Local startup launches frozen version of traditional delicacy

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 25

The savoury, seasonal corn dish of ‘kachol’ or ‘kacholtu’, mainly popular in Solan district, will soon be available throughout the year. Preeti Kashyap, a Solan-based entrepreneur, with technical guidance from scientists of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, has launched its frozen ready-to-cook version.

Preeti is pursuing a diploma programme in fruit and vegetable processing and bakery products at the university. She initiated the project under the Chief Minister Start-Up Scheme and she was allotted the Department of Food Science and Technology as her incubator. This helped her in refining her idea and developing it into a marketable product. University scientists Dr Devina Vaidya and her team, including Dr Manisha Kaushal and Anil Gupta, provided the scientific input on product development.

Better shelf life of product

The availability of corn is limited to a few months. The product can only be made for fresh consumption. I undertook extensive testing to increase the shelf life of the product and was guided by university scientists. —Preeti Kashyap, solan-based entrepreneur

Preeti has also set up her company ‘Healthy Food Treasure’ to make the product available in the market by the year-end.

Dr Manoj Vaidya, nodal officer of the university’s incubation centre, said since its inception in 2017-18, the university had enrolled eight incubatees. Two of the incubatees had managed to launch their products and set up their startups while the prototypes of three were in the final testing phase, he added.

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