Enlightment Foods has evolved from a humble takeaway to a leading supplier of vegetarian products in South Africa, driven by a commitment to quality and innovation.
LISA WITEPSKI
From dishing up takeaways at the Mangrove Beach Centre, Vrushiks Vegetarian Foods has evolved into Enlightment Foods, supplying retailers throughout South Africa.
As a takeaway outlet, Vrushiks Vegetarian Foods used to specialise in 14 different meals, ranging from curries to pasta. When the outlet’s popularity prompted significant growth, owners Minesh and Varsha Rajput started manufacturing their own foods to supply other kitchens, demand eventually led to the opening of a factory that enabled the renamed Enlightment Foods to operate as a wholesaler.
The trajectory is impressive, especially since Minesh had never cooked before taking ownership of Vrushiks Vegetarian Foods.
“My background was in clothing, rather than food. However, I used to frequent the outlet and so when the former owner decided to emigrate, I was approached to take it on.”
While Varsha was still working her notice period at a travel agent, the business needed a cook – and so Minesh stepped in, learning the basics of cooking in just two weeks.
“A lot of mistakes were made and curries burnt!” he recalls.
“But, as I became more confident, I started doing my own research and asking family members which spices they used, until I was ready to do my own thing.”
Minesh reached a point where he swiftly and efficiently prepared all food between 8am and 11am, implementing systems, increasing the food prep area and installing extra burners to help meet demand.
“I had to be resilient,” he says.
“When the couple started making their own paneer and supplying other restaurants and eateries, they realised that there was scope for growth. And so, in 2014, when the opportunity arose to establish factory premises, they didn’t hesitate. Throughout this expansion, they remained committed to quality, using only the finest ingredients.
“We’ve always focused on maintaining the authenticity of our products by using unmodified ingredients. This sets us apart, as many in the industry often use modified milk ingredients, but we believe that sticking to traditional methods delivers a more genuine and flavourful experience,” Krishna explains.
Initially, the intention was to open a central kitchen which could service additional stores. However, Minesh saw that with inadequate infrastructure, this approach presented several challenges. This is how the idea of Enlightment Foods came about: having acquired an additional 200m2 (in addition to the existing 297m2 factory space), the company is now focusing on obtaining ISO accreditation and expanding its product lines to supply South Africa’s large retailers. Another change sees Enlightment Foods headed by the couple’s son, Krishna, and under his leadership, the company will own the entire channel, from manufacturing to distribution.
Krishna is also working to educate retailers about the nuances of vegetarianism and veganism.
“While it’s true that changing consumer preferences and the drive towards conscious eating has helped to bolster the vegetarian and vegan market, many retailers still don’t understand consumer needs. There are many misperceptions; for example, some retailers believe that vegetarians will eat anything so long as it doesn’t contain red meat. But there are many different types of vegetarians. Some don’t eat eggs, others don’t eat milk, and of course, vegans don’t eat any food of animal origin. We have to cater to them all,” Krishna comments.
Indeed, the rise in plant-based eating across South Africa has been significant, with more consumers becoming aware of the benefits of a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
“We’ve seen this shift reflected in the growing demand for our products, as more people are seeking out quality vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. The market is evolving quickly, and retailers are beginning to catch on to these changes,” Krishna notes.
Over the years, the company has expanded its range of products, including paneer, halloumi, and soya-based offerings, to meet the diverse needs of this growing market. Looking to the future, Enlightment Foods plans to introduce products like butter, ghee, yoghurt, and maas, further broadening offerings to cater to both traditional and modern vegetarian and vegan diets.
“We’ve worked hard to maintain a balance between tradition and innovation, ensuring that our products reflect both authenticity and the evolving preferences within the vegetarian and vegan communities,” Krishna adds.
Education is something the family is passionate about. Although Minesh plans to retire once the business has been handed over to Krishna in its entirety, he and Varsha will take on a new role: teaching vegan and vegetarian cooking and baking skills. They also have their sights set on creating a school program, targeting learners in rural areas and townships, so that they can learn about what vegetarianism and veganism entail, the benefits of this lifestyle, and how to make an easy switch over.
“As a small business, we are constantly facing new challenges, and we have to find new ways to overcome them. In the 21 years we’ve been in business, we’ve been affected by everything from the Covid pandemic to riots and, of course, water and electricity cuts. But finding ways to address them has made us stronger – that’s how we reached the point where we were able to pivot to reach a larger audience,” Minesh concludes.
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