Ask anyone in Goa about ‘Saladbaba’ and they will direct you to 34-year-old Janardan Khorate, manager of Ambrosia Organic Farm.

The farm prides itself not just on being one of India’s first organic companies with a turnover of Rs 22 crore, but also on being the go-to provider for numerous restaurants and cafes across Goa.

Janardan, who now goes by the name John, was adopted by David Grower and his wife Michaela Kelemen, a couple from London, in 2003.

In 1993, they set up their own 5-acre farm in Siolim, an area they would frequently visit, and where they began growing tomato, capsicum and other exotic vegetables and fruits.

“We would supply the vegetables and fruits to nearby restaurants for salads and that’s how the name ‘Saladbaba’ came to be,” Janardan adds.

By 1999, Ambrosia had started diversifying to produce peanut butter, rice and grains such as chia.

Today, the family spends a few months of the year in London and the rest in Goa, while Janardan is closely involved in all the activities of the venture.

However, it was only when online sales came into the picture in 2016 that the business picked up speed.

“Some people who visited from Delhi loved our products so much that they asked us why we didn’t consider selling to Delhi. That was when we decided to get on Amazon to reach a wider base,” he recounts.

Soon, Ambrosia’s journey took a steep upward turn.

“Today, we have farmland that spans 135 acres, 4,000 registered farmers working with us, and 59 different products,” says a proud Janardan.

Among their much-loved products are blueberry-flavoured peanut butter and rice cakes, which Janardan says are a hit among Russians, Italians and Germans.

Ambrosia ships its products all over India, and began exporting to Japan and Taiwan in 2020. 

With the funds they raise, they provide children in schools across Goa and the Maharashtra border with books, notes and uniforms. “Some of these schools are for orphans, while others are managed by the Government for children of farmers,” Janardan notes.