Exploring Okapi: Goa's Take on Plant-Based Food and Local Sustainability

The small village of Aldona in Bardez taluka, Goa is home to Okapi. This plant-based kitchen started with the goal of making vegan food more accessible to the community. Founded by Aarti Sinha, Okapi is her way of advocating for more sustainable, cruelty-free and healthy food practices. Local Samosa connected with the Founder and Head Chef, to know about the venture’s journey into plant-based food in Goa.

Sourcing the Right Ingredients is Key

Goa has access to some great fresh produce and our own village has several veggie farms around. “It's a myth that plant-based food is complicated or difficult to source. Most staple foods in India are plant-based by default. We plan our menu based on what's seasonal, affordable and fresh,” explains Aarti. “Our menu features multiple cuisines - Indian, Asian, Mediterranean, and Mexican, and we are always keen to try new things. Our meals are also more veggie-loaded, and salads are a must!”

Going Local for a Successful Food Venture

Aarti talks about following a subscription-based model (for tiffins) that makes kitchen operations really efficient and organised. “We know what we are cooking in the month, how many people we are cooking for, and our prep work is therefore timely. There's hardly any wastage, rarely any spikes in costs or prices, and we can focus our energies on making tasty, high-quality food.  Our team is mainly local women from the village - who were housewives before and, with all that household-managing experience, are now making headway in more competent roles.”

“All our vendors are local, from our own village. We also source our coconut milk from a lady in the village who relies on our business too,” she further states.

Breaking Stereotypes, Facing Challenges & Incorporating Sustainability

It’s no news that the biggest problem has been the stereotype that plant-based food often faces - that it's boring and bland only for vegans. “Okapi has been consistently trying to break that stereotype by bringing tasty, creative and exciting food to the table,” Aarti mentioned. 

Talking about making it not just tasty but also sustainable, she said, “Fresh produce comes in reusable cloth bags that we keep with our veggie lady. Some of our ingredients also come from zero-waste stores like Vnya and Zeroposro. For our meals, we mainly use steel reusable tiffins and whenever we need to use disposable packaging, it's always a biodegradable one. 

Addressing Dietary Restrictions

Aarti shared that the brand’s TG is everyone who wants to eat healthy but may not have the time or energy to cook. Hence, customer feedback is important, and they take from that what is helpful and constructive. “Some dietary restrictions we can accommodate, and where we can't, we inform them outright. Fortunately, our menu is widely accepted by most people, and unlike 'restaurant food', which you can't eat every day, Okapi food is very home-like. Our team eats the same food, too, and we make sure it's easy on our stomachs,” she clarifies.

With the plan to expand the tiffin service to reach more people, Okapi has already managed to create a space for the community, both locals and tourists.