industry

Kadaknath, now served with a dash of CSR


Kadaknath, an all-black breed of fowl, had hit the headlines recently when Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh fought over its nativity. If you wonder why, perhaps you should taste it. Locally known as ‘kalimasi’ or black meat in Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh — which has won the geographical indications (GI) tag for the fowl —Kadaknath is high on demand, thanks to its medicinal values that include lower cholesterol, higher iron content, and anti-cancer properties, as per nutrition experts.

And it’s supposed to taste much better than broiler chicken. Now, Kadaknath chicken is all set to make its entry into the menu cards of some Kolkata restaurants. Ekdalia Rd., a restaurant started by financial consultant-turned-entrepreneur Surojit Rout, is about to be the first in the city to serve the delicacy. Ekdalia Rd. plans to market its signature dish as Kadaknath, the name of the bird, Rout said, sporting his chef’s coat.

Although a pricing has not yet been finalised, Rout said the dish will be available at a premium over normal chicken dishes. After all, the all-black fowl commands a significant premium, with vendors pegging its price at Rs 1,000-1,500 for one kilo.

The price is also determined by the highly localised nature, which makes it somewhat difficult to get its meat, experts said. “We have entered into a partnership with Rhodotion who will be supplying the meat and black rice to go with it. Both these items have anti-cancer properties,” Rout said. Rhodotion International, a Kolkata-based supplier of organic products, hopes that the tieup with Ekdalia Rd. will also help it put indigenous varieties of rice back on the limelight. “Several varieties of rice are getting lost, and the tieup with Ekdalia Rd. aims at giving them a fresh lease of life,” said Subhankar Sanyal, founder of Rhodotion.

A former executive with stints at IBM and Cognizant, Rout said donning the chef’s tunic was his true calling. “The idea behind the eatery was to dabble with flavours,” he said. “There is a lot of R&D involved and the cuisines are derivations from recipes of global chefs. We give them minor tweaks to fit the palate of Kolkatans.” Ekdalia Rd., which commenced business on August 8, expects to reach operational breakeven in three months. Rout may have left the corporate world, but he hasn’t forgotten corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Ekdalia Rd. has formed a ‘strategic’ partnership with Transcendent Knowledge Society (TKS), which looks at rehabilitation of youths with below average mental ability. One of its divisions, Sip ’n Bite develops stalls and undertake overthe-counter sales in an attempt to reinstate such youngsters in the economic mainstream. Now, Ekdalia Rd. is slated to employ youths from Sip ’n Bite and is working on an earning mechanism for them.

“We are running a livelihood project through Sip ’n Bite,” said Amrita Roy Chowdhury, founder of TKS. “Even more than economic rehabilitation, it is about creating a social impact. Our tieup with Ekdalia Rd. is looking at social inclusion of the intellectually disabled.” Ekdalia Rd has been in talks with a few IT majors for permanent spaces where Sip ’n Bite can put up counters. The hospitality industry has a lot of potential to absorb such workforce, said Rout who plans to groom slow-learning youngsters with hotel management certification courses in partnership with TKS.





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