Sanjeev Kapoor to launch FoodFood in collaboration with Astro

The channel rides on the rich culinary skills of Kapoor and plans to take a 360 degree approach across multi-media platforms including TV, IPTV and other digital platforms.

Sanjeev Kapoor is all set to launch a 24 hour food lifestyle channel named FoodFood. It will be a joint venture between Astro All Asia Networks (Astro) and the television company owned by Sanjeev Kapoor, India's most celebrated chef, and his wife, Alyona Kapoor.

With the concept of food, its related information and entertainment, the TV channel is scheduled to go on air in early 2011. The content will be produced and packaged in India, making the shows relevant to the Indian audience. Basically, the channel will be a multitude of formats put together to showcase food in a novel way.

Sanjeev Kapoor to launch FoodFood in collaboration with Astro

Speaking about the association with Kapoor, Raghvendra Madhav, executive director, media, India and South Asia, Astro Group, says, "He has been a pioneer in the food industry and food programmes on television. This man understands the consumers' psyche very well and knows what people want."

The channel will draw on Kapoor's expertise in the domain and Astro's understanding of the media industry.

FoodFood will feature shows about food and lifestyle, such as 'Sanjeev Kapoor's Kitchen', 'Firangi Tadka', 'Sirf 30 Minute' and 'Ready Steady Cook'. Prominent personalities from the entertainment and food industry, such as Chef Chinu, Chef Harpal and Chef Rakesh Sethi will feature as part of the varied offerings on the channel. The channel will also provide a platform to others to showcase the culinary traditions of India.

To promote the offering, the channel plans to take a 360 degree approach across multi-media platforms such as TV, IPTV, the Internet and other digital platforms.

FoodFood will follow a mass approach, targeting SEC A, B, C viewers, which will include middle class Indians in urban towns and cities.

After announcing the plans in early February, FoodFood has taken a long time to be launched. Speaking on the delay, Madhav adds, "Sanjeev and I have been discussing about the plans for the past nine months and the foreign investment board approved of the venture a couple of months ago. After that, we also got the relevant regulatory approval recently."

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