NWRC & Baba's Foods

Baba’s Foods is a new start-up company producing an authentic range of Indian Sauces that offer a easy cook meal with an authentic homemade taste.

About the Company

The sauces are nutritious, healthy and chilled to keep its fresh, homemade flavour intact, an offer an alternative to the sauces currently on the market with saturated fats and preserves.
The company is owned by Bobby Nagra an Indian native whose family moved to Derry in the early eighties. The recipes are originating from the families grandmother.
The word Baba is commonly used as grandfather or a grandfatherly figure – older wiser man.
The company have launched their first sauce to the retail market in Jan 2015.

About the Case

Baba’s Foods approached Brian Mc Dermott the Food Technical Consultant at NWRC seeking technical support to produce a sauce based on family story and loose recipe. They required technical assistance with development of the recipe and route to market.
The company lacked the technical skills and knowledge of how to
- develop and standardise a recipe
- production and process of a recipe for the retail market
- ingredient sourcing and ingredient specifications
- shelf life analysis and product testing
- taste panels
- costing model for products
- product branding and positioning
- route to market
Baba Foods stressed the importance of having technical support in their local area as key to their brief.
About the Knowledge Provider

NWRC Food Technical Consultant Brian Mc Dermott has supported the company using weekly assigned Connected Hours. Brian is a professional Chef with 25 years industry experience in Food Service and Manufacturing including 6 years as a New Product Development Chef with Blue Chip Company Kerry Foods.
Brian is a technical consultant working at NWRC since 2010 as a part time lecturer and on programs to include Employer Support Program, Innovation Vouchers, Noribic Mentor, Food NI and CONNECTED since 2012.
Brian has successfully supported 35 SME’s Food Businesses with expert technical support.
Brian also runs his own business since 2008 as Brian Mc Dermott The No Salt Chef. He regularly demonstrates and creates program content for Food Festivals and events. Brian is a regular on RTE TV and has his own slot weekly on BBC Radio.


The Results

Engagement with NWRC has resulted in Baba Foods developing a range of Authentic Sauces in line with their brief and launched on to the market within a six month timeframe. The sauce has captured and showcased the true authentic values of their family recipe.
The company now through up skilling have a clear understanding of route to market model to ensure they avoid ad hoc development and launch of products in the future. Baba now has three sauces developed, produced and packaged for market. The company assisted by NWRC launched their first sauce in January 2015 with sales above 20% above projections.
NWRC has jointly delivered on an Innovation Voucher for Babas with CAFRE focusing on calorific value of the products and packaging solutions.

Contact Details of Knowledge Provider:
Knowledge Provider Name: North West Regional College
Contact Name: Brian Mc Dermott Food Technical Consultant
Telephone number: 02871 276408
Email: brian.mcdermott@nwrc.ac.uk