Guwahati: A food preservation technology has made its way to Northeast India for the first time, introducing freeze-dried fruit products to the market. This advanced technique, known as sublimation, retains up to 95 per cent of the natural nutrients in products while extending their shelf life to two years without preservatives.
"Northeast India is blessed with fertile land and abundant high-quality fruits such as pineapples, jackfruit, and bananas. However, these products often do not reach markets outside Assam due to logistical challenges. With freeze-drying technology, we can now preserve and transport them anywhere in the world," stated Samir Choudhary, the founder of SnoBite, during an exclusive interview with Business North East (BNE).
He further said Cabinet Minister inaugurated SnoBite at the World Food Asia in September 2024, making its official debut. Since then, the brand has expanded its availability through its official website, Amazon, and prominent retail chains like Nature’s Basket. SnoBite products are now accessible in major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Delhi.
Chaudhary’s journey into freeze-dried products stemmed from his personal experience with strawberry farming. "I faced challenges in selling fresh strawberries and realised that if I struggled, other farmers must be facing similar issues. That’s when I started researching food preservation technologies and discovered freeze-drying as the best solution," Chaudhary told BNE.
Currently, SnoBite offers eight freeze-dried fruit variants: pineapple, jackfruit, kiwi, apple, strawberry, banana, and oranges. The brand has received a positive response from consumers, with many expressing surprise and appreciation for the unique texture and taste of the products.
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While SnoBite presently focuses on the domestic market, the company aims to venture into exports within the next year. Regarding the investment needed for freeze-drying technology, Chaudhary mentioned that the required budget varies, ranging from Rs 50 lakh for small-scale setups to Rs 10 crore for large-scale production facilities.
The freeze-drying machinery SnoBite uses is sourced from Baroda and employs the same technology astronauts use to preserve food for space missions.
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