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‘Vocal for local’ has become a popular slogan in the country these days. I put my foodie hat on and tried to find out how local can one go in the Indian kitchen, without compromising on the quality and taste. The result was beyond my expectations with food labels that make a range of products, from hot sauce to flavoured butters. In this post, we list out our first set of local brands for you.

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Love by Amma

Who doesn’t love homemade jam or freshly made fruit squash for delicious summer drinks? Tamil Nadu-based Aruna Rajarathinam is the proud maker of all the jams, syrups and squashes that are sold with the tag, Love by Amma. She uses fresh and seasonal fruits and creates flavourful products like mango jam, rose syrup and lime squash that contain no chemicals or artificial colours. @love_byamma

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Kuninda Mustards

There’s so much that we can do with mustard. Now, imagine an artisanal (and vegan!) range of locally-made mustard sauces—Garlic, Mirchi, Bavarian and more. The range clearly shows how creative can one go with mustard, apart from the classic mustard sauce. From the farm of Way Back When Farm (Kichha, Uttrakhand) to your table, these mustard sauces clearly are pantry must-haves. @kunindamustards; Ph: 9927077009

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PickleShickle 

Started by two Mumbai-based sisters, Preetika and Prerna Chawla, these handmade pickles—made from heirloom recipes coming from various corners of the country—are wonder picks for every home cook. The duo has come up with a range that goes beyond the popular options. The vegetarian range comprises mushroom, lotus stem, onion and jackfruit pickles, and the non-vegetarian range includes mutton, prawn, chicken and more. Party for your taste buds? Oh. Yes! @pickleshickle; Ph: 9930010633

Original Indian Table 

Find rare grains like black soybean and lentils that are often overlooked by both buyers and stock keepers at grocery stores. Munsiari Rajma, Bamboo Rice, Barnyard Millet, Lakhori Chillies, or the Himalayan Schezwan Pepper—Original Indian Table is all about indigenous produce that deserve a place on our food racks. @originalindiantable; Ph: 011-46323694

PostCard Snacks 

For a person who doesn’t compromise with taste and flavours, a local snack box is a matter of pride and loyalty. Now imagine a range of local snack items—Kolhapuri Bhadang, Jamnagari Chiwda, Bengaluru Hurigalu and the Kolkata Chanachur, all available under one roof. PostCard Snacks brings them all (check out all the eight variants) with their range of locally-inspired snack items. Available across cities and at online stores. @postcard.of.india

Jus’ Amazin 

If you are a vegan or someone who’s into conscious eating, you would know how crucial nut butters are for your food table. This Bengaluru-based food start-up offers plant-based products like condensed almond milk, peanut-flax chutney, and almond butter (with dark chocolate) that are gluten- and soy-free. If you are a parent, who is looking for something that will suit your child’s gluten, soy or dairy allergy, here’s your pick. @jus_amazin

Aamra by NSK

This Ghaziabad-based food house offers handcrafted products that are made with traditional techniques and forgotten local recipes. But the most special part about these products is that these are all made by the women at the Nari Shiksha Kendra. Choose from salad dressings, spices, dips, and pickles (imagine five varieties of lemon pickle) and more. Ph: 7042480640

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Naagin Hot Sauce 

Naagin Hot Sauce is a revelation if you are into authentic flavours. Made with Sankeshwari chillies sourced from local lands in Maharashtra, the hot sauce is to die for. The second variant they offer is the Bhoot hot sauce that is made with Jolokia chillies that are locally grown in Assam. The biggest takeaway is that the Mumbai-based label promises the sauces to be vegan and all-natural. Are you still eyeing those imported hot sauces? It’s time we switch to a local one! Ph: 9372065772

Little treats 

A crispy, roasted slice of bread is incomplete without butter; it just makes everything taste better. We have heard of herb butters, but Sunita of Little Treats makes artisanal butters with local and exotic ingredients that offer butters that beautifully compliment your homemade food. Find butter variants like mushroom, mango, kadipatta, thecha, strawberry, pomegranate, green garlic, miso honey and much more. Ph: 9820305472; @littletreats_

Toska

Started with an undying passion for fine chocolate, Ahmedabad-based food start-up, Toska – Artisan Chocolates, is Ishan Pansuria’s labour of love. Choose from native and exotic variants like rose and saffron, coffee and cardamom, mocha elixir, and biscuit and berry. They also offer chocolate spreads with flavours like hazelnut elixir. The next time you want to pick a special gift (that’s local too), you know where to go. Available at popular online stores and stockists in many cities like Goa, Pune and Jaipur.

Early Foods 

If you are a newbie mum, you would completely understand the confusions that come along with baby food. Your search ends here with Early Foods, a Pune-based food venture run by Shalini Santosh. We love their date powder (a natural sweetener for babies), ragi almond and date porridge mix and the gluten-free jaggery cookies. Early Foods offers organic baby food options like teething sticks, cookies, natural sweeteners, porridges, drink mixes and more. Ph: 7498549249

All product shots owned by the brands.