WIMWI Foods launches India's first ultra-healthy mushrooms

WIMWI Foods Private Limited, a venture by IIM-Ahmedabad Alumni (batch 2014) has recently launched India’s first high quality packaged Shii’take mushrooms under the brand name Le Gourmetz – the Foodies.

The product is now available across all Hypercity stores in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Kanupradeep Subramanian and Srishti Shaw, the co-founders of WIMWI Foods chose to start their own venture to pursue a common passion to bring healthier food choices into India. The company is currently a part of IIMAvericks Programme, a Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship initiative, which invites IIM Ahmedabad alumni to pledge their support for graduating students, who want to tread the unconventional path of entrepreneurship.

“Indian consumers are looking for healthier options for food which offer them the taste without the calories. They are looking for both quality and affordability in their vegetables. We have responded to this consumer need by introducing high quality Le Gourmetz Shii’take mushrooms,” said Srishti Shaw.

Shii’take Mushrooms, the jewel of the oriental cuisine, are the second most consumed mushrooms globally. Kanupradeep Subramanian further added, “In the near future, we want to promote the cultivation of these mushrooms in India and build the technologies to make this an attractive source of income for Indian farmers.”

Explaining the health benefits of these mushrooms, Kanupradeep said, “These flavourful Japanese wood mushrooms have high protein content, rich in B complex Vitamins and dietary fiber. When consumed regularly they reduce cholesterol and develop protection against multiple diseases. Shii’take contains an active compound lentinan, which helps protect against cancer and is an official adjuvant for stomach cancer in Japan. The high level of protein makes them an excellent source of protein for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians who want to reduce the amount of meat in their diet.”