Shan Foods
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food processing Packaged spice mixes |
| Founded | 1981 in Karachi, Pakistan |
| Founder | Sikandar Sultan |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Brands | Shoop Noodles |
| Website | www |
Shan Foods (Private) Limited is a Pakistani producer of packaged spice mixes, primarily used in South Asian dishes. The company was established in 1981 as a single-room operation by its founder, Sikander Sultan, in Pakistan and quickly grew from there to becoming a major player in the packaged spice mixes industry.[1][2]
Currently, the company portfolio of products is available in over 150 countries, across 5 continents. It consists of recipe mixes, plain spices, ready-to-cook sauces, cooking pastes, dessert mixes, cooking condiments, accompaniments, and instant noodles.
The company also has a research and development department that is responsible for developing new products and improving existing ones.
History
Shan Foods was founded in 1981, as a cottage industry operation, operating out of the home of the company's founder Sikander Sultan. He, along with his wife, started making spice mixes at their home, experimenting extensively to come up with unique offerings, which instantly picked up a loyal fan-base both, at home and with Pakistanis who had moved to the neighbouring Arab countries, Europe, USA and Canada.[3][1]
Controversies
In July 2023, reports from the German media indicated a ban on the products exported by the company in the German market due to the alleged presence of Ethylene Oxide, a fumigant and pesticide, which is known to pose serious health hazards including cancer upon consumption and is banned from food production in Europe. The news was shared by the Pakistani politician Khurram Shehzad on his Twitter account which caused a backlash against the company by the general public in Pakistan. In response to this, Ideal Foods Traders GmBH, a German retailer of Asian food products issued a statement in which it was clarified that only specific batches of 12 products from Shan Foods were recalled from the market. After the initial unresponsiveness to the question asked by the media, the company officially rejected these claims on its Twitter account as "incorrect and misleading", claiming that its products were safe for consumption and met health and safety standards.[4][5]
References
- ^ a b Ariba Shahid and Farooq Tirmizi (14 March 2021). "Why Shan Foods should actively consider an IPO". Pakistan Today newspaper (Profit by Pakistan Today). Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Shan Foods celebrates Pak-China friendship over a delicious plate of biryani". Images magazine (Dawn Group of newspapers). 24 April 2017. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Singh, Mehr (17 May 2023). "How Shan Masala Spiced Up Diaspora Tables". The Juggernaut.
- ^ Hussain, Kashif (18 July 2023). "German authorities allegedly ban 12 Shan Food products". The Express Tribune newspaper. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ "Fact Check: Germany did not ban Shan products (but is actually just a batch recall)". Aaj TV News website. 16 July 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
