Zaara Biotech uses microalgae-based food products to combat malnutrition

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While studying biotechnology engineering at Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology in 2016, Najeeb Bin Haneef, the Founder and CEO of Zaara Biotech, discovered his calling. 

Najeeb began working on an academic project to study and produce microalgae-based food items. The team initiated advanced research and development of the food products in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agriculture and Research's Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR CIFT). In 2019, he established Zaara Biotech as a separate company for this purpose.

Thrissur-based Spirulina, Hematococcus, and other edible seaweeds are used in Zaara Biotech's study on energy and food crises. It has currently in production B-lite cookies, which are commercially accessible in India and are made from micro-algae.

The goal is to address issues such as malnutrition and a lack of a balanced diet among people. 

Cookies are a food that may be enjoyed by individuals of all ages. They created Spirulina-based B-lite cookies with healthy ingredients like oats, quinoa, and organic whole millets, amongst many others, that are not only delicious but also ensure that you get all the nutrients you need. 

Spirulina is a source of non-toxic blue-green algae that is a natural source of vegan protein and contains vitamins B, beta-carotene, and E. Spirulina is also regarded as a superfood and is found in a variety of health supplement products.

The biotech company, which is supported by the Kerala Startup Mission's (KSUM) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (IEDC) scheme, is working on developing individualised algae-based food products to guarantee that people get the nutrients they need. 

It presently sells Spirulina-based cookies in a variety of flavours, including masala, chocolate chips, nutmeg, and quinoa, both through online and offline platforms. 

The goal of Zaara is to design food products that are specific to regional tastes and demands, as well as to cater to people of all ages and pregnant women so that they may get all of the nutrients they need.

The B-lite cookies from Zaara Biotech were on display at the 2019 Global Goals Model United Nations (GGMUN) event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The cookies were on display during Gulfood, the world's largest annual food and beverage trade fair, in Dubai this February.

TCN International Commerce, based in the United Arab Emirates, also invested $10 million in the firm earlier this year. Zaara Biotech is growing its footprint in the UAE as part of this arrangement, and it aims to create more food products including such noodles and cakes, among many others.

Zaara's B-lite Cookies, which were developed at the Sahrdaya Technology Business Incubator, are now accessible on the company's official website and Amazon. Apart from that, the company collaborates with distributors to sell its products in stores, and it is presently available in ten locations across the country. 

They currently receive 3,000 to 6,000 online orders per month, as well as 10,000 orders through their offline outlets. They also offer R&D consulting services to other businesses.

By 2022, the business hopes to get its short-term cosmetics composed of algae and seaweed on the market. 

Our food goods, including cookies, cakes, and noodles, are also being considered for export to ten other nations. All of the items are created with different geographies' particular tastes and health requirements in mind.

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