Cargill Presents NatureFresh Professional Delights at AAHAR 2024

Cargill Presents NatureFresh Professional Delights at AAHAR 2024

By Author

Published on March 11, 2024

In its commitment to offering innovative food solutions, Cargill unveiled a line of products under its NatureFresh Professional brand and showcased pioneering offerings tailored for the Indian Food and Bakery industry at AAHAR 2024, India’s premier international food and hospitality fair.

Under the theme 'The Whole World of Possibilities', Cargill introduced a range of applications and products spanning Bakery, Confectionery, Chocolates, and Convenience Foods. A standout launch was the Chocolate Indulgence line under NatureFresh Professional, featuring block chocolates, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Crafted through extensive research among India’s top bakers, these products come in four variants – Intense Dark, Dark, Milk, and White – offering unique flavors with high-quality cocoa and a creamy texture. Leveraging Cargill’s advanced DoMiReCo processing technology, these products ensure consistent high quality, meeting the expectations of Indian bakers. They boast a shelf life of 12-15 months and can be used in a variety of bakery and ice cream applications, from ganache to enrobing.

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Additionally, Cargill showcased innovative food solutions, including Modified Starch for sauces and dressings like Tomato Ketchup and mayonnaise. Developed using Cargill’s continuous innovation capabilities, these modified starch solutions maintain viscosity throughout their shelf life, ensuring uniformity and resilience against acid and heat. The company also presented trans-fat-free premium bakery fats with applications in cookies, puffs, and cakes, available in three variants – Elite, Classic & Master under the NatureFresh Professional brand.

Alongside these offerings, Cargill presented an array of novel recipes, functional fats, and solutions for cakes, cookies, bread, Danish pastries, and peanut butter, focusing primarily on the bakery category. These applications were developed to exceed consumer demands for superior quality, flavor, and texture.

The booth attracted strong footfall amidst the launch of its chocolate products from the bakery and food industry. Cargill also showcased innovative recipes in Bakery and Convenience Food from its “BakeZone” at its Innovation Center in Gurgaon, using their differentiated ingredient products.

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Simon George, President, Cargill India, and Managing Director of Food Solutions South Asia, expressed excitement about the opportunities ahead, emphasizing the company's commitment to creating safe, healthy, and innovative food solutions for the Indian market. Through AAHAR, Cargill aims to widen its reach to customers and provide comprehensive food solutions to meet their needs.

Cargill remains steadfast in its commitment to providing safe and quality products, investing in advanced manufacturing and refining equipment, and processes to ensure compliance with the highest standards of food safety regulations in the country. Recently, Cargill India received two CII Food Safety Awards 2023 for its food safety initiatives at its oil refinery plant in Kurkumbh, Maharashtra, and the sweeteners plant in Davangere, Karnataka.


Your Go-To Christmas Dining Guide in Mumbai for Festive Feasts, Warm Moments, and Memorable Celebrations

Your Go-To Christmas Dining Guide in Mumbai for Festive Feasts, Warm Moments, and Memorable Celebrations

By Hariharan U

Published on December 15, 2025

Christmas in Mumbai is all about coming together over good food, warm conversations, and festive cheer. This season, the city’s dining scene is celebrating the holidays with thoughtfully curated menus, cosy settings, and experiences that feel both comforting and special. Whether you’re planning a relaxed Christmas brunch, a celebratory dinner, or a family meal filled with nostalgia, these restaurants promise flavours and moments worth remembering.

Onrique -  A Christmas Brunch Straight Out of a Winter Fairytale

Onrique brings a sense of European winter nostalgia to Mumbai with its specially curated Christmas menu. Inspired by slow-cooked comfort food and seasonal produce, the menu highlights ingredients like pumpkin, young roots, mulled grapes, and brie. Guests can enjoy dishes such as Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with brie crostini, Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad with cranberry vinaigrette, Smoked Corn Ravioli, Maple-Glazed Chicken Roulade, and a festive Pumpkin Spiced Tart with rosemary semifreddo.

The celebrations peak on December 25 with a special Christmas Brunch featuring a live saxophonist, cookie and cupcake painting, tableside mulled wine and hot chocolate, and a chocolate truffle rolling station, making it an ideal afternoon outing for families and friends.

