KOCHI: While the lockdown period was a never-ending loop of Dalgona coffees and easy recipes for the rest of us, Javed Kadir and Junej Kadir, were busy recreating sweets and desserts which are 100 per cent sugar-free. Though they don’t have a culinary background, the siblings from Kozhikode, and based in Kochi, realised the need for ‘healthy sweets’ when one of them recently turned diabetic.
“I had a sweet tooth and it was so disappointing to not have many sugar-free desserts here. We started looking for options and my wife, mother and mother-in-law helped me replicate many recipes into a sugar-free version. After 4-5 years of experiments and research, we came up with a few cakes and chocolates and shared it with our friends and family who gave us positive responses,” said Javed.
But then, the duo was sure that people will not opt for anything healthy unless it also tastes good. "So, we hired a chef who is specialised in confectionaries and desserts. We tried out certain recipes over 15 times before we got them right. Usually, sugar free sweets tend to leave a bitter aftertaste. This is what we fixed first. The only thing left to do was become a trustworthy name among our customers," he added.
The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for the siblings who got enough time to curate recipes, improvise their ideas and study the market. "Currently, our production happens in a small unit at Pullepady in Kochi. Our aim is to make Zeugar available at more supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries. We will be opening stores in Thrissur, Kozhikode and Ernakulam soon," he said. Zeugar offers over 50 flavours, including jar cakes, pound cakes, Indian sweets and cookies. They also produce customised birthday cakes for diabetics.
Healthy and safe
Zeugar’s ingredients are sourced from quality-tested brands. Plant extracts used are approved all over the world as sugar substitutes. Zeugar is safe, and contributes lesser calories to your daily intake.
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