Bengaluru: 30th April, 2026: Gemini Edibles and Fats India Ltd (GEF India), the makers of Freedom Healthy Cooking Oils, partnered with Vijay Karnataka for Karunada Svaada, a large scale state-wide initiative aimed at remembering and celebrating Karnataka’s lost recipes cookery traditions. 01.11.2025, from 26.04.2026 crowned as VK Karunada Svaada winner.
Designed as a first of its kind culinary movement, Karunada Svaada has travelled across 77 towns + 2 semi-finals & finale spanning North and South Karnataka, inviting home cooks and food enthusiasts to bring forward traditional and long forgotten recipes rooted in local communities. The objective of this initiative was to discover iconic, lesser-known, hidden and lost traditional dishes, carefully curated to reflect local flavors, ingredients, and preparation styles. The initiative aimed to revive legacy dishes while celebrating the cultural stories and regional identities associated with them.
Structured as a multi-phase engagement platform, the programme featured taluk-level activations, 2 semi-finals and grand finale in Bengaluru. In the semi-finals, the participants competed through live cooking format, with top contenders advancing to compete for the title of Karnataka Super Chef. The Grand Finale featured 26 participants, who competed fiercely to showcase their traditional recipes.
Speaking on the association, Mr. P. Chandra Shekhara Reddy, Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Freedom Healthy Cooking Oils, said, “At GEF India, food is at the heart of how we connect with consumers. Karunada Svaada is a powerful platform that celebrates Karnataka’s culinary legacy while encouraging communities to rediscover traditional recipes that are slowly fading from modern kitchens. We are proud to support an initiative that brings authenticity, culture and community participation together at this scale.”
Adding to this, Mr. Chetan Pimpalkhute, General Manager – Marketing, Freedom Healthy Cooking Oils, stated, “This initiative allows us to engage deeply with consumers through meaningful, on ground experiences. By reaching towns and local communities across Karnataka, Karunada Svaada creates a strong platform to celebrate regional flavours, local talent and the evolving role of food in cultural expression.”
Karunada Svaada included live cooking showcases, local chef interactions, tasting experiences and community driven participation, supported by extensive print visibility and social media engagement. The initiative engaged with over one crore people through on ground activations, print integration and digital amplification.
About Gemini Edibles & Fats India Ltd:
Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited (GEF India) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of Edible oils in India with Three state of the art Refineries – Two at Kakinada and One at Krishnapatnam. ‘Freedom’ is the Flagship brand of Gemini Edibles & Fats India Limited (GEF India). Freedom Healthy Cooking Oils are available as Freedom Refined Sunflower Oil, Freedom Physically Refined Rice Bran Oil, Freedom Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil, Freedom Groundnut Oil, Sri Krupa Deepam Oil and Be-Rite Refined Sunflower Oil
The ‘Freedom’ brand was launched in 2010 in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Freedom Refined Sunflower Oil is the No.1 Brand by volume sales in India in the sunflower oil category (according to Nielsen IQ data (MAT) Feb, 2026).
Freedom Rice Bran Oil was launched in 2015 in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
‘Freedom’ was ranked among India’s top five cooking oil brands according to the India Today ‘Ipsos Urban Consumer Sentiment Survey 2020’.
, the makers of Freedom Healthy Cooking Oils, partnered with Vijay Karnataka.){kind=link}