Brown packaging with images of green leaves and the word ‘ORGANIC’ written in big and bold doesn’t make a product organic.
So, as a consumer, how do I know which products are organic?
We understand that a consumer cannot go to farms and keep a check on brand's supply chain and factories.
But some organizations do this and issue certification to brands complying with organic standards and other safety parameters.
The most prominent organizations certifying organic brands are:
- Jaivik Bharat
- India Organic
- PGS-India Organic
- USDA Organic
- European Union (EU) Organic
We looked at several brands claiming to be organic and shortlisted 5 that have organic certification from at least one of the certifying organizations.
1. 24 Mantra
About 24 Mantra:
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Hyderabad, India, 24 Mantra is one of the oldest and widely available organic brands.
Their wide range of products consists of cooking essentials like pulses, millets, gluten-free flour, oils, organic honey, etc. Their products are available both online and offline. Additionally, 24 Mantra also sells ready-to-eat packaged food and healthy beverages.
24 Mantra is a certified organic brand and has certifications from:
- India Organic
- USDA Organic
- European Union (EU) Organic
What do we like about 24 Mantra?
24 Mantra’s holistic approach is praiseworthy. Instead of just asking farmers to go all organic on their own, their team assists them in the journey.
Right from checking soil quality, to deciding which crop is most suitable for that region. Moving further, they help farmers get access to good quality organic seeds that are not genetically modified. Another initiative they undertake is educating farmer partners on natural ways of pest control.
24 Mantra then purchases crops from farmers, which is profitable to the farmers. The company takes care of transportation, storage, packaging, and ultimately bringing products to consumers who love organic food.
Did you know:
Over 34,000 farmers across 12 Indian states managing agricultural land over 1.9 lakh acres work in partnership with 24 Mantra.
On an acre comparison basis, this is larger than most cities in India!
2. Organic Tattva
About Organic Tattva:
Founded in 2012 and a significant exporter of organic food to Singapore, UAE, UK, and USA. In fact, the company earns close to 40% of its revenue from exports. It shows the trust it has gained from consumers the world over.
Organic Tattva’s wide range of organic food products is available at several supermarkets like Reliance SMART, StarBazaar, Ratnadeep, etc. One can also buy them online at BigBasket and a few other websites.
Organic Tattva is a certified organic brand and has certifications from:
- Jaivik Bharat
- India Organic
- USDA Organic
- European Union (EU) Organic
What do we like about Organic Tattva?
Before the product reaches its factory, they are tested for 186 types of pesticides. The brand ensures only high-quality products reach their factory, where they are put through CO2 fumigation technique and cleaned.
Additionally, they go right to the farm stage, where farmers are trained to grow organic crops, assisted with soil testing, soil fertility management, water management and other agricultural functions needed to grow crops organically.
They pay their farmers a premium price to use right type of seeds and work with the farmers to harvest a crop only after it has reached its maturity.
These proactive steps taken by Organic Tattva are excellent, and when more companies start putting farmers and consumers first, we will indeed have a truly organic world.
3. Pure & Sure
About Pure & Sure:
Founded in 2011, Pure & Sure, in a short duration, has carved a space for itself in the organic industry. They have partnered with 8,000+ farmers across 6+ Indian states and are on a mission to go organic and sustainable in their operations.
The brand is a recipient of several awards, including ‘Best Organic Food Brand of the Year’ conferred by ‘Jaivik Bharat Award’. Additionally, the brand's founder Mr. Surya Shastry is a recipient of ‘Green Entrepreneur of the Year’.
Earlier, we tried Pure & Sure’s snacks ‘Organic Chakli’, ‘Organic Palak Chakli’ and ‘Kodbale’. They were absolutely fresh and delicious. At that time, we ordered it from their store in Bangalore.
We recently discovered that you could order their products from its website and leading marketplaces like BigBasket, JioMart, TATA 1mg, and others.
Pure & Sure is a certified organic brand and has certifications from:
- Jaivik Bharat
- India Organic
- PGS-India Organic
- USDA Organic
- European Union (EU) Organic
What do we like about Pure & Sure?
Many businesses claim to make the world better, but very few do. A few things we like the most about this brand are:
- Majority of the women that work in their factory are women! Now, this is real empowerment.
- They work with farmers to help them improve yield, conserve water, and maintain soil health while adhering to age-old organic farming practices.
- The brand has also launched eco-friendly packaging for several of its products and is working towards becoming 100% plastic neutral.
Did you know:
Pure & Sure powers its operations organically too!
Didn’t get it?
Well, all their operations are powered by 100% solar energy. Now, that’s genuinely going organic and sustainable!
4. Pascati
About Pascati:
As they say, there’s always room for some chocolate! And when the chocolate is finely created like art, then appetite increases further.
Pascati is one of India's few bean-to-bar chocolate makers that’s certified organic and also complies with Fairtrade. The brand was co-founded by Mr. Devansh Ashar, who has a background in the hospitality industry.
What started as a small 400 sq. ft. manufacturing unit soon grew to 4500 sq. ft. This shows the love brand has received from its consumers.
Pascati is a certified organic brand and has certifications from:
- USDA Organic
What do we like about Pascati?
When you are determined, no mountain is unscalable.
The founder initially made chocolates using a modified idli grinder from his home. With sheer determination, he scaled the brand and today; they have a state-of-art manufacturing unit spanning around 4500 sq. ft.
What we like about Pascati is they took no shortcuts. They focused on creating a brand that’s good for Earth, good for farmers, and ultimately good for consumers. They are India’s first chocolate brand that complies with USDA Organic and Fairtrade norms.
Additionally, the brand sources organic cacao locally, reducing their carbon footprints and encouraging farmers to grow organically.
Did you know:
Sanskrit words ‘Pascat Parivesya' inspires the brand name ‘Pascati’. These words essentially mean sweet meal.
5. SOSE
About SOSE:
SOSE is a brand rooted in tradition and takes inspiration from our country’s rich heritage dating back several thousand years.
The brand’s organic products are available online and offline at their outlets in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
In addition to buying SOSE’s organic products, you can also choose from a vast collection of products from their partner brands.
SOSE is a certified organic brand and has certifications from:
- India Organic
- USDA Organic
What do we like about SOSE?
While most organic brands' websites let you choose products by grocery type, e.g., flour, cooking oil, etc., SOSE’s website enables you to choose organic products even by disease type. E.g., Products for digestive health improvement, joint care, and so on.
They have a helpline number where you can avail consultation from a Vaidya (practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine / an Ayurvedic doctor).
Conclusion:
We started this article with the following statement:
Brown packaging with images of green leaves and the word ‘ORGANIC’ written in big and bold doesn’t make a product organic.
With rising consumer awareness, more brands are entering the organic market; hence, it becomes all the more important for consumers to be extra careful.
Always check if the product you are buying, thinking it to be organic, is actually organic.
Do look for at least one of the following organic certifications on the packaging:
- Jaivik Bharat
- India Organic
- PGS-India Organic
- USDA Organic
- European Union (EU) Organic
Do let us know if you use organic products regularly and what changes you notice after using organic products.
