The last few years have seen the Food and Beverage industry in India incorporate a number of sustainable practices. Starting from finding local ingredients, to using recyclable and biodegradable materials, companies, both big and small have taken steps to make their operations more earth friendly.
Packaging Practices
To create a more sustainable brand, the first step a number of companies have taken is to eliminate plastic from their packaging. It has become common for even local kirana stores to encourage their customers to either bring their own bags, or provide cloth or paper bags. The company, With A Cookie, has even gone the extra mile to make sure their logo stickers for packaging are made from tree-free materials and an adhesive made of water.
Certain other companies like Strawfit, a milk flavouring straw, reduces wastage by packing their product in a simple straw that is recyclable. Customers can also use this as regular straws more than once, instead of buying regular plastic straws that go in the bin after a single use.
The Local Touch
Several small scale and large companies have taken steps to purchase fresh and organic ingredients, from locally sourced vendors. Organic certified farmers and co-cops in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are regular suppliers of beans to The Tamil Nadu Mason & Co, an organic chocolate maker. The company’s specialities are unique flavoured chocolate bars and other cacao products like cacao powder, nibs and drinking chocolate.
Andhra Pradesh’s Araku Valley’s tribes also contribute their product to Araku Coffee. The chain has an eatery located in Bengaluru which serves food prepared from scratch using seasonal ingredients. Araku coffee also has an outlet in Paris, and began their operations by selling its coffee in international auctions of specialty coffees.
Customer End
More and more customers are also becoming aware of their choices and how it affects the earth. It has become second nature to consider sustainability while making a purchase. Be it reusing glass jars as storage containers, or buying thrifted clothes, these practices provide growing opportunities for companies to largely incorporate sustainability in their operations.
The pandemic, especially, has led to changes in agricultural practices and lifestyle changes that promote sustainable living.
