MAM
Fortune Foods marks Bihu with immersive food-led celebration in Guwahati
Four-day event blends culture, cuisine and community engagement
MUMBAI: If festivals are the soul of India, then food is the flavour that keeps it simmering and in Guwahati this week, it was served piping hot with a side of tradition. Fortune Foods, the flagship brand of AWL Agri Business Limited, brought Rongali Bihu to life with a four-day on-ground celebration at Latasil Ground from April 14 to 17, blending regional cuisine with cultural storytelling.
The event leaned heavily into experience, turning what could have been a routine brand activation into a participative food festival rooted in Assamese tradition.
At the centre of the activity was the ‘Fortune Foods Zone’, a 30 ft by 20 ft branded installation designed as a live kitchen rather than a static stall. Over four days, nine women cooks prepared two varieties of pitha, while visitors sampled a spread of 16 traditional Assamese dishes, including larus and festive snacks.
The format was deliberately hands-on. Attendees were not just spectators but participants, stepping into cooking stations to prepare dishes themselves. Quick-fire competitions such as making a perfectly round roti in 30 seconds or frying a pitha against the clock added a playful, interactive edge.
Celebrity presence amplified the draw. Assamese actor Barsha Rani Bishaya engaged with visitors through interaction sessions, while Nayanjyoti Saikia conducted live cooking masterclasses, demonstrating how everyday ingredients can elevate traditional recipes.
Beyond the spectacle, the brand wove in a community initiative. In collaboration with Gana Sarathi Old Age Home, 20 senior citizens were brought to the venue on April 15, where they participated in the festivities, a gesture that added emotional resonance to the otherwise high-energy setup.
The scale of the activation was hard to miss. Three I-pillars and two branded entry gates ensured strong visibility across the venue, reinforcing Fortune Foods’ presence throughout the celebrations.
AWL Agri Business Limited joint president of sales & marketing Mukesh Mishra said the idea was to position food at the heart of the festival experience. He noted that Bihu reflects Assam’s cultural heritage, and the initiative aimed to celebrate the role of home-cooked meals in these moments while encouraging active participation.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in brand activations from passive visibility to immersive engagement. Instead of simply showcasing products, Fortune Foods used the Bihu platform to embed itself within cultural rituals, leveraging food as both a medium and a message.
As regional festivals become increasingly important touchpoints for brands, such activations highlight a growing playbook, go local, go experiential, and make the consumer part of the story.
Because in a country where every festival has a flavour, the brands that linger are the ones that get the taste just right.
