The creative blend of seaweed as a new ingredient in traditional food items brings together ancient marine wisdom and modern trends.
Amrita University’s AMMACHI Labs, in collaboration with coastal women entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu, launched the Devaamritam Seaweed Superfoods brand at the Incredible Chef Challenge (ICC) 2025 in Bengaluru.
Held from June 12–13 and hosted by World of Hospitality in association with the South India Chef’s Association, the event featured over 300 chefs, hospitality professionals, and food industry leaders.
At a dedicated exhibition space, AMMACHI Labs showcased two flagship products: tangy, probiotic-rich seaweed pickles and savoury seaweed pakoras made from locally cultivated red seaweed.
Visitors sampled the products and offered feedback on flavour, texture, and presentation, underscoring growing interest in seaweed as a sustainable and nutritious ingredient.
Representing AMMACHI Labs were Program Lead Mohan, Business Incubation and Productization Consultant Fang Nirbhaya Yuan, and Business Development Coordinator Jithu Gopan.
They were joined by three entrepreneurs: Amalorpava Rakkini A. and Gnanasowndari Mosas from Olaikuda Village, and Dhanalakshmi Chandran from Sambai Village, who also demonstrated seaweed cultivation methods and traditional preparation techniques.
“Devaamritam bridges ancient marine wisdom with modern culinary trends,” said Mohan. “By empowering coastal women to cultivate and process seaweed, we’re supporting sustainable livelihoods and bringing an innovative product to conscious consumers.”
The brand’s tagline embodies how this interlinking benefits humanity and our natural world: Nourish Your Body. Empower Women. Heal the Planet.
Following strong interest at ICC 2025, AMMACHI Labs is in early discussions with hotel chains, specialty retailers, and culinary experts to scale distribution and explore new recipe applications.
The initiative is part of Amrita’s broader commitment to inclusive rural development and sustainable livelihood creation through skill development and community enterprise.
