By Shevlin Sebastian
One day, in 2006, Ajay Gopinath went to a restaurant in Bengaluru for lunch. He ordered a paneer dish. When the waiter brought it, Ajay noticed that there were leaves sprinkled on it in the shape of a triangle.
Ajay had seen curry and coriander leaves used as garnish. He knew their taste. But he noticed these leaves looked different. When Ajay tasted it, he felt it was unique. He asked the chef about it and was told that these were mustard microgreens. The chef said somebody was delivering them to the restaurant. But he did not have any more information.
Ajay headed the credit cards and personal loans division at Citi Bank in Bengaluru. He had been a staffer for 14 years. Ajay loved his work, but there was one problem. It was a 24/7 job. He found he could devote very little time to the family.
One day, in 2007, he quit. “It was an impulsive decision,” he said, at his home in Kochi. “I also wanted to get out of my comfort zone.”
He returned to Kochi, where his family lived. He has two children, a boy and a girl. His wife is a lawyer. For the next five years, Ajay enjoyed his free time. He roamed around, met friends and went on holidays. Then in 2012, he began working for a dental implants firm and helped them in marketing the products. Ajay worked till 2016.
One morning, in 2017, when he awoke, an idea popped into his mind. What about doing a business involving microgreens? He met many chefs in Kochi. They told him they were getting their supplies from Bengaluru. But it was not available in the shops or in supermarkets.
In the beginning, Ajay grew microgreens for the use of his family. The tray is 2 ft. by 1 ft. Each tray produces 500 grams. His family could not consume it all. Since it is a perishable product, Ajay began distributing it to his friends, relatives and neighbours. “The taste was different but everybody, including my family, liked it,” said Ajay. Soon, his friends said that instead of giving free samples, he should start selling them.
It was only in December, 2020 that he started his company, Grow Greens. He increased the number of trays.
Ajay’s method of growing is to use the cocopeat. This is a natural, growing medium made from coconut husks. The cocopeat is used as a base. He places the seeds on it. Then the trays are closed for three days because you need darkness for the germination to take place. Then it is exposed to 20-watt white LED tube lights hanging above the trays, for 10-12 hours. You have to pour water once or twice a day. The temperature should be below 25 degrees centigrade while the humidity is below 60 percent.
Today, he has 60 trays in an 80 sq. ft. room. Ajay grows radish, mustard, yellow American, bok choy (Chinese), sunflower, kohlrabi and many others.
Ajay imports seeds from the United Kingdom, the US, Australia, Italy and Israel. “The prices range from Rs 600 per kg to Rs 1 lakh,” said Ajay. The seeds have a shelf life of between six and eight months. But Ajay uses them within three months. He uses around 25 varieties.
To get the right seeds within India, Ajay travelled to Delhi, Ranikhet, and Nainital. He also went to G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand. There they nurture organic seeds. In these places, they do not use inorganic seeds, fertilisers or pesticides.
On the plus points of consuming microgreens, Ajay said, “It is good for the eyes and skin. There are health sites which state that it prevents Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. It restores the calcium deficiencies in the body and solves knee pain. There is an increased protein intake. Most people have low levels of sodium. This helps to reach the right levels. Microgreens have protein and magnesium. There are macro and micronutrients. What else do we need?”
Ajay tells a story.
Raghu Nair (name changed), was getting chemotherapy at the Aster Medicity Hospital in Kochi. The doctor told Raghu’s son Mahesh that his father needed to have a lot of protein. “It is better to have microgreens,” the doctor said.
So Mahesh came to Ajay Gopinath’s house. Ajay gave him sprouted green gram.
When Mahesh said the doctor told him to buy 100 grams of each variety, Ajay said that over 25 grams a day is not good. “You must be careful that your father’s body can absorb these proteins,” Ajay told Mahesh. “You can consume beetroot, bok choy and sunflower. Then it will be a complete protein food.”
Raghu consumed the greens for three months. Ajay felt vindicated that when the doctor checked the protein levels, it was off the charts. The doctor immediately told Mahesh not to buy any more microgreens for the next month. This was the only way to bring down the protein level.
“It was a confirmation of the tremendous benefits of microgreens,” said Ajay. The good news was that Raghu went into remission, so the doctors stopped his chemotherapy.
Microgreens cost between Rs 150 and Rs 250 per 100 grams. You should consume the greens within seven days. The best way is to eat it raw. Or you can add it to a salad.
However, those who are consuming blood thinning medicines should consult with a doctor before consuming microgreens. “When people are on blood thinners, their Vitamin K levels are regulated,” Ajay explained. “When you consume microgreens, it increases the Vitamin K.”
Patients can consume microgreens which have a paltry amount of Vitamin K, like beetroot.
Grow Greens deliver to individuals, shops, hotels, gyms, hospitals, supermarkets and schools. Ajay delivers 5-8 kgs a day.
And since the nurturing is inside the house, Ajay does not have to suffer the vagaries of climate change. “I can grow 365 days a year,” said Ajay.
Asked about the difference between being an entrepreneur and working for a bank, Ajay said, “The salary which I was getting I am paying its equivalent to my five-member staff.”
But for Ajay, it is not about profit and loss only. “When I started, it was a passion for me to see how the seeds were growing,” he said. “I also think that these are natural plants, and hence good for human beings. We can solve the malnutrition issue. So, there is a social commitment.”
Ajay says that when he observes the leaves, he gets a message from them. “If the water is less, or it needs more light, the leaves might droop,” he said. “And if we forget to switch off the light, the next morning the leaves will look tired. It is through experience I can spot this. It is a living organism and has emotions. When we play music, the leaves look happy.”
Ajay said that in many Malayalam movies and families over the centuries, the grandmother would talk to the Tulsi plant. To allay one’s scepticism, he suggested the book, ‘The Secret Life of Plants’ by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. According to Wikipedia, the authors talk about the ability of plants to communicate with other creatures, including humans.
(Published in Good Food Movement website)
