The iconic Indian street snack gets an NRI makeover as ‘Safepoori SAFE HAI’ with a guarantee of ‘Swad, Swachhta, Suddhata’
Panipuri, India’s beloved street food, has made an impressive global journey, evolving from local stalls to premium international retail shelves. The transformation comes through ‘Gujjuben 7 Flavor Panipuri’, a brand that has now returned to India with a new, hygienic, and premium avatar—‘Safepoori SAFE HAI’, ensuring taste, cleanliness, and purity, reported tribuneindia.com.
A Passion for Bringing Indian Street Food to the World
The driving force behind this ambitious venture is Amit Kumar Balecha and Yojana Balecha, founders of ITF Foods Private Limited. With a mission of “Thoda Sa Bharat Har Plate Mein,” Amit, an IIFT alumnus, has spent over two decades elevating Indian food products on the global stage, having previously worked with leading brands like Dabur, Bikaji, Rasna, and Bambino.
Seeing a gap in the market for authentic Indian street food, particularly among NRIs—especially the Gujarati diaspora, Amit took a bold step. Leaving behind a ₹1.25 crore salary package, he joined forces with his wife, celebrity chef Yojana Balecha, to expand her UAE-based Indian Traditional Foods FZCO. Together, they established ITF Foods Private Limited in Ahmedabad in May 2021, with the vision “ITF – Pardesh Mein Laaye Desh.”
From Trial Shipments to Walmart Shelves
Their dedication paid off when their first product range, ‘Garam Kadai’, won Product of the Year at Indus Food Show. Simultaneously, they ventured into street food products under the brand ‘Gujjuben – Taste of Gujarat’, honoring the culinary expertise of Gujarati women.
What began with trial shipments to Dubai quickly expanded based on consumer feedback, leading to a historic milestone on 11.11.2022—Gujjuben’s first shipment to Walmart Canada. Today, the brand serves North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, offering 7 Flavor Panipuri Kits, Ragda Panipuri Kits, Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Instant Bhel, and Ready-to-Use Panipuri Pani in 16 Flavors.
World Records and Global Recognition
On January 6, 2024, ITF set two world records in a single day:
World’s Largest Panipuri Pani Flavors (122)
Fastest Instant Bhel (18 seconds)
With innovation and passion, Amit and Yojana have redefined how the world experiences Indian street food, bringing it to global retail shelves while maintaining its authenticity and hygiene.
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