In a bid to provide consumers with more diverse food choices that incorporate different types of ancient grains such as millet and sorghum, Nestlé recently launched a range of ‘a+ Masala millet’ porridges in India.
The a+ Masala millet porridges are tailored to local nutritional needs and tastes and are made with a blend of locally sourced ingredients including bajra (pearl millet), barley, vegetables, and a variety of 10 spices. They come in two delicious variants that can be prepared in just two minutes: Tangy Tomato and Veggie Masala. Both flavors are high in fiber, free of preservatives, and contain 30% fewer calories compared to commonly consumed cereal-based breakfast recipes, the company said.
The products were initially developed by a team of Nestlé employees at the company’s R+D Accelerator, located at the research and development center in Manesar, India. The accelerator acts as a regional platform for students, start-ups, and employees to go from idea to shop test in only a few months through leveraging Nestlé’s extensive food and beverage innovation expertise and infrastructure.
Following a successful shop test that was conducted in the New Delhi – National Capital Region (NCR) last December, the a+ Masala millet porridges have now launched commercially in an expanded range of stores within the region, with more areas to follow later.
Jagdeep Marahar, head of Nestlé’s R&D center in Manesar, India says: “Millets are traditional grains known for their high nutritional value and their potential sustainability benefits. We are exploring innovation opportunities with start-ups, while partnering with local research institutions to encourage the utilization of millet in different types of food and beverage products.”
The new porridges carry an endorsement logo from the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) on-pack. Recognizing the potential of millets, the Nestlé R&D center in India, also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nutrihub-IIMR earlier this year.
The collaboration aims to advance science and technology for millet manufacturing, to substantiate the nutrition and health benefits of millets in different products and to explore regenerative agriculture practices. Furthermore, the initiative aims to support local start-ups that are working in millet innovation.
