Quality-centric organic food brand ORGANIC TATTVA tests each one if its 100-plus products for 186 pesticides. Co-founder and Director, ROHIT MEHROTRA, takes Pure & Eco India through some of the brand’s quality measures.

◊ By Rutaksha Rawat

Note: To access contact details of all Indian organic ingredient suppliers, buy the Organic Directory

WHAT IS THE MANDATE OF ORGANIC TATTVA?

Organic Tattva rests on the principles of Health, Ecology and Care. Our aim is to nurture customers with quality chemical-free food. To this end, we work with large numbers of organic certified farmers who do not use pesticides and genetically modified seeds.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE HIGH QUALITY OF YOUR ORGANIC PRODUCTS?

For us, quality is the most crucial aspect of our business and we give it due diligence. We have, probably the strictest, protocols in place to check against pesticide residues and other chemicals. We work only with certified organic farmers. Furthermore, Organic Tattva is one of the very few companies in the country to test each and every one of its products for 186 pesticides before releasing it for CO2 fumigation and cleaning.

Our foods are certified as per the USDA (NOP/National Organic Program), European and Indian Organic Standards (NPOP/National Programme for Organic Production), as well as, possess Kosher certification.

HOW DO YOU SCREEN ORGANIC FARMERS?

As mentioned, the farmers that we approve for procurement are those whose lands are organic certified. We test the soil quality of their land, its cropping pattern, prevalent crop rotation and the nutrient levels of their soil. While doing this, we ensure that the selected region has suitable weather and temperature conditions. We follow a series of practices including soil fertility management, seed collection, biodiversity, composting, water management, crop rotation and protection, which are extremely efficient and regenerative in nature.

DO TELL US ABOUT YOUR STATE-OF-THE-ART PRODUCTION FACILITY IN GREATER NOIDA.

Our Grade A, BRC certified unit in Greater Noida is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery for processing. All our products are stored in a hygienic and CO2 fumigated environment for infestation control. Our advanced practices ensure that all our products retain the optimum level of potency. The products are stored in a dry, sterile environment to prevent chances of any contamination. We have a specialised mechanism in place to preserve the nutrient values of all the products by grinding them at low temperatures.

WHAT DOES YOUR PRODUCT RANGE COMPRISE AND WHERE ALL IS ORGANIC TATTVA PRESENT?

We produce Organic Groceries and Organic Staples, including rice, cereals, grains, flours, pulses, sugar, jaggery, whole and ground spices, tea, coffee, superfoods, oils, honey, pastes, dry fruits and natural salts. Now, we’re also entering the Processed Foods category. This will be a driving factor for us in the near future.

Organic Tattva is widely present through most modern trade and e-commerce platforms in the country. We are present in all the metro cities of the nation and have presence in each state and in each capital city, at the very least.

We enjoy robust presence in Northern and Western India. We are now focusing on expansion in eastern and south India, where we are well represented but not as prolifically as in the North and the West.

WHICH COUNTRIES DO YOU EXPORT TO?

Approximately 40% of our revenue comes from export and we currently export to USA, the Middle East, Singapore and the UK. We would be interested in expanding to more countries in the future, especially in Europe.

HOW HAS THE ORGANIC MARKET IN INDIA EVOLVED SINCE ORGANIC TATTVA’S INCEPTION IN 2013?

The Indian Organic Market is growing at a CAGR of 25-30% year on year, depending on the region. I foresee this trend continuing over the next 5 years.

There is a definite shift in consumer mindset, as they are buying more organic food now. In the top 20 metro cities, an increasing population of urban consumers now prefer organic foods over conventional ones. This trend will trickle down to tier 2 and 3 cities eventually. This is an encouraging sign for the Organic industry and companies like us.

WHICH CITIES IN INDIA ARE EXHIBITING THE MOST PROMISING GROWTH AND IN WHICH PRODUCT CATEGORIES?

Organic Tattva is experiencing exuberant growth in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune and Delhi NCR. All of our products are successful but the top 3 best sellers are Organic Pulses, Organic Flours (especially Wheat Flour) and Organic Sugar.

WHICH KEY ELEMENTS, IN YOUR OPINION, ARE REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN A SUCCESSFUL ORGANIC FOOD ENTERPRISE IN INDIA?

What is needed is good, solid infrastructure. Maintaining good relations with retailers and distributors is key. Sound backend supply chain, ongoing brand building exercises, sales and marketing activities—all of these are intrinsic to the business and parallel to each other. And lastly, quality and product authenticity, without which all of the above endeavours will collapse.

ORGANIC TATTVA AT A GLANCE

⇒Promoted by Mehrotra Consumer Products Pvt Ltd, Organic Tattva commenced operations in 2013.

⇒The company has its BRC-certified, Grade A, state-of-art processing unit in Greater Noida.

⇒Tests each of its 100-plus products for 186 pesticides.

⇒All its products are organic certified as per Indian and international organic standards.

⇒Pan-India presence, with robust presence in northern and western India.

⇒Exporting to USA, the Middle East, Singapore and the UK.