Rieber & Søn acquires SaritaS: Going for Indian food in Norway

Norwegian brand SaritaS has been acquired by Rieber & Søn today. "We are ready to put money into Indian Food," said Ingrid Tjøsvold, director of BU Norway.

Rieber & Son have acquired the entrepreneurial business of Sarita which is based in Kristiansand, Norway. The company was started ten years ago by Indian-born Sarita Sahjpal who has since delivered Indian ready meals to stores in Norway.

“We are pleased that Sarita is letting us pursue her life's work and that she herself is joining our team to further develop Indian food in Norway,” said Ingri Tjøsvoldd. “Her passion for food, good taste and good ingredients are exactly the way we think and work.”

The Real Taste of India

SaritaS Indian meals are very popular in the stores in which they are sold and with Rieber & Søn's sales and distribution network, Sarita hopes that many more Norwegians will get a taste of her dishes.

“My dream has always been that Norway will get to know India's tastes and aromas through my food,” she said. “With Rieber & Søn as owners, I am sure that many more Norwegians will come to know the true taste of India.”

Sarita started ‘Taste of India’ at the kitchen table in her home before moving production later to a former bakery in Kristiansand. Today, she leads the company with her brother Raj Sharma and her cousin Samir Sharma. All three will join Rieber & Søn to develop more Indian products. Sahjpal also runs the family restaurant ’Mother India’ in Kristiansand, a restaurant which the Norwegian daily Dagbladet voted the best Indian restaurant in Norway.

Indian cuisine

Ingrid sees several interesting trends developing that give her great faith that the chilled Indian ready meals will become an even bigger success.

“Norwegians eat more and more Indian food,” she said. “They like to have meals with good ingredients, good taste and that are easy to prepare. We are going to invest in the Indian kitchen in the future.”