Pig Out – Bangalore

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Their “About” page on Facebook simply says “Started by siblings, we offer authentic Coorg food and seasonal products, using family recipes. Home delivered across Bangalore”. But with more than 8000 likes on their Facebook page we knew there was more to it than just that. We decided to find out. Read on to discover about this interesting journey of “Pig Out”.

Ambika and Anjali Ganapathy, natives of Coorg and founders of Pig Out started it as a “one off stall appearance at a flea market in 2011. At the time, we didn’t have plans of getting into the food business. We had full time jobs and this was simply a fun way to spend a weekend with friends.” Ambika is a freelance filmmaker and Anjali has a background in brand marketing.

Why Coorg food? “We chose to do Coorg food, since there were hardly any options available in the city for people to try. We wanted people to know, what an authentic home cooked meal tasted like.” They tell us about how the concept caught on, “We had no idea how people would react to our food when we began. Our main goal was to get people to try the cuisine. In fact, no one was doing a “pork only” venture at a public venue at the time; there were quite a few skeptics. We began with one dish, and started to get enquiries soon after. It was only in 2013 that we took it up seriously.”

Pig Out has evolved quite a bit since its beginning in 2013. “We have made a ton of changes to our menu since we started. 2013 was the year we officially began taking orders, things took off so quickly, we were almost caught off guard, you could say. Our approach wasn’t as structured as we would have liked. The menu was a mix of recipes based on what we personally preferred and what we were learning along the way.

Once we felt comfortable with the rhythm of our kitchen operations, most of 2014 was spent gathering old recipes, trying them out and practicing. Finally arriving at a menu that we felt was a well-rounded representation, of what we remember eating as kids, as well as a balance of traditional and seasonal items.“

Since we got talking about the menu here are some things that I found on their Facebook page just to give you a sneak peak, and get your salivary glands activated! “Pork Pickle”, “Kaad Mange or wild mango curry”, “Pork Chops”, “Egg potato curry”… guess I should stop here.

Challenges? “Initially, getting our food to customers was tough without a delivery service. We had to turn down customers beyond the 5km radius, which was disappointing for us and the customer. We now have delivery partners, so our food gets to all areas of Bangalore. This has helped us grow as well as gauge the potential of our business.”

A unique concept and food that brings out authenticity! Definitely a great blend won’t you agree? So let’s see how people responded to Pig Out. “We have had fantastic feedback from customers and support within the community, which is very encouraging. We love getting feedback from people who have never tried Coorg food before. It is interesting to hear what they liked or how they were surprised by the flavors. Most people assume it’s only pork or very spicy..there is actually a lot going on if you are willing to try”

Pig Out has quite a few interesting ideas for its journey ahead. “With kitchen and menu in place, this year we are having fun collaborating with people whose work we enjoy following. We kicked off the first of our Cook-Along series in May. We invited 12 guests to cook and dine with us. It’s a great way to meet the people and share feedback.  Also, we get to meet people who follow us online, which is great! Some of our products like fresh Passion Fruit Juice and our homemade pork masala are now available at farm to table restaurants like “The Farm” in Chennai. You will see similar tie-ups going ahead. We are especially excited about a very special collaboration in Coffee which is sort of a homage to our grandparents. We will be sharing this in a month or so.”

Pig Out does not only believe in saving the authenticity of food, but also the place which is home to these delicacies. “We are working closely with The Coorg Wellness Foundation to organize an event, that will raise awareness and funds to fight save the Western Ghats. It’s our way of giving back to a community that’s given us so much. It’s all happening in November, so do look out for announcements on this front. It’s going to be the first of it’s kind in Coorg.”

The siblings leave us with this message for all future entrepreneurs– “Be patient and follow your instinct”

We wish them luck on all their future endeavors.

Pig Out is a Bangalore based food company, that specializes in authentic Coorg Food and Homegrown seasonal products. They deliver to all areas of Bangalore. Visit their Facebook page or call them up at +919980210979 to know more.

Images Courtesy Of Pig Out