Mumbai: Following the resounding success of its premier food and beverage campaign, ‘More Than Food’ in India last year, the European Union (EU) extended its culinary offerings through an all-new exclusive gastronomical event, ‘Banter Over Brunch’. Anchoring the event, renowned chef, chef Ajay Chopra assumed his status as the ambassador for the campaign once again and helped transport attendees on a captivating journey into the flavours of the European Member States through a delectable brunch spread.
The ‘More Than Food’ campaign in India was conceptualised with the aim to create a range of culinary experiences, bringing alive applications of European food and beverages in Indian cuisine with the objective to transport the audience to the picturesque and culturally rich landscape of the European Union. In line with this, ‘Banter Over Brunch’ saw a variety of mouthwatering dishes, including Berry blast smoothies, chocolate waffles, blackberry and Danablu (PGI) crostini, Mozzarella Avvolta Nel Prosciutto di Parma (PDO) and more, crafted from premium ingredients from the EU, such as fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, dairy and cheese, olive oil, chocolates, , along with pork and poultry products. The EU’s commitment to safety, quality, authenticity, and sustainability was at the heart of the menu, as chef Ajay Chopra introduced each ingredient and its compelling heritage, as well as the EU’s ‘farm to fork’ strategy.
Sharing his thoughts on the extension of the campaign, Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan Charge d’affaires a.i H.E. Seppo Nurmi said, “The idea behind EU’s More Than Food Campaign was to bring to Indian audiences exquisite culinary experiences from across Europe, while highlighting our commitment to vigorous food safety regulations that ensures that every European product that one bites into or drink is authentic, of exceptional quality, sustainable, and safe. Given the overwhelming response to the last campaign, we are happy to announce the extension of the campaign. We look forward to our Indo-European collaboration with the Chefs as well as unique curated events that we hope will bring out the rich European flavours.”
Speaking about the event, Ambassador for the More Than Food campaign in India chef Ajay Chopra said, “I am thrilled and honoured to continue my association with the European Union’s ‘More Than Food’ campaign in India, especially as we bring this celebration forward with ‘Banter Over Brunch.’ European ingredients are a testament to the rich and diverse European culture, and this event offers our audience a unique opportunity to savour these culinary treasures. This event and partnership with the EU helped us explore exquisite European food and beverages, knowing they embody authenticity, excellent quality, sustainability, and safety. I look forward to seeing how our guests will craft their own delightful brunch experiences with these incredible ingredients, adding to the tapestry of European food culture.”
The guests were seen in awe of the flavourful dishes and authentic ingredients as they enjoyed the sumptuous brunch curated by the chef. With ‘More Than Food’, the EU will continue to increase awareness about the diverse, rich stories of ingredients and agricultural products from the European Union with campaign ambassadors chef Ajay Chopra and chef Guntas Sethi. The campaign aims to celebrate the diversity of product from across the 27 EU Member States through a series of events, social media features, B2B activities, and promotions.
In addition, The European Commission is organising a High-Level Mission with EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski to New Delhi and Mumbai on 6 – 12 December, to facilitate business networking between high-level delegates from the European agri-food sector and their Indian counterparts.
The Indian market places a lot of value on high quality, authentic products, which is evidenced by the level of imports of EU food and drink, amounting to €857 million in 2021. However, given the size of the Indian market – there is room for significant growth in exports of EU food and beverages, and the ‘More Than Food’ campaign is an initiative aimed at capitalizing on this potential.
Food and beverages from the European Union are available at multiple online and on-ground retail outlets across India.
