wednesday, 21 June, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Mumbai-based food start-up Wegan Foods has raised an undisclosed sum in funding from Sheikha Arwa Al Qassimi, a member of the royal families of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will soon launch a range of healthy, dairy-free, pantry staples for the growing vegan community in India.
Kinjal Darukhanawala, founder and chief executive officer, Wegan Foods, said, “We are creating a range of products that are delicious and dairy-free. We aim to be an ethical and transparent brand, which will source the highest quality ingredients.”
“Each product will be crafted in what we call happy kitchens, and not in laboratories or factories. Being a passionate vegan and health enthusiast myself, I realised that there are very few local vegan pantry staples available in India,” she added.
“Our products will address a growing market of vegans and people who may want to choose a healthier dietary lifestyle,” Darukhanawala said.
The first product, Dairy-free Cheese, is all set to launch in October 2017. This non-dairy cheese will go perfectly well with pastas, pizzas, nachos, grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers.
Apart from being cheesy and gooey, this dairy-free cheese is full of goodness and superior nutrition. In addition, it melts, slices, stretches and shreds, just like regular cheese.
The Vegan Cheese is soy-free, gluten-free and suitable for Jains. Vegans or lactose-intolerant people have to no longer worry about missing out on their favourites.
“The first product development took close to six months. The idea is not just being vegan, but also carrying a line of products that are delicious and nutritious for all age groups to devour,” Darukhanawala said.
“A lot of people have preconceived notions about vegan food; they think it is boring and tasteless and has a far from original taste and flavour. Our brand plans to banish these notions,” she added.
The funding will be used for scaling the commercial kitchen, inventory and brand building.
It will initially be launched in Mumbai via modern trade and specific food delivery app platforms. In addition, the company also aims to set up a strong business-to-business (B2B) network with restaurants, hotels, catering companies, coffee shop chains and airlines.
Al Qassimi said, “I have invested in Wegan Foods in my personal capacity. I was impressed with the fact that Darukhanawala plans to have a workforce comprising 90 per cent women by hiring from organisations that groom and empower women from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is the biggest motivation for me.”
“Globally, I have been an advocate for women’s rights, and see this investment as a step in that direction,” she added.
Today, several local restaurants in Mumbai and around other metros have launched special vegan menus to cater to vegans, lactose-intolerant people and flexitarians who opt for healthier food choices from time to time.
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