From popular restaurants and cloud kitchens to food delivery warehouses, recent food safety raids are making consumers question hygiene standards, brand reputation and what really happens behind the scenes before food reaches their plates

Food is India’s national pastime. We think of it 24/7. In such a scene, the food business, from eateries to FMCG and food delivery apps, thrives in our country. And that is why the recent FDA raids on well-off small-time eateries, packaged food to even the storage places of delivery giants have impacted the way food is sold in India. It is time we knew how the raid changed our perspective towards the overall food business.

The first thought

When the raids happened, Anisha Anand, co-founder of Aurum Foods, first thought about how the incidents highlighted the most fundamental aspect of the industry – ‘Food safety is not merely about what we serve; it is about the integrity of every process that brings food to the consumer’.

“As someone who has spent years in the hospitality and food service industry, I believe that great food must begin with uncompromising standards of hygiene, sourcing, storage, preparation and handling. The consumer sees the final product, but the real responsibility lies in everything that happens behind the scenes.”