Cover Story in Indulge Magazine

A hand-crafted passion fruit concentrate made from organically-grown, single origin fruit. It checks all the boxes that a well-travelled customer with a taste for high quality, sustainable food, wants. And its no coincdence that Joppu Sebastian, the managing director of Kothamangalam based brand Planters Treasure, is one himself. When the 27-year-old decided to quit his corporate job, to takeover his parents rubber and passion fruit plantations, his research into market needs revealed that limited-edition gourmet is the need of the hour. "Much of what you get today undergoes colour and taste calibration. But our emphasis is on fresh and seasonal. And since passion fruit is not very common, instead of coming out with 10 different products, I thought I'd concentrate on one and do it really well" he says. With only 5000 bottles made every season, with fruit harvested from his Nellimattom farm, in Idukki -just hours away from his manufacturing unit in Kothamangalam- he also makes sure that each bottle has a stamp of authenticity. "Every bottle sports the fingerprint of the person who hand-bottled it. This not only shows our attention to detail, but also gives our workers a sense of pride and ownership," shares Sebastian, who recently launched his passion fruit preserve(Rs450 for 400 gms) and a preservative free ready-to-drink juice. "We retail only at select gourmet stores in Kerala, and now that we are entering the Chennai and Bengaluru markets, we are making sure the stores we choose cater to our customer base," he says. He is also doing his bit for the environment: if customers return the glass bottles that the ready-to-drink juice(Rs.200 for 300 ml) comes in, they will be reimbursed Rs.80 At Amma Naana And Gourmet Market. Passion fruit concentrate: Rs.500(500 ml).

Report in The New Indian Express by Anna Binoy

KOCHI: "Sustainability cannot be compromised."
Kothamangalam-based food brand Planters Treasure’s latest Instagram post sounded like the Great Commission for sustainability. What better way to accomplish this than by making use of an otherwise unused part of an exotic spice of Kerala. Read more..

Report in The Hindu by Priyadershini S

One of the lingering memories of Kerala that visitors carry back is a satiating drink of cool, natural, tender coconut water. Young Joppu Sebastian dreams of adding another unforgettable taste from these shores - freshly bottled passion fruit juice. Read more..