AWL Agri Business Limited (formerly Adani Wilmar Limited)’s flagship brand, Fortune Foods, celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special Meet & Greet event for the top 25 winners of its first-ever “Fortune Influencer Masterclass” digital campaign, which was introduced on February 10th. More than 50,000 prospective culinary content creators from all over India registered for the campaign, demonstrating its tremendous response. The top 25 winners were recognised and given content collaboration opportunities with Fortune Foods worth up to Rs 2 lakhs each at the felicitation event in Ahmedabad.

Three gifted chefs from Kolkata—Madhurima Basu, Imita Singha, and Jhuma Mascharak—also left their mark among the Top 25 winners. Their choice demonstrates the region’s thriving culinary talent and illustrates the increasing prominence of local food producers online.

Participants in the “Fortune Influencer Masterclass” received training from professionals, necessary equipment, and a stage on which to display their culinary prowess. They also had the chance to learn a lot from well-known food influencers, such as Vinayak Grover, the brains behind Lost and Hungry Studios, Nimisha Rao, Influencer Manager at Influencer.in, and Meghna Kamdar of Meghna’s Food Magic, a Forbes Top 100 Digital Star with over 5 million followers.

After their first assignment, the brand first shortlisted the top 250 culinary creators after a multi-stage evaluation process that lasted almost four months. A distinguished panel of judges, which included both MasterChef contestants and winners, evaluated each assignment. The judging criteria for entries included advanced abilities like video editing, plating aesthetics, and animation use, as well as inventiveness and storytelling potential in recipes. The field was subsequently reduced to the top 25 competitors in subsequent rounds, who were honoured at the Meet & Greet.

Fun games and activities preceded the grand finale, which was an exciting celebration. Meghna Kamdar also shared industry-level knowledge with a special plating demo. A fireside chat titled “The Ingredients of a Great Food Content Creator” was the evening’s high point. Meghna Kamdar, who spoke for the influencers, Mukesh Mishra, Joint President, Sales & Marketing AWL Agri Business Limited, who spoke for the brand, and Sunil Chawla, Co-Founder of Social Beat, who spoke for the digital agency, all contributed unique viewpoints to the conversation and educated the audience.

The experts emphasised how the media landscape has changed from conventional outlets like print and television to dynamic, digital-first platforms where real-time engagement and authentic storytelling are crucial. They talked about how crucial it is to comprehend the journey of every viewer, create authentic content, and use influencers to foster trust.

Fortune’s dedication to staying ahead of these trends was a major topic of discussion. The brand is actively influencing the new digital ecosystem rather than merely adjusting to it. Fortune launched this campaign with the specific goal of creating a vibrant community of foodies by giving them a place to develop their abilities and advance in the content-driven world of today. From plating and scripting to video editing and animation, this program aims to provide mentorship to creators at all levels, enabling them to craft gripping narratives that captivate micro-audiences.

In addition to discovering outstanding talent, the Fortune Influencer Masterclass has laid the groundwork for a new generation of domestic culinary influencers, equipping them with resources, exposure, and a brand platform to support their abilities.

Priyanka Dutta