Sadananda Maiya to help Akashika Foods as mentor

BENGALURU: Ready-to-eat food pioneer Sadananda Maiya will associate himself with Akashika Foods, the new owner of Maiyas Beverages & Foods, as an external consultant and mentor, Maiya told ET when asked about his plans.

Akashika Foods, a Bengaluru-based food company, has taken over the South Indian packaged food brand Maiyas as per a resolution order passed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). "My position is vindicated. I will work with the new investors," Maiya said.

"I am happy because the Tribunal has recognised and found nothing wrong with the transaction involving hiving off of Maiyas Restaurants from the Maiyas Beverages and Foods," he said. The Maiyas Beverages will continue with its business under the same brand name, he added.

The NCLT has passed an order going by the recommendation of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and interim resolution professional (IRP) Ashish Kanodia on handing over Maiyas Beverages to Akashika Foods.

Six firms such as Peepul Capital, Sadananda Maiya, Guiltfree Industries, MTR Foods, Akashika Foods and Kamal Agrawal had bid for the Maiyas Beverages after evaluating the firm’s assets and liabilities.

The interim resolution professional (IRP), who was tasked by NCLT to manage the affairs of Maiyas, declared that Akashika’s resolution plan to be successful. The successful resolution plan requires 100% upfront payment to financial creditors, workmen and employees and statutory dues to the corporate debtors.

Akashika Foods was represented by its director KR Raghupathi Bhat.

Maiyas Beverages was founded by Sadananda Maiya in Bengaluru seven years ago. He later roped in Ascent Capital and Peepul Capital as private equity investors.
Differences between Peepul Capital and the founders had deepened leading to the drying up of working capital and shut down of the factory briefly before NCLT appointed a interim resolution professional (IRP).

Maiya, the ready-to-eat food pioneer in India, founded and ran MTR Foods for long before he sold the firm to Orkla, the Norwegian conglomerate, in 2007. After the non-compete period ended, Maiya, along with his son, founded Maiays Beverages and Foods, and launched many innovative products.