Students with special needs at an institute in the city are making cookies and savouries that are steadily finding takers among Calcuttans.

Abilitea may not yet be a household name, but it has carved out a niche among customers who swear by the taste of its snacks.

Individuals with varying disabilities prepare the products at a unit in Manovikas Kendra with “care, compassion and time”.

“We can only make a limited number of cookies each day. But right from preparing the dough, weighing the ingredients, rolling, cutting and packaging, everything is done by the students under supervision,” said Amita Prasad, director of Manovikas Kendra.

For safety reasons, however, the institute does not allow the students to fry the savouries or bake the cookies.

“Many of the children have limited academic goals. The whole idea is to develop their vocational skills and give them a sense of empowerment and economic independence,” Prasad said.

She said there is growing interest among Calcuttans in their packaged snacks.

“We don’t compromise on quality. Those who buy once come back for more, and that is what we want. The first purchase may be to encourage an NGO, but repeat purchases happen only because of the taste and quality,” she said.

Over the past two months, the institute has paid close attention to packaging. Earlier, the products were sold in transparent plastic packets.

Good packaging helps attract attention, while quality keeps customers coming back and helps expand the customer base, Prasad said.

The unit is now also ready to deliver orders placed in advance.

Abilitea is increasingly being invited to set up stalls at exhibitions, where most of its products sell out quickly.

Profit is not the goal, Prasad said. Awareness and training are.

“Setting up a stall at exhibitions is part of our awareness-building exercise. Individuals with special needs are capable of producing quality products. We don’t want people to buy out of sympathy. We want them to buy because they like what we make,” she said.

Neurotypical people often underestimate the abilities of neurodiverse individuals and fail to recognise their talent and skills. Many neurodiverse individuals possess skillsthat grow stronger with training.

The institute also runs a cafe on its premises, called Abilitea, which was inaugurated in December 2023 during its golden jubilee celebrations. Manovikas Kendra has been working for the welfare and rehabilitation of children with disabilities since 1974.

“They are producing snacks that are as good as anybody else’s, and I feel we should support that. It is much easier for many others to make the same products, yet they are putting in so much effort and producing food that is every bit as good as what we otherwise buy,” said writer Anjum Katyal.

Katyal said the institute’s professionalism is evident in its packaging, the freshness of its food and the quality of the ingredients it uses.