SOURCE: Sutanuka Ghosal, Economic Times
Alphonso mango farmers from the Konkan region have partnered with Innoterra, a Swiss-Indian food and tech platform company to launch their brand, Ekyaam. Derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Ekam,’ which means ‘one’ and represents unity, Ekyaam represents both the status of Alphonso as the one mango (‘ek aam’ in Hindi), and the unity of the farmers in marketing Alphonso globally.
More than 2,000 Alphonso farmers in the Konkan region farmers have collaborated to provide consumers with the finest fruit consumption experience under brand Ekyaam. Fruits sold under the brand are being harvested from highly curated farms and are handled and ripened scientifically using FSSAI-approved methods. Each fruit is scanned individually before packaging to ensure that consumers get the best possible quality. Ekyaam offers 100 percent traceability – each fruit is marked with a QR code that allows customers to trace the fruit to the originating farm.
Ekyaam’s products will be available across major cities in India, starting with Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Kolkata, and across multiple pack sizes. Efforts are underway for a pilot launch in premium international markets, starting with mainland Europe.
“This is a historic partnership involving the Alphonso farmer base across the entire Konkan region. Cooperatives and FPOs from Ratnagiri, Devgad, Pawas, Vengurla, Kelshi and other regions are collaborating with Innoterra in this initiative. This brand launch is an important milestone to help farmers realise the best possible value of their fruit,” said Mansoor Kazi, board member of Pawas Cooperative.