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Indian firm curries favour with judges
AN INDIAN food firm from Wigan has spiced up its business with a top award from the experts.
Pasco Herbs and Spices of Ince has been quietly going about its business and forging a reputation for excellence, particularly among the hotel trade, for the past 14 years.
But now owners Muggan and Seema Khade have hit the headlines with their jalfrezi sauce, which has won a gold standard in the food equivalent of the Oscars – the Great Taste Awards.
And after weeks of regional judging by more than 200 judges, the foods considered to be of potential gold standard were re-submitted to an exclusive panel of top chefs, food writers and retailers chaired by Jean-Christophe Novelli.
Everything was blind tasted, in Pasco's case the sauce was used in a dish prepared by an executive chef, and golds were awarded, including one to the Wigan firm.
And Pasco are delighted with their prestigious award. For the Khades and their 15 staff it is just reward for hard work and high standards.
Indian-born Mr Khade has been in the industry for the 30 years he has lived in England and for the first 15 years actually worked for Patak's with a senior job on the production line before deciding that he could strike out on his own.
He and Mrs Khade started from home, creating a small range of sauces and chutneys before moving into a unit at Eckersley Mill, Swan Meadow Road.
These days they have taken on more staff and expanded into an acre-site on Makerfield Way.
The firm also has its own farm back in India for growing all the spices it needs.
Mr Khade said: "These days we have 40 different products, including chutneys, pickles, pastes and sauces, but also English mustard, prawn cocktail sauce and even ketchup.
"We started because we saw a gap in the market for good quality, authentic products using original spices and reasonably priced, and it has worked.
"We have mainly been catering for the hotel trade but just recently we were listed with Asda, so our products will soon be on the supermarket shelves.
"The gold award for our jalfrezi sauce is a great honour but a reward for hard work that so many people have put in, plus the use of quality ingredients."
Got a business story? E-mail charles.graham@lancspublications.co.uk
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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