From Singapore to the USA and all around Europe, Edible Innovations profiles food makers that engage in improving the global food system at every stage, from production to distribution to eating and shopping. Join us as we explore the main trends in the industry from a maker perspective. Chiara Cecchini of Future Food Institute — an ecosystem with a strong educational core that promotes food innovation as a key tool to tackle the great challenges of the future — introduces you to the faces, stories, and experiences of food makers around the globe. Check back on Tuesdays and Thursdays for new installments.
Founded sometime around 4000 BC and now known as the capital of the country’s start-up ecosystem, Bangalore is the place where tradition and technology meet and intersect. It is no coincidence that it was chosen to host the first Indian Maker Faire, Maker Faire Bengaluru, held on November 17-18 in conjunction with the Tech Summit, organized by Workbench Projects, and presented by the State Information and Biotechnology Information Technology Department of Karnataka.
“India has, over the last decade, seen a phenomenal outburst of makers mushrooming across the country. The community has been growing as a voluntary movement, however it has garnered support from institutions, independent organizations, corporates, and the government, who understand the value and help build a strong ecosystem for its sustenance.”
There were a lot of incredible food makers too. Our Simona Granda, from Future Food Institute, was there to meet them all!
Hy-tea
Designed by Natasha Sharma, Hy-tea is a tea package that acts as a product in itself. These processed and hand crafted sticks store tea. When they’re stirred in hot water, the fibers loosen and release the flavour into the water. It acts as a sustainable substitute for widely used and manufactured synthetic tea bags. This product is solely crafted from roots of an aquatic weed grown in India.
Robot Cook
The Mechanical Chef is a multi-component robot that can cook a full Indian meal without any human intervention, except for the initial loading of the required ingredients. It can also be programmed remotely via an app. The first public experiment and tasting took place at the Maker Faire.
A Safer Way to Farm
To ensure that farmers are not exposed to hazards, and have an efficient way of cultivating and preventing crops from pesticides, a team from the College of Agricultural Engineering at Raichur Agricultural University has worked on two interesting products: the Remote-Controlled Pesticide Sprayer and the Remote-Controlled Drone Sprayer.
Cutting Down on Waste
Saahas leverages nature, people, and technology to holistically manage waste through a circular economy model. Through the Zero Waste Programme, they operate on site solutions for bulk waste generators (including tech parks and residential complexes). As a part of the “closing the loop” initiative, they offer products made from waste that range from compost to recycled products.
Guardians of Gastronomy
Guardians of Gastronomy is a group of makers who use new technologies to experiment with food and have recently opened a food lab where they host community events, kids labs, training, innovative prototyping, and co-creation activities that educate people of all ages about food in a practical, fun, and engaging way. The events and trainings provide participants with the hands on knowledge and skills that allow them to shape a healthy approach and appreciation for food.
DIY Bean-Dip Bar
Suvai is a farm to home initiative, based in Chennai, with the aim of reintroducing the concept of only cooking with what nature provides, and being more creative with the use of natural, local, and seasonal ingredients. For the Maker Faire, they had a DIY bean-dip bar, where they invited visitors to smash the ingredients together in a grinding bowl.
Visiting Maker Faire Bengaluru has been a great experience and we look forward to engaging with many more Indian makers in our Future Food activities!
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