From dark chocolate classics to vegan delights, The Goa Fudge Co is sweetening up lives, one bite-sized square at a time
SHERYL GONSALVES
Some people usually bring back souvenirs from their travels, but Raj Pai Panandiker brought back something else – an idea. After encountering some irresistible fudge out of Goa, he decided to share this indulgent treat with the people of this state which led to the birth of The Goa Fudge Co. “We felt it is not really well known in India, but is a beloved dessert in other parts of the world,” he explains.
All dreams require practical steps to achieve them. And so, after a fair bit of research on how fudge from the U.K. and U.S.A. is made and examining the characteristics of this dessert from different producers, they started experimenting in August 2023.
“I’ve been really interested in cooking, and in flavours and ingredients for a while. However, my escapades had been limited to occasional family feasts, and not really on desserts prior to beginning our experiments with fudge,” says Panandiker.
The early attempts were mostly with Dark Chocolate Fudge, but this was quickly followed by other flavours. Marketing began at different pop-ups in the same year between November and December.
Other than dark chocolate, other flavours introduced are chocolate almond, salted caramel and choco coconut vegan fudge. Special flavours like cashew nut, vanilla, and peanut butter are crafted on order for festivals, weddings, and corporate gifting.
Top favourites at their pop-ups are the Chocolate Almond Fudge and Dark Chocolate Fudge while Salted Caramel Fudge has its own loyal fans. A vegan friend who expressed the desire to enjoy this treat without dairy inspired the Choco Coconut Vegan Fudge.
“My learning has been aided by generous advice from friends like Vandana Naique (of Cafe Bodega),” says Panandiker, adding that while he focuses on the development of new options, he is assisted in the fudge kitchen by Benny, who oversees the production of the fudge.
Achieving consistency in the taste and texture of any food product can be challenging as the scale of production increases. And Panandiker notes that achieving this requires high-quality ingredients, adapting kitchen processes to deal with climate variances, and continuous care. In fact, it took over 100 test batches to perfect their first variant! Fudge is also not the easiest dessert to produce, and so requires one’s full attention.
Currently, The Goa Fudge Co is available on Swiggy in Margao and at local pop-up events. However, they do undertake larger gifting orders and can deliver these anywhere in Goa. A website that makes it easier for customers to place custom orders is also in the making.
Going forward, The Goa Fudge Co aims to grow its presence in Goa by being available on popular food delivery platforms and increasing its gifting clientele for occasions like weddings and festivals. Another goal is to establish a retail presence in Panaji, extending its reach beyond Margao and its surrounding areas.
“While our focus is firmly on fudge for now because we feel we have a long way to go, we keep experimenting with unusual sweet ideas, so anything is possible,” says Panandiker.
