Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Welcome Wafers and Farsan

It is one of the least places in Mumbai where you would expect to get good and crispy potato chips (aka "wafers" in India). Off Govandi Station Road in the East (in the West, there is the Deonar abbatoir), opp. Satyam Industrial Estate, surrounded on all sides by noisy industrial "galas", there is a factory that prepares potato chips and other "farsan". The name is "Welcome Wafers and Farsan". They claim to be the first "automatic line snack plant" in Mumbai, but whatever that is, the "wafers" are not only good, they are also cheaper (almost wholesale rate).

The difference in prices between buying from this factory as opposed to buying from a retailer could be as high as Rs. 40 / kg. If you factor in the freshness of the stuff, it is worth the trip to Govandi and back.

There are a lot of other products (variations of the common chips and farsan). The original factory happened to be in Mahim (West) until a few years ago after which it got shifted to Govandi.

Incidentally, the "wafers" have an importance of their own in the Mumbai/Indian diet. It is considered to be good to snack. Also, any birthday party or kiddie celebration will definitely have "wafers" on the menu.

So, if you are planning to have a party, you now know where to head.

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