When: 10 December – 15 January | 12 PM onwards
Where: Santacruz (West), Mumbai

DEA – A Christmas Menu of Fire, Ferment, and Festivity

DEA offers a bold take on Christmas dining with a menu rooted in fire-led cooking and fermentation. The festive spread opens with Smoked Tomato Tartare layered with rucola, leek ash, and mustard ice cream, along with Fermented Jalapeño Maki. Comfort-driven mains like Pahadi Morels with water chestnut orzetto, King Chilli Miso Cabbage, Crispy Pork Belly, and a classic Chicken Pot Pie bring warmth and depth to the table.

Desserts such as Smoky Pumpkin Gelato and Sticky Toffee Pudding with jaggery and Sichuan peppercorn round off the experience on a dramatic, festive note.

When: 16 December – 31 December | 7 PM onwards
Where: Prabhadevi, Mumbai

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Luuma House – A Luminescent Christmas Celebration

Luuma House welcomes the festive season with warm décor, comforting flavours, and indulgent cocktails. The Christmas menu features Scotch Eggs, Red Wine Poached Pear Salad, Baked Phyllo Pastry Kofta Biryani, and Pan-Grilled Chilean Seabass. Desserts include classic Christmas Pudding with brandy sauce, Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake, and a Chocolate & Coconut Yule Log.

Seasonal cocktails like The Snow Globe and Santa’s Slam add to the celebratory mood, making Luuma House a cosy spot for relaxed Christmas gatherings.

When: 16 December – 31 December
Where: Vile Parle West, Mumbai

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Epitome – A Dramatic Vegetarian Christmas Feast

Epitome ushers in Christmas with a decadent vegetarian menu served against its striking “heaven-meets-hell” interiors. Festive highlights include Cream Cheese Avocado Tartare on a Kataifi Nest, Truffle Mushroom Baklava with parmesan emulsion, Tokyo Caesar with crispy nori, and Miso Garlic Linguini finished with house-made chilli oil.

The experience concludes with the restaurant’s signature Dubai Bling Bling dessert, presented tableside for a touch of festive drama.

Where: Lower Parel West, Mumbai

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Devangere Benne – A Homely Christmas with Karnataka Comforts

Devangere Benne brings a warm, nostalgic touch to Christmas with comforting flavours from Karnataka. The festive menu centres around the iconic Benne Masala Dosa made using butter and batter sourced from Davangere. Guests can also enjoy Gini Dosa, Kadi Patta Cashew Idli, Stuffed Medu Vada, and soft Vellayappam, paired with filter coffee and masala chai.

It’s an easy, comforting way to celebrate Christmas mornings with family.

Where: Borivali East, Mumbai

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Sora by The Nines – A Serene, Modern Christmas Escape

Sora by The Nines offers a calm and contemporary Christmas experience with a vegetarian menu that feels light yet festive. Popular dishes include Chimichurri Paneer, Khow Suey, Mock Meat Chilly, and Broccoli Corn Cheese. The bar complements the spread with elegant cocktails like Purple Mist, Elder Blush, and Pink Amber.

With its sky-inspired interiors and relaxed vibe, Sora is ideal for a laid-back Christmas celebration.

Where: Borivali East, Mumbai

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Amritsr – A Christmas Feast Straight from the Heart of Punjab

Amritsr celebrates Christmas with hearty Punjabi flavours and festive warmth. The menu features classics such as Dal Makhni, Butter Chicken, Sarson da Saag, Amritsari Fish Fry, Tandoori Chicken, and the much-loved Amritsari Kulcha. Winter favourites like Gajar ki Kanji, Punjabi Lassi, and Sikanjvi add to the seasonal cheer.

It’s a soulful, flavour-packed way to enjoy Christmas with friends and family.

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Chinese Wok Brings Wok Mania to the Ind–SA T20 Series With Match-Day Offers and Fan Contests

Chinese Wok Brings Wok Mania to the Ind–SA T20 Series With Match-Day Offers and Fan Contests

By Hariharan U

Published on December 15, 2025

Chinese Wok, India’s largest home-grown Desi Chinese QSR chain, is adding extra flavour to the cricket season with Wok Mania, a high-energy eight-day campaign running alongside the India vs South Africa T20 series from December 12 to 19.

As part of the campaign, Chinese Wok will be present as an advertiser across all five matches of the series, while also activating cricket-themed experiences across its outlets, digital platforms, and customer engagement programmes nationwide.

