Before launching her startup, Appetite Food, in August 2020, entrepreneur Sonali Kocharekar spent a few years learning about the latest trends in nutrition and following the work of globally-acclaimed experts in the field. It was during research that she stumbled on spirulina, a microalgae that has been consumed for centuries for its high nutritional value. A type of blue-green algae, it grows naturally in oceans and salty lakes in subtropical Mexico and Hawaii. The United Nations in 1974 named spirulina one of the best foods for the future, and declared it as the number one food to distribute among malnourished communities. The reason behind this was simple: It is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and antioxidants that help protect cells from damage. Aside from supplements, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows manufacturers to use spirulina as a colour additive in gum, candy and other packaged foods. Realising its game-changing potential as a dietary supplement in  India, Kocharekar decided to infuse it in one of India’s most-loved sweet foods, laddoos.

Sonali Kocharekar