The Sunder Nursery crossed a milestone this year, recording one million visitors. For many, one of the significant reasons to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site opposite the magnificent Humayun’s Tomb complex is The Earth Collective (TEC), an organic and natural lifestyle market set up at the garden every weekend. “Fresh organic vegetables, sustainable brands, and products — what is not to love about this market? I do the majority of my shopping here. The experience is much better during winter months because you can hang around for long,” says Shubra Gupta, a visitor.
Meenu Nageshwaran, pranic healer and founder-curator of TEC, started this initiative in April 2016 to “cultivate a healthier lifestyle and create a platform for rural and urban farmers, and small business owners who are working towards promoting a sustainable lifestyle, and environmental conservation to showcase their produce and products”. And Delhi did take notice. Nikhil Sanganeria, a core team member, recalls an increase in the number of consumers, adding that the market’s ideal customer is “a conscious and aware person” who is ready to make the switch to a healthy lifestyle.
Market learnings
The market has a revolving range of products such as organic vegetables, pulses, grains, skincare merchandise, fashion, homecare goods, and food and beverages, among others. This weekend, TEC is organizing a Christmas special market, following which they are plugging in some vendor partners exclusively for the Christmas weekend on December 23 and 24.
“We have a growing repository. Some brands come every weekend, while others come once or twice a month, depending on the demand for their products. Forty to fifty brands set up their kiosks every weekend; around 200 brands are currently associated with us,” adds Sanganeria.
Tanaya Sharma has set up a kiosk of her eatery, Over The Top, here. “The experience of setting up a kiosk in this market has always been great. I run a commercial kitchen where I don’t get to meet my customers. Here, I interact with them. The ethos of the market is about being organic and seasonal so our menu changes accordingly. I also purchase ingredients like edible flowers, honey, jaggery, strawberries, and vegetables from fellow vendors at the market,” she adds.
Jaya, from Desi Utpad, sells vegetables, fruits, pulses and grains. She has been associated with TEC for the past six or seven years and calls it a two-way road. “My objective is not just sales but also to educate the visitors about the organic products and, in return, I get to learn about their buying patterns,” she says.
Variety fare
There are some debutants as well. Smriti Iyer, a pastry chef, has been a regular visitor to the market. Her kiosk has savory and sweet vegan treats like Delhi sandwiches inspired by the famous sweet potato chaat, nachos made of bajra, masala dosa doughnuts, brownies, and fruit cake among other things. Mahima Kalra, another new entrepreneur, launched her clothing brand Maahikaari, which offers chic silhouettes in sustainable handloom fabrics, last month at the market. “I will set up the kiosk once a month and today is only my second time, but the experience has been good. The best part is that you get to bond with other vendors in the same domain,” she says.
Brands like Bliss by Anju with its healthy snacking options; high-end home décor products by Ayushi Sharma’s Marbleous, and ZenZula’s handcrafted musical instruments were also showcased at the market. The star of Satv Dairy’s kiosk is the ‘moonlight ghee’, made only 12 times a year on full-moon nights. Its roasted kala-chana laddoos and wild honey are also hits. But the real draw is owner Murti Devi’s beetroot-and-cottage cheese parathas, which are served with white butter, buttermilk, and a block of jaggery. “The food we cook and sell here is prepared with our products on display. This way, the consumers get a chance to taste our products and provide instant feedback,” says her son Narendra Jangu.
