Reimagining Indian Staples: ASAVI’s Slow-Food Answer to Industrial Nutrition

In an era where “organic” has increasingly become a marketing label rather than a promise, ASAVI is challenging modern food narratives by returning to the fundamentals of how food is grown and prepared. Founded in 2022, the brand is rooted in India’s ancient agricultural wisdom while being shaped by global quality frameworks. Through slow, stone-based milling, close farmer partnerships and a deep focus on nutritional integrity, ASAVI is reviving staples that once defined Indian kitchens.

In this conversation, Anuraj Singh Rana, Founder of ASAVI, reflects on the philosophy, process and purpose behind building a Slow-Milling Craft House in an age driven by industrial speed.

When did ASAVI really take shape, and what was the moment that pushed you to start it?

Anuraj Singh Rana: ASAVI really started taking shape in mid-2022. It was not just about starting a business; it came from a deeper realisation about what I call the “reverse brain drain”. While spending time in the Australian agricultural sector, I saw a sharp contrast — the West has precision and technology, while India has an incredible ancestral farming legacy. Unfortunately, much of India’s nutritional value was being lost to industrial processes.

ASAVI was born to bridge that gap. Our goal is to bring global quality standards to India’s 5,000-year-old Vedic wisdom. We focus on reviving the slow-food philosophy, replacing high-heat industrial milling with traditional stone grinding, so the food that reaches Indian kitchens is truly full of life and nutrition.

Everyone talks about ingredients today. Why does ASAVI place so much emphasis on how food is made, not just what it is made from?

Anuraj Singh Rana: Ingredients are certainly important, but at ASAVI we go a step further. The way food is processed makes a huge difference to its nutrition and vitality. We use natural raw stones at low speeds, which keeps the food cool and preserves delicate enzymes and nutrients.

We do not rush the process because we are not just another FMCG brand — we are a Slow-Milling Craft House. Many brands proudly use the word “organic”, but most rely on high-speed machines that generate heat, destroying enzymes and reducing nutritional value. Our slow, careful approach ensures food is not just organic on paper, but genuinely nourishing.

Take us through ASAVI’s product range. What kind of staples are you bringing back to Indian kitchens, and what makes them different?

Anuraj Singh Rana: At ASAVI, we are on a mission to bring back staples that once made Indian kitchens wholesome and nourishing. All our products are “stonemade”, meaning flours and spices are processed naturally, without industrial machinery.

We offer stone-ground flours such as Sharbati Wheat Flour and Bengal Gram Flour that retain their natural nutrients. Our high-potency spices — including stonemade Lakadong turmeric, coriander and red chilli — deliver full flavour and health benefits that modern processing often strips away.

What truly sets ASAVI apart is purity. There are no additives, no artificial colours and no preservatives — just food in its most natural form. By keeping our methods traditional, we ensure products that are both flavourful and nutritionally intact.

You are a third-generation farmer and also trained in global business systems. How do these two sides come together in ASAVI?

Anuraj Singh Rana: I grew up on my family farm in Agra, so farming is part of who I am. At the same time, my training in global business systems, including supporting Australian primary producers, gave me a structured and analytical perspective.

At ASAVI, these two sides come together naturally. I use practical farming knowledge to understand crops, soils and ecosystems, while applying business and technology tools to redesign how food is grown, processed and delivered. We focus on sustainable, high-quality food systems backed by research and nutrition science.

Nutrition is at the core of what we do. Our R&D ensures that our products meet the needs of people seeking organic food as well as those managing lifestyle conditions such as diabetes or PCOD. From low-GI staples to stone-ground flours, our aim is food that is genuinely beneficial to health.

Quality and authenticity can mean different things. What do they mean for ASAVI, and how do you deliver them consistently?

Anuraj Singh Rana: For ASAVI, quality and authenticity are not buzzwords; they define everything we do. Authenticity begins with our single-filtration process, where we control the journey of our spices from seed to final packaging.

Quality is verifiable. We periodically test batches in laboratories for active compounds such as curcuminoids, and these results are openly shared on our website. Transparency allows customers to see the science behind what they consume.

Then there is the stone factor. We grind using natural raw stones instead of synthetic emery stones, ensuring no micro-particles enter the food. Freshness is also a priority — some orders are prepared only after they are placed, ensuring peak quality and longer shelf life.

How does ASAVI’s relationship with farmers differ from a traditional buy-and-sell model?

Anuraj Singh Rana: At ASAVI, we grow alongside farmers. Through our Seedbed initiative, we partner with small-scale farmers across Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Farmers receive technical support, training in Vedic farming methods, and pricing well above market rates.

We collaborate on crop rotation, automated irrigation, natural pest control and livestock management. This is not transactional farming; it is a long-term partnership that improves farmer incomes while making agriculture sustainable.

Can you share ASAVI’s journey so far and what growth looks like in the coming years?

Anuraj Singh Rana: ASAVI began as a local farm with a small group of people who believed in one thing — food should be pure, nutritious and slow-milled. From those beginnings, we have grown into a nationwide brand reaching health-conscious households across India.

Looking ahead, growth means deepening our domestic reach while preparing for global expansion. International demand for high-integrity, functional grains is rising, and we are gearing up to take India’s Vedic grains to the world, representing the best of our agricultural heritage.