A good dollop of pickle is all you need, and these D2C brands are finally here to let us indulge our pickle needs.Over the last couple of years, many startups have come up, providing consumers with the same old Dadi-Nani style achaar at our doorsteps. It’s a cutthroat market out there – according to latest available estimates, the organised pickle market is valued at around INR 250 crore, growing at 8 percent a year.
Each brand has a unique taste twist with its spices. Which pickle brand to try? Here are a few that are on the elusive quest to become that pan-Indian pickle brand that everyone, including our hard-to-please grandmothers, swears by.
So, try out these new-age pickle brands today!
JhaJi Store Pickles:
Founded in March 2021 by the sister-in-law duo, Kalpana and Uma, JhaJi is a women-led D2C startup. The JhaJi brand uses natural ingredients like amla, tamarin, garlic, onions, cauliflower, carrots, red chilli, lemon, and more to blend perfectly into a desi-style achaar.
According to the founders, the recipes have been refined over decades of expertise and passed down through generations. Even better, all the ingredients are bought from the local farmers and traders in the storied region of Mithila in Bihar. Priced at an affordable range of INR 249–399, give the achaars of JhaJi a try and prepare to make every meal an interesting one.
Bloom Foods:
Ardent food lovers Siddharth and Rajesh teamed up with sisters Padmaja and Padma Latha to set up Bloom Foods. Bloom Foods is famous for their non-vegetarian Andhra style achaars. They come in various varieties like: chicken, mutton, fish, and keema, all priced between INR 150 and 850.
Jandhayala Foods
Based in Hyderabad but loved across the country, Jandhayala Foods’s secret to pickle success has been due to their constant customer interaction and iteration. Born from their desire to bring South Indian-style achaar to the masses, the brand’s workforce has more women than men. For that classic Mango pickle taste, go for Avakaya or if your taste buds are craving for that tangy tomato flavour, their Tomato Pachchadi is what you need. All their products are priced between INR 175 and Rs 900.
Goosebumps
Founded by a young, Mumbai-based couple, Ishita Shah and her husband Pinank, Goosebumps is their shot at letting the world know of their mother’s traditionally cooked authentic indian achaar. The brand has come up with the innovative idea of blending nature’s exotic fruits with spices, making it more enjoyable for the everyday consumer. Pineapple Pepper, Guava Chilli, Orange Fennel, Cranberry Kalonji, and Grape Ginger are the popular choices among fruit pickles. For packaging, the Goosebumps brand uses a 5-layer leak-proof mechanism like food-grade polythene bags, unbreakable pet bottles, sealed, shockproof bubble wrap, and corrugated boxes.
Goosebumps are available online for anywhere between INR 150-210 for a 250 gm jar.
Also read about : This new age technology to ensure food safety
Spice Story
Mumbai-based start-up Spice Story makes ethnic Indian chutneys in a sauce form and packs them in easy-to-use recyclable bottles.
Launched in the year 2019 by founders Soumyadeep Mukherjee and Gayatri Gogate, Spice Story has already tasted success—pun intended—and that has enhanced its bouquet of offerings in a short span of time.
The venture started with only three products, but now they are on offer in nearly 15 varieties with catchy names like Dilliwali Spicy Mint Chutney, Kolkata Mango Mustard Adventure, Mumbai Schezwan Mayhem, Agra ki Saunth, Indori Lemon Chutney, and The Original Kolhapuri Jhatka. The products are priced between INR 149 and Rs 400 and sell through online marketplaces such as Amazon and Flipkart and quick commerce platforms including Swiggy, Instamart, and Zepto.