To make match days more exciting, Chinese Wok has introduced a limited-period Wok Mania value offer across all its outlets. 

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The celebration extends beyond stores with the return of the Wok Predictor League – Season 2, an online fan engagement initiative featuring daily match predictions. Winners stand to receive Chinese Wok vouchers, while top scorers on the cumulative leaderboard will walk away with mega prizes at the end of the series.

Inside outlets, customers can expect a festive, match-day atmosphere with a cricket-themed playlist and Chinese Wok’s own cricket-inspired anthem playing throughout the campaign period, adding to the excitement of the Ind–SA showdown.

Speaking about the campaign, Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal, Founder & Director, Lenexis Foodworks, said, “Cricket is an emotion for millions, and as India’s largest Desi Chinese QSR, Wok Mania is our way of celebrating that passion with our customers. With strong visibility across the T20 series, value-led promotions, and energetic in-store experiences, we’re building on the immense consumer love our seasonal cricket campaigns enjoy making this season truly memorable for fans across the country.”

Sharing the brand’s marketing perspective, Vikas Iyer, Marketing Head, Lenexis Foodworks, added, “Wok Mania is a 360-degree cricket celebration that connects with fans at every touchpoint. From ads running through the series and the return of the Wok Predictor League to the high-energy in-store vibe, the campaign brings cricket, community, and Chinese Wok’s bold flavours together in one seamless experience.”

As India gears up for eight days of T20 action, Chinese Wok is ready to serve bold flavours, big moments, and high-voltage cricket energy, inviting fans across the country to walk in, cheer loud, and let Wok Mania take over the season.

About Lenexis Foodworks:

Lenexis Foodworks is a leading quick-service food company in India, operating a growing portfolio of restaurant brands across high streets and malls. Its brand lineup includes Chinese Wok, The Momo Co., and Big Bowl, catering to a wide range of taste preferences and dining occasions.

Founded in 2015, Chinese Wok is the flagship brand of Lenexis Foodworks and India’s largest Desi Chinese QSR chain. Known for its hygienic, flavour-forward, and affordable offerings, the brand operates 250+ outlets across 45+ cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Coimbatore. With nearly a decade of leadership, Chinese Wok continues to shape the Desi Chinese category for modern Indian consumers.


Lucofast Expands Distribution Network Across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai

Lucofast Expands Distribution Network Across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai

By Hariharan U

Published on December 14, 2025

Lucofast Foods and Beverages Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s fastest-growing hydration drink brands, has announced its official expansion into Mumbai and Navi Mumbai with the launch of a newly established distributor network. The move marks a key milestone in the brand’s growth journey and strengthens its footprint in one of the country’s most competitive FMCG markets.

With this expansion, Lucofast’s full hydration drink range Strawberry Lemonade, Peach and Passion Fruit, and Citrus Orange will now be available across retail stores, gyms, cafés, modern trade outlets, and general trade locations throughout the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Announcing the expansion, Arif Sharif, Brand Manager, Lucofast Foods and Beverages Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are thrilled to bring Lucofast to Mumbai. In a short span of time, Lucofast has built a strong consumer base across Pune city, and entering Mumbai is a natural step in our expansion strategy. Over the next two months, customers will start seeing Lucofast products widely available across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai as we scale our distribution footprint.”

Lucofast has been witnessing accelerated growth, driven by rising consumer demand for pure, functional, and refreshing hydration beverages. Its non-carbonated, non-caffeinated formulation, enriched with electrolytes and B vitamins, positions the brand as a preferred alternative for consumers seeking sustained energy without the crash associated with traditional energy drinks.

The Mumbai and Navi Mumbai rollout further strengthens Lucofast’s presence across general trade, modern trade, and on-the-go retail formats, supporting the brand’s long-term vision of becoming a hydration-first beverage brand in India.

As Lucofast continues its nationwide expansion, the company remains focused on delivering high-quality, great-tasting hydration solutions tailored to active and everyday lifestyles.

Key Highlights:

  • Launch of a dedicated distributor network across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai

  • Widespread availability expected within the next 60 days

  • Strengthened presence across general trade, modern trade, and fitness-led outlets

  • Reinforces Lucofast’s mission to lead the hydration-focused beverage category in India

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