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A lost snack pack finds its way to the mic and opens a bigger story: how a Punjabi family turned street memories into a modern brand that won Fortnum & Mason and claimed a Piccadilly window. We sit down with Steve from Curry Smugglers to unpack why a can of Bombay Mix can do what a plain bag never could—stand tall on shelves, spark nostalgia, and carry culture with pride.

We trace the journey from Delhi airport heat to train vendors at Chandigarh, from aunties pressing chakli to a Spotify playlist on the can. Steve connects the dots between music scenes that “weren’t ready yet,” his early house bhangra on John Peel, and the grind that later helped pioneer the UK’s alcohol‑free beer wave. That same graft shows up in snacks: 36,000 cans filled on a manual line, buyers who love that cans don’t topple, and the clean, recyclable logic of aluminium over plastic. Retail strategy meets design swagger, and the shelf becomes a stage where Desi heritage is the headliner.

The conversation turns to care and community. The designer who inspired the brand’s look passed away in 2012, and that loss deepens the mission: normalising mental health talk in communities taught to shrug pain off, and exploring gentle, Ayurveda‑inspired products that sit naturally beside everyday snacking. We swap stories of growing up in East London in the 80s, finding belonging, and why London’s multicultural energy still sets the table for food, music and identity to thrive.

If you love brand building, CPG, South Asian culture, or the craft of turning memory into a product that moves, this one hits home. Press play, share it with a friend who needs the inspiration, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these stories.

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DHABA

Brewed slowly. served warmly. crafted with care