Start-up launches first ever dark chocolate infused with saffron

With the support of the UK government’s Department for International Trade, one-year-old start-up, Mahbir Premium Indian Saffron has been chosen to exhibit at the Middle East’s biggest food and drink trade show, Gulfood, which is taking place in Dubai from February 18-22, 2018.

 

Celebrating the first full year of successful trading in the UK and mainland Europe, before this year’s Gulfood has even begun, Mahbir has exceeded expectations by having its Tangy Orange Marmalade infused with Premium Indian Saffron product shortlisted for the Gulfood Innovation Awards 2018. Thukral says: “We are competing against much larger, established brands, so this nomination came as a complete shock to both myself and the co-operative farmers in Kashmir, India. Just receiving this nomination is an achievement for how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.”

 

Speaking with FoodIngredientsFirst, he also said: “The support from the UK government and belief in the commercial viability of my business, and their support for grassroots start-ups, has been very welcome. The Indian government makes cooperating with start-ups difficult. So like everything else so far, the farmers and I continue by ourselves.”

 

“The Middle East is a big consumer of saffron, much of which is brought in from Iran. But we want to explore if consumers are getting the best quality products,” Thukral explains.

 

“Traceability, food safety standards and freshness are big question marks in the spices industry because only a few individual spices have standardized international regulations. For the most highly prized spice, saffron is probably the least regulated spice industry, and in the consumer's eyes they've created this narrative that saffron is both very expensive and probably not the real thing.”

 

Sharing the farmer's story, and being able to trace each strand to the farmer isn't only about leveraging current trends of provenance and storytelling but also giving consumers an education about why knowing more about where their spices come from is just as important as buying free-range eggs, MSC-certified fish and local craft beer.

 

East meets West
“Spices are the most used device to enhance flavor in foods across the board, my key priority for Gulfood is to secure a regional distributor who will be willing to nurture the brand and establish a customer base in key markets,” he notes. “The East-meet-West products, such as chocolate and jams, are truly innovative and in a globalized world, consumers appreciate Eastern flavors in Western applications.”

 

According to Thukral, the company is also looking to expand the savory portfolio with a saffron-infused mustard product. “This is currently in development,” he reveals.

 

“The new saffron chocolate products combining several global consumer trends including premiumization, world flavors and ethical production, the new 55 percent cacao chocolate product took four years to develop,” he explains. 

 

The chocolate is sourced from a UTZ-certified supplier. The clean label formulation integrates the delicate tasting notes of Indian saffron while remaining true to the natural flavor associated with high-quality dark chocolate. Mahbir’s saffron-infused milk chocolate product, which was initially launched last year, has also been reformulated to taste less sweet following customer feedback.

 

Thukral also says: Mahbir Premium Indian Saffron began with no existing network or customer base, but after one year of perseverance and success having launched in the UK at the BBC Good Food Show Winter in November 2016, Mahbir’s saffron was recognized with a Great Taste Award last year, which is the first time that such an award has been given to Indian saffron.”

 

Mahbir’s products have also gained the personal endorsement of British celebrity chef and restaurateur, Tony Singh MBE, and he is already exporting to five European countries including top London restaurants.

 

Thukral gives two reasons for this success so far: “Firstly, together with the co-operative farmers, we’ve implemented UK and EU food safety standards at the source. We are sharing the story of our saffron with customers and consumers alike. For example, we are the first fully traceable saffron on the market. From strand to the farmer, we are openly sharing this information so customers learn about the origin of our saffron, and can also have full confidence in the product they’re buying.”

 

“Also, any success wouldn’t have been possible without the open-minded, kind-hearted chefs and retailers who believe in the importance of grassroots entrepreneurship and share our passion for introducing new flavors and inspiring user moments,” he concludes.