Arusuvai Arasu Natarajan, the grand old man who made a mark in wedding catering, is all smiles. His grandson, Kamesh Narayan, has decided to carry on his grandfather’s cooking legacy of 60 years, but with a twist. Narayan has launched a range of masalas, under the brand name Arusuvai Arasu Fresh Foods.
“While my grandfather is a great cook, and specialised in large-scale cooking and wedding catering, his sons also entered the same industry. My father Kumar was keen that I become a chartered accountant and stay away from the catering business. But I pursued business administration, and decided to turn our family business into a corporate outfit, and build the brand Arusuvai, which already has a good customer base, even more aggressively,” he says.
Before he launched the products, he conducted a thorough market research. “People like the taste and flavour of my grandfather’s cooking and always ask him for the sambar and rasam podi recipe. So we have launched a podi range to begin with. Sambar podi, rasam podi, dal podi, garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and curry leaf powder, manufactured at our Kovilambakkam plant, will be available in retail markets across Tamil Nadu. Another special item we have launched is the pickle podi. Instead of buying pickles off the shelf, one can now make pickles at home in hygienic conditions and with good quality oil,” says Narayan.
In a few months’ time, they plan to launch ready-mix tiffin varieties, puliyodharai mix as well as idli and dosa batter.
“We have used appa’s standardised recipe for all the podis without adding any artificial colours or flavours, ensuring that the taste and quality are not compromised,” says Sowmya Ramesh, the nonagenarian’s youngest daughter.
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