Saturday, March 30, Kolkata: Popular brand Idlygo celebrated World Idly Day over a discussion on the healthy quotient of the South Indian staple food in the presence of its Founder Anup Kanodia, Clinical Nutritionist and Lifestyle Consultant Ananya Bhowmik and Nidhi Asif of WYSIWYG on Saturday March 30 along with the team of Idlygo at the Press Club. The event also saw a cake-cutting by the team members.
Mr Anup Kanodia said, “In a world where easy, simple and nutritious food seems to be drowned in the sea of processed food options, IdlyGo emerges as a beacon of hope for those seeking a quick, wholesome meal on the go. Inspired by the need to reclaim the essence of traditional, nutritious food, IdlyGo embarked on a mission to provide a solution that resonated with the masses. Recognizing the nutritional value and convenience of idlys—steamed, light, and wholesome—IdlyGo introduced a menu centred around this South Indian staple. With two idlys served alongside fresh coconut chutney, IdlyGo crafted a filling meal that not only satisfied hunger but also catered to dietary needs.”
Conceptualized during the COVID pandemic Idlygo now has seven outlets across all corners of the city. “We started with cycle vending of two idlis at Rs.15 around Dalhousie area in Kolkata in Feb 2022. We launched our first brick and mortar cafe at Girish Park, Kolkata in March 2023. In less than a year we have expanded to seven outlets across the city,” added Mr Kanodia.
The seven prominent spots where Idlygo is located is are Girish Park (opposite Haryana Bhavan), Dhakuria (near AMRI Hospital), Salt Lake Sec V (near Decathlon), Shakespeare Sarani (near Chhapan Bhog) and RN Mukherjee Road (near Old Mission Church) Howrah (Hotel Saket Near Howrah Bridge) Park Circus ( Near Don Bosco School).
From just serving idlis, Idlygo now has a menu that comprises around 100 items. Divided into Best Sellers, Chef’s Special, Must Try, Recommended and New the menu has beverages, vadas, dosas, uttapams, various kinds of rice preparations, desserts, chutneys, beverages and ice creams too.
Idlygo has five USPs that make it stand apart.
Healthy: Idlys batter is made from the natural fermentation of par-boiled rice and urad dal. Excess starch is already drained in par-boiled rice making it much lower in caloric value. Our batter is fermented naturally in a specially built fermenter at our cloud kitchen without adding any soda or other chemicals. We use soyabean oil which is much healthier than the cheaper palm/vegetable oil.
Hygienic: We ensure utmost cleanliness in our cloud kitchen and retail outlets. Food handlers use hair guards, gloves and shoe covers whenever in proximity of food. We use stainless steel furniture which are wiped and cleaned every day.
Fresh: Food is prepared fresh every day and we do not use any chemical preservatives.
Quality: Best quality ingredients from only the most trusted brands are used in our kitchen.
Affordable: Our cafes are simple, small with self-service to save on retail space and manpower, helping reduce the costs to our customers. Our prices are more than 50% lower than from other similar restaurants in the city.
One of the strongest commitments of the brand is called “Gift a Meal” where free food is distributed near hospitals, orphanages, slum areas, old age homes and other vulnerable communities. Anyone can avail it and buy meal hampers for gifting to the underprivileged. The brand is also committed to the cause of inclusivity by employing speech and hearing impaired individuals across its kitchen, cafes and cycle vending.
The upcoming plans include opening 25 idlyGo Xpress in Kolkata and Howrah within the next 6 months, launch idlyGo Canteen inside educational institutions, hospitals and large corporates and factories. IdlyGo food carts will also be rolled out very soon.