What began as a small pandemic-era flea market with just 13 brands has grown into one of India’s largest vegan gatherings. Namu Recommends Vegan Market in Bengaluru brings together food, sustainability, and community, creating an accessible space for conscious living. More than a marketplace, it fosters connection, supports local businesses, and invites people to rethink everyday consumption.
Namu Recommends Vegan Market is a community-led marketplace that is steadily redefining what it means to eat, shop, and live consciously in Bengaluru.
Founded in 2021 by Namu Kini, the market began as a way to recreate a slice of New York City that Kini found herself missing in Bengaluru, the kind of bustling, community-driven flea markets that bring people together as much as they spotlight small businesses. During the isolation of the pandemic, that absence of human connection became even more pronounced, prompting the first edition of the market, which started modestly with just 13 brands. Today, it has grown into one of the largest vegan gatherings in the country, with editions hosting anywhere between 60 to over 130 brands from across India. What began as a small, almost nostalgic initiative has since evolved into a thriving, city-wide ecosystem.
But to call it just a “market” would be underselling it.
Spend a few hours their upcoming edition happening on the 28 and 29 March at Chamara Vajra, and you’ll find yourself amidst a one-of-a-kind experience. There are over 130 brands serving everything from dairy-free desserts and plant-based meats to artisanal cheeses and regional snacks reimagined without animal products. Alongside these are homegrown brands offering cruelty-free skincare, sustainable home essentials, and slow fashion. It’s an invitation to rethink everyday choices and learn something new.
What sets Namu Recommends apart is its insistence on accessibility. You don’t have to be vegan to belong here. In fact, that’s the point. The market actively invites the curious, flexitarians, skeptics, and anyone who simply wants a good meal to engage with a lifestyle that is often misunderstood. As its founder has emphasised, the goal is to create a space where people can “explore and enjoy what Indian vegan businesses have to offer,” regardless of where they stand.
And that openness is reflected in the atmosphere. "Everything to do with the market is fun. It's very important that everything remains fun. People come, they spend their entire weekend with us, they bring their pets, kids and grandparents. Even 85 year olds are having a great time, because there's something for everybody," says Namu Kini, founder of the market. With free entry, free parking and a pet friendly environment, the market is a place where an intentional community moment built around shared values.
At a time when conversations around climate change, ethical consumption, and sustainable living are becoming increasingly urgent, spaces like this feel necessary. They bridge the gap between ideology and practice, making it easier for people to take small, tangible steps, whether that’s switching to plant-based milk, supporting a local brand, or simply rethinking what’s on their plate.
Namu Recommends Vegan Market is building an ecosystem that supports small businesses, and slowly but surely, reshapes the city’s relationship with food and sustainability.
If you liked reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
You Can Cuddle A Cat At This Versova Sunday Farmers Market
'Mapusa Mogi': Help Fund Orijit Sen’s Tender Love Letter To The Markets of Mapusa
A Vegan’s Guide To Goa: Explore 5 Restaurants & Cafes For Plant-Based Goodness