Healthy indulgence became the ultimate lifestyle mantra during the lockdown period. Customers started investing in healthy products that are indulgent and at the same time come from a safe background. This demand made way for artisanal food. “Artisanal foods are products made by hand in small batches with traditional production techniques instead of automation. The ingredients used in artisanal foods are fresh and locally sourced,” says Anant Verma, Founder, Emoi ice-cream, an organisation that is popular for artisanal ice creams. Edible items like cheese, ice cream, beverages, chocolates are artisanally curated these days. Home-based brands are coming up with stunning presentations to make artisanal food extremely artistic.
Artisanal v/s organic products
One of the most crucial differences between the two is the process of creation. When you say organic products, it just denotes that these are food items made using organic-certified ingredients. “Any food made by a skilled chef and on a smaller scale with greater attention to detail to every batch, taking into account seasonal and regional variability, falls under the artisanal food category. Organic is just a way of growing food without chemicals,” Vikas Temani, founder of Paul And Mike, an artisanal chocolate brand.
Pandemic, the booster dose Be it food, fashion or travel, the pandemic ensured that thought is put into everything we do or consume. Food had the most amount of focus because health topped the list for everyone. This gave a big boost to artisanal food. “Consumers have become aware and they wish to have better knowledge of what goes into the foods they eat. Support for local producers and artisanal foods has also caught on with tremendous enthusiasm since the COVID-19 outbreak. Artisanal ice cream as a category must have experienced 30-40 per cent growth post-pandemic,” adds Anant Verma, founder of an artisanal ice-cream brand.
Have you had a bite of artisanal food yet?
Another artisanal item that saw a huge jump in takers is Kombucha. The fermented, lightly effervescent, sweetened, black or green tea drink is commonly consumed for its purported health benefits. “We saw a massive jump of around 60-200 per cent in sales during the pandemic, varying by category. Kombucha saw a big uptake with customers’ focus on gut-friendly foods. Artisanal pasta, bean-to-bar chocolates that offered interesting new flavours like Sitaphal and Sichuan Pepper, were also among foods that saw a boost in sales,” says Shruti Jain, co-founder, Kaze Living, a curated online marketplace for organic and artisanal products.
Popular artisanal foods
Kombucha
Fruit preserves
Vinegar
Cured meats
Cold cuts
Ice-cream
Cheese
Chocolate
