MAM
Godrej Yummiez & IRCTC bring Yummiez Millet Patty to passenger trains
Mumbai: As 2023 is being celebrated as the International Year of Millets, Godrej Yummiez, a leading brand of frozen ready-to-cook products from Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd (GTFL), and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), collaborated to bring millet patty in passenger trains. Introduced earlier this year, Godrej Yummiez Millet Patty received an overwhelming response from households who appreciated the nutritious and tasty patty variant made from millets like Jowar (Sorgum) and Bajra (Pearl Millet). Taking the success ahead, through the collaboration between Godrej Yummiez and IRCTC, the millet patty is now served during breakfast on Rajdhani and August Kranti trains enroute Mumbai – Delhi – Mumbai.
Godrej Yummiez developed the millet patty as an innovative snack option. The snack is made using individual quick freeze (IQF) technology to help keep it fresh with no preservatives. With high fiber content and vitamins of millet blended with a flavorful mix of herbs and spices, these patties are sure to make snacking tasty as well as nutritious.
Rajdhani and August Kranti trains stand as iconic legacies within the Indian railway network, celebrated for their exceptional service and remarkable food offerings. The partnership between Godrej Yummiez and IRCTC holds the intent to elevate the adoption of millets, promoting their significance even in the most massive railways network. This pioneering collaboration is already underway as a pilot program on Mumbai – Delhi – Mumbai routes of Rajdhani and August Kranti trains. This initiative caters to thousands of passengers traveling between Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd CEO Abhay Parnerkar said, “Till recently, the adoption of millets was low due to the perception that they are not tasty and are not easy to cook. This has changed drastically and now every household is embracing the goodness of millets. We supported this adoption by bringing together the nutrition of millets in a ready-to-cook convenient format and launching them in a mass-accepted ‘patty’ variant. Godrej Yummiez Millet Patty is a preservative-free snack that symbolizes our commitment to innovation, nutrition, and convenience.”
He further added, “We are extremely pleased to further extend the delectable Godrej Yummiez millet patty to passengers aboard the Rajdhani and August Kranti trains. IRCTC is the most prestigious entity having one of the biggest catering operations in trains across the country. Our exclusive partnership with IRCTC combines their extensive reach and expertise in railway catering with Godrej Yummiez’ s culinary excellence, resulting in an exceptional food experience of millets.”
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (Western Zone) group general manager Rahul Himalian said, “Being the International Year of Millets, we are constantly evaluating ways to add millets to our food menu merging both nutrition and taste. At IRCTC, we always pledge to provide passengers with quality and tasty food spread. Godrej Yummiez Millet patty on Rajdhani and August Kranti trains taken onboard on a pilot basis reinforces IRCTC’s dedication to offer passengers interesting and delectable millet-based food options. We are proud to introduce this product as a pilot as it supports the vision of mainstreaming millets through IRCTC’s catering operations across the massive Indian railways’ network. We tried and tested the product before serving it to our passengers. We are anticipating positive acceptance of Godrej Yummiez Millet Patty which is a perfect snack that is nutritious and convenient ready-to-cook item.”
Chef Varun Inamdar said, “Millets have always been seen as a bland grain, but that’s starting to change. Even though millets are often overlooked, they are incredibly nutritious and versatile grains that everyone should consume. Millets are a good source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. In the past, people may have found cooking millets more cumbersome. But now, there are various convenient ways to cook and consume the super-grain. From millet-based porridge to millet salads, and even baked goods, there are now different ways to enjoy millet which is tasty yet nutritious. One can now even consume millet in the form of patties with Godrej Yummiez Millet Patty. It is a great way to get your daily dose of millets. Moreover, it’s easy, affordable and convenient to store as well.”
Today, the Godrej Yummiez portfolio consists of more than 50 veg and non-veg products. Godrej Yummiez Millet Patty is available in supermarkets and leading e-commerce retail outlets across India at Rs. 180 in packs of 370 grams. Yummiez Millet Patty is made from excellent quality ingredients and is ready to cook. It can be deep-fried, air-fried or shallow-fried and served hot.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
