Wild scenes at Coles as Aussie trend explodes
A celebrity chef billed as 'India's answer to Gordon Ramsay' has caused chaos in Melbourne after fans turned out in droves for a glimpse of the famous cook.
Sanjeev Kapoor is currently visiting Australia to launch Arth, his new range of 'authentic' Indian products that have just hit 440 Coles stores nationwide.
For the uninitiated, Chef Kapoor is a household name who has amassed over 20 million followers across Facebook, YouTube, X and Instagram.
He also hosts Asia's longest-running cooking show 'Khana Khazana' and has more than 200 best-selling cookbooks.
To mark the arrival of his 15-food products on Aussie shelves, the celebrity chef attended the Tarneit Central store in the outer suburbs of the city on Wednesday – and was greeted by hundreds of excited fans.
Footage obtained by news.com.au shows the retailer swamped by Aussies hoping to snag a photo with Kapoor.
Coles said the introduction of the new product line comes as India has surged ahead of China to become the largest source of new Australian citizens and now ranks as the second-largest overseas-born population in Australia.
'Our customers are telling us they want more variety, more global flavours and simpler ways to enjoy dinner at home – and that's exactly what we're focused on delivering with the Arth range,' Coles chief commercial officer, Anna Croft, told news.com.au.
'We know that the Global Cuisines segment is expected to grow significantly in Australia as more customers look for simple solutions to create authentic meals at home.
'And this is a trend we are also seeing with our customers, with the Asian and Indian segments two of the fastest growing categories in our grocery aisle.'
Coles said that the range, which offers curry pastes, marinades, pickles and sauces, is an 'example of how we're listening and responding to our shoppers'.
'Partnering with Chef Kapoor has been the perfect way to deliver real Indian flavours to Aussie dinner tables,' Ms Croft added.
'These amazing products take the pressure off and give you that full-flavour hit without spending hours in the kitchen – no hard-to-find ingredients, no complicated steps.'
Despite knowing Chef Kapoor's huge reach with consumers, the supermarket said it has been taken aback by how many shoppers have turned out to meet the star.
'We've been blown away with the demand for our Arth Authentic Indian range since hitting the shelves,' Coles Senior Manager Global Cuisines, Joel Wishart, told news.com.au.
'Sanjeev is a global sensation, and it was fantastic to see so many customers get to meet him at Coles during his visit.
'We're seeing more Aussies seeking food and recipes from around the globe and Sanjeev's new range offers an authentic taste of India that's easy to prepare and delicious – with products starting from $3.'
Chef Kapoor said the range was designed to take the guesswork out of cooking and help more Australians fall in love with Indian food.
'I've spent my career showing people how authentic Indian food can be easy and enjoyable, and the Arth range is the next chapter of that journey here in Australia,' he said.
'This range really is for everyone – whether you've grown up with these flavours or want to try something new. You don't need special skills or fancy ingredients but just a love of good food.'
The supermarket giant said 'standouts' from the range include the Mutter Paneer Paste (270g) – a North Indian favourite for $5.80, and the Tandoori Marinade (270g) perfect for chicken or lamb at $6.00, as well as the Masala Khichdi – a risotto-style blend of rice, lentils and warming Indian spices for just $3.00.
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