A jar of Kerala pickle can look the same on every shelf, yet the products inside vary a great deal. If you stock a grocery counter, a gift hamper range or a restaurant takeaway shelf, a few simple checks before your first order will save you from returns and unhappy customers. This is a practical checklist for buyers of Kerala fish, prawn, chicken and vegetable pickles.
1. Ask what is in the jar, in plain words
Read the ingredient list as a customer would. Fish pickles should name the fish (tuna, sardine, mackerel, prawns or nathal/anchovy), the oil, the spices and the acid used. A short, clear list is easier to explain at the counter and easier to check against the label rules.
2. Check the pack size against how the product sells
Pickle is bought in small quantities and often as a gift. Our Fresh Eats range uses 200 g jars for fish and chicken pickles, 50 g for roasted dry prawns and 80 g for dry prawns and dry nathal chutney powder. Smaller packs are easier to place on a crowded shelf and let a customer try a new flavour without committing to a large jar.
3. Look at the seal, the oil layer and the jar
- The lid should be sealed and not bulging or leaking.
- Non-vegetarian pickles are traditionally kept covered in oil; a visible oil layer is a good sign of careful filling.
- Clean, food-grade containers make it easy to see colour and pieces before purchase.
4. Understand the range, not only one flavour
A buyer who stocks only one flavour loses repeat customers. A sensible starter mix covers a fish pickle (for example yellowfin tuna or sardine), a prawn pickle, a chicken pickle and one vegetarian option such as mango, lemon or puliyinchi. Regional favourites such as kanthari and lemon dates kanthari pickle add variety for customers who want something different from the usual mango.
5. Match the pickle to the customer
Kerala customers living abroad often look for the taste of home, while visitors buy pickle as a gift. Households want a jar that lasts several weeks in the kitchen. Tell your staff which pickles go best with rice meals and which suit chappathi, appam or idiyappam, so they can recommend confidently.
6. Know the storage advice before you stock
Keep jars in a cool, dry place away from direct sun, use a clean dry spoon each time, and keep the lid tight after opening. Our separate guide on how to store Kerala fish pickle gives the detail in Malayalam.
7. Ask the supplier about food safety and labelling
Ask for the supplier FSSAI licence, how batches are coded, and the best-before date for each product. Farmour Ventures is ISO 22000:2018 certified and holds an FSSAI Central licence, and our pickles are packed under the Fresh Eats brand in Thiruvananthapuram. For export buyers who want vegetarian pickles or their own label, see our Kerala pickles for importers page.
8. Start with a mixed trial order
Instead of one large order of a single flavour, begin with a small mixed order and see which jars reorder. Note the flavour, the shelf position and how many jars you sell each week. After a month you will know which two or three flavours to keep and which to drop.
Next step
See the full list of Fresh Eats fish, chicken and vegetable pickles on our Kerala fish and chicken pickles page. For a trial order for your shop or restaurant, message us on WhatsApp +91 82899 93000 or use the enquiry form.