Atina Foods

Atina Foods is a specialty food business dedicated to the traditional preservation of abundant regional produce using minimal electricity. Founded in 2015 by married team Carrie Dashow and Suresh Pillai in Catskill, NY, we create locally sourced, globally inspired, fermented, and preserved shelf-stable condiments. By blending traditional South Indian Ayurvedic recipes, American herbalism, and regional ingredients, we craft unique yet familiar condiments that enhance any meal—even dessert!
While we initially worked with original and culturally specific ingredients, our journey has deepened our understanding of the local environment. This has allowed us to shorten our supply chain and purposefully incorporate regional produce, adapting our recipes to reflect our surroundings.
As we expanded our palates, we also expanded our gardens and strengthened relationships with regional growers. The recent completion and certification of our small onsite production kitchen (certified: 20C Ag and Markets) has further reinforced our commitment to local sourcing. This milestone has also fueled our desire to expand direct marketing efforts, including participation in NYC markets.
One example of our locally adapted products is our popular Rhubarb Ginger Herbal Jam, inspired by the traditional South Indian digestive Inji Puli (Ginger Tamarind). Our innovative ferments, recognized with national awards, are dry lacto fermented with salt only, and feature local produce combined with our signature energetic spice blends.
Since our inception, we have continuously refined our products to be more regionally focused. We believe that the health of individuals, communities, and the environment is deeply connected to local food systems. In Ayurveda, it is said that the most effective nourishment comes from where one lives—an ethos that guides both our products and our business philosophy. We like to think of our condiments as ambassadors of this belief, finding their way onto shelves, plates, and into the fridges of our growing customer base.