AI for potato snacks; Exploring Murshidabadi cuisine
HyFun Foods supplies major quick service restaurant (QSR) brands, including Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s, while also expanding its retail footprint in India.
Hello,
One too many Xs.
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, has acquired social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock transaction valued at $33 billion, including $12 billion in debt.
The move aims to integrate xAI's advanced AI technologies with X's extensive user base, potentially enhancing user experiences and advancing the pursuit of knowledge.
ICYMI: The world’s most visited websites, ranked.
Meanwhile, Tesla sales have been nearly halved in Europe. In a new report, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said that in the EU, Tesla sales declined 49% in January and February 2025 as compared to 2024.
Elsewhere, a forgotten masterpiece by the legendary painter MF Husain has been rediscovered.
For decades, Husain's Untitled (Gram Yatra) adorned the walls of a Norwegian hospital. Last week, the 14-foot mural, however, was sold for a whopping $13.8 million at Christie’s auction in New York.
The mural has surpassed the previous record holder for Indian art, Amrita Sher-Gil's The Story Teller, which fetched $7.4 million in 2023.
Lastly, here are some stunning pictures from Saturday’s partial solar eclipse.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
- Artificial intelligence for potato snacks
- Exploring Murshidabadi cuisine
- Kinara’s Hardika Shah reveals mantra for success
Here’s your trivia for today: Which of Shakespeare's plays features a sorcerer, Prospero?
Startup
AI for potato snacks
Founded in 2015 by Haresh Karamchandani, HyFun Foods serves business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) segments, specialising in frozen potato-based snacks, including French fries, burger patties, and cheese poppers. The company says it uses AI and IoT to ensure product quality.
Key takeaways:
- HyFun Foods supplies major quick service restaurant (QSR) brands, including Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s, while also expanding its retail footprint in India.
- The company also exports its products to over 40 countries, including the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
- Starting with 200 farmers, HyFun Foods adopted a contract farming model, which has now grown to 7,500 farmers across Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Food
Exploring Murshidabadi cuisine
Bengali cuisine holds a prominent place in the Indian culinary landscape. Beyond the kosha mangsho and luchi, undivided Bengal has been the root of many micro-cuisines—Bengali, Awadhi, Indo-Chinese, and Mughlai. And then there’s Bengal’s best-kept secret—the Murshidabadi cuisine.
Flavours of East:
- Murshidabad, a historical city on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, was once a hub of trade and culture. In 1704, during the reign of the first Nawab of Bengal—Murshid Quli Khan, Murshidabad was declared its capital city.
- Naturally, the then-capital was influenced by Mughlai cuisine and a fusion of Persian and Bengali flavours.
- Born in Lucknow to a traditional khansama (royal cook) family, Chef Rehman Mujeebur is on a mission to preserve the authentic recipes of undivided India.
SheSparks
Kinara’s Hardika Shah reveals mantra for success
Overcoming workplace challenges and breaking free from stereotypes requires one to be brave, bold and benevolent, according to Hardika Shah, Founder & CEO of Kinara Capital. Speaking at SheSparks 2025 in Bengaluru, Shah shared her personal journey of resilience, highlighting the challenges of work-life balance and the importance of staying true to oneself.
Be bold:
- At the age of 40, Shah left a thriving career in consulting in the United States to move to Bengaluru and start Kinara Capital to fund micro-enterprises in India.
- At Kinara Capital, Shah made a deliberate and bold decision to ensure that 50% of its management team comprised women.
- Shah believes success is not a solo journey and is built on collective efforts. She draws inspiration from Maya Angelou’s words: “When you stand for yourself, you stand for every woman.”
News & updates
- DEI ban: The Trump administration has ordered some French companies with US government contracts to comply with his executive order banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes, highlighting the extraterritorial reach of US policies and their potential impact on European corporate practices.
- Space deal: Airbus Defence and Space will build the landing platform for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars rover, replacing a critical component originally to be provided by Russia. Airbus announced one March 28 that it was selected by ESA and Thales Alenia Space, the prime contractor for the mission, to build the landing platform for that rover mission, scheduled to launch in 2028.
Which of Shakespeare's plays features a sorcerer, Prospero?
Answer: The Tempest
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