About us

At Varah Gourmet, we believe food should be beautiful, memorable, and made with ingredients you feel good about sharing

Founded by Pooja Bhatia, Varah Gourmet was born from a passion for creating products that bring together exceptional flavor, thoughtful ingredients, and beautiful presentation. Inspired by a life shaped by Dubai, India, and California, our products reflect a blend of global culinary influences and a deep appreciation for hospitality and gifting.

The idea for Varah began with a simple box of handcrafted stuffed dates shared with friends. What started as a small gifting business soon grew into a brand dedicated to proving that food-based gifts don't have to choose between good looks and good ingredients.

Over the years, that philosophy has expanded beyond gifting into a collection of bold, globally inspired treats and snacks. From Tikka Masala Nut Mix and Zaatar Spice Almonds to Thai Spice Cashews and Masala Cranberries, our products celebrate vibrant flavors from around the world while staying true to our commitment to quality.

Our products are crafted with carefully selected ingredients, are dry roasted rather than fried, and contain no seed oils, preservatives, or artificial flavors. We believe that better ingredients create a better experience, whether you're entertaining guests, looking for a thoughtful gift, or simply enjoying an afternoon snack.

The name Varah means "blessing" in Sanskrit. For us, that blessing is found in sharing something meaningful: food that sparks conversation, creates connection, and brings people together.

Today, Varah Gourmet continues its mission to challenge the notion that consumers must choose between indulgence and mindful ingredients. We believe the best food delivers both.

Founder story

My journey with food began long before Varah Gourmet.

I grew up in Dubai, spent my summers in India, and now call California home. Across cultures and continents, food was always at the center of celebration, hospitality, and connection. It brought people together and created some of life's most meaningful moments.

In my early twenties, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. It was a life-changing experience that sparked my interest in health, nutrition, and the role food plays in our well-being. I began researching healthier ways of living and eating long before wellness became mainstream. Daily exercise, minimizing refined sugar, limiting highly processed foods, and making thoughtful choices about ingredients became part of my lifestyle.

Years later, after my children were older, I felt a strong desire to build something that reflected those values. I wanted to create food gifts without compromise, products that were beautiful enough to gift, delicious enough to enjoy, and made with ingredients I felt good about sharing with the people I loved.
What started as a simple box of handcrafted stuffed dates gifted to friends soon grew into a business. I built Varah Gourmet in Dubai and was fortunate to see it resonate with customers who were looking for an alternative to traditional gifting.

In 2019, life took me across oceans to California. Moving a small food business to a new country came with plenty of uncertainty. I wasn't sure whether a brand built around premium, thoughtfully crafted food gifts would find a place in a market dominated by mass retail and wholesale clubs.


Then the world changed.

Just six months after our move to California, COVID arrived and suddenly everyone was shopping online. I decided to take a chance. With little to lose and everything to learn, I launched a website, began sharing healthy recipes on Instagram, and started building a community around the values that inspired me to create Varah.
Slowly but surely, the business found its footing in the United States. There were new regulations to navigate, licenses to obtain, shipping logistics to master, and corporate clients to reach. The journey looked very different from the one I had started in Dubai, but the mission remained exactly the same.
Varah exists to challenge the notion that food-based gifts are a choice between good looks and good health.

In December 2025, I took another leap by introducing Varah's products to retail shelves. It was the next chapter in our story and an opportunity to bring our flavors and philosophy to even more people.

I lost my mother to cancer just 6 months before taking that step. She was one of my earliest inspirations and the reason I began thinking differently about food all those years ago. I often think about how proud she would have been to see how far this small idea has come.

Today, every product we create carries forward the same belief that inspired the very first box of dates: food should be beautiful, memorable, and made with ingredients you feel good about sharing.

Pooja Bhatia

Founder, Varah Gourmet