Organic supermarkets
"Ancient Supergrain" Millets
Organic supermarkets
- Item
- "Ancient Supergrain" Millets
- Retail
- Premium pricing
- Spin
- ""Ancient superfood grain""
Organic supermarkets have rebranded traditional Indian millets as 'ancient supergrains,' marketing them with premium pricing in minimalist boutique aisles. This reframing ignores their long history as a staple food, particularly for marginalized communities, who faced colonial-era stigmatization of these grains as 'coarse peasant food.' The new marketing positions them as a wellness trend, detaching them from their cultural and economic significance in India.
बाजरा / रागी / ज्वार
Bajra / Ragi / Jowar
- Region
- Pan-India
- True Value
- ₹40/kg≈ $0.48/kg
- Category
- 18 · Food, Beverage & FMCG
Millets like Bajra (बाजरा), Ragi (रागी), and Jowar (ज्वार) are ancient, indigenous grains cultivated across India for millennia. These resilient crops are central to the diets of rural communities, providing essential nutrition and forming the backbone of traditional Indian agriculture. Valued for their hardiness and ability to thrive in diverse climates, they are a sustainable and affordable food source, often costing around ₹40/kg.
FX reference: 1 USD ≈ ₹83 — for comparison only
The Story
Organic supermarkets across Western markets began featuring 'ancient supergrain' millets on their shelves, often at premium prices. These grains, marketed for their health benefits and exotic appeal, were presented in minimalist, high-end packaging. This reintroduction positioned millets as a novel health food, a stark contrast to their historical perception.
Millets, including varieties like Bajra (Pearl Millet), Ragi (Finger Millet), and Jowar (Sorghum), are indigenous to India and have been staple foods across the subcontinent for millennia. Cultivated by diverse farming communities, these grains are celebrated for their resilience, nutritional density, and adaptability to arid climates. Historically, they formed the backbone of diets for millions, deeply integrated into regional cuisines and agricultural practices, often referred to as 'poor man's grain' or 'peasant food' due to their widespread accessibility and affordability (around ₹40/kg).
The rebranding of millets as 'ancient supergrains' by Western organic supermarkets sparked conversations among food activists and agricultural communities. Critics highlighted the irony of these grains being sold at premium prices after centuries of being stigmatized as 'coarse peasant food' during colonial rule. Objections centered on the lack of acknowledgment for the Indian farmers and indigenous knowledge systems that preserved these grains, effectively commodifying a staple without recognizing its cultural and historical roots or the communities that sustained its cultivation.
Native Indian millets, once stigmatised by colonial powers as 'coarse peasant food', now repackaged in minimalist boutique aisles as superfoods.
Reporting forthcoming