One of the most common questions we get at The Northeast Store is simple: "How do I know it's the real thing?"

It's a fair question. Northeast Indian food has become more visible across India in recent years — but with that visibility has come a wave of products that claim authenticity without delivering it. Generic "Northeast style" products made far from the Northeast. Pickles with long ingredient lists full of additives. Smoked meats that have never seen a wood fire.We want to answer that question properly.

Here's exactly how we source and ship our products.Where We Source FromThe Northeast Store was built on relationships — with farmers, producers and small food businesses across Meghalaya, Assam and Nagaland that we have developed over years of working directly in the region.Our smoked pork comes from Shillong, Meghalaya — traditionally wood smoked in small batches by producers who have been doing this for generations. Not in a factory. Not with artificial smoke flavouring. Over actual wood fire, the way it has always been done.

Our pickles and fermented products come from small producers across the region — women-led enterprises, cooperative groups, family businesses — who make these products using traditional methods passed down through generations.Our spices and cooking ingredients are sourced directly from growers and processors in the hills of Meghalaya, Assam and beyond.

We visit our suppliers. We know who makes our products. We know where the ingredients come from. That's not something we say lightly — it's the foundation everything else is built on.How We Ensure FreshnessFreshness is the challenge that every online food business faces — and it's the challenge we take most seriously.

Smoked pork is smoked to order. We don't smoke in advance and sit on stock. When your order comes in, the pork is smoked, rested, and packed. This means every order is as fresh as it can possibly be.Vacuum sealing is used for all our meat products. This isn't just packaging — it's an active preservation method that locks in flavour and keeps the product fresh through the entire journey to you, without any preservatives needed.

Pickles and fermented products are made using traditional preservation methods — fermentation, oil preservation, smoking, sun drying — that have kept food fresh in the Northeast for centuries before refrigeration existed. These methods work. They don't need chemical backup.

How We Pack Your OrderEvery order from The Northeast Store is packed with care. We use:Vacuum sealed packaging for all meat products Secure, leak-proof packaging for all pickles and liquid products Cushioned outer packaging to protect products during transit Clear labelling with best before dates and storage instructionsWe pack every order ourselves. We don't outsource this. The person packing your order knows exactly what they're handling and why it matters.

How We ShipWe use express shipping for all orders to ensure your food arrives as quickly as possible and in the best condition.Metros (Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune): 3-4 days Rest of India: 4-6 daysWe ship to all major cities and most pin codes across India. If you're unsure whether we deliver to your area, reach out to us directly.Why This MattersWe started The Northeast Store because we believe Northeast Indian food deserves to be known, eaten and appreciated across India — not as a novelty, but as the extraordinary culinary tradition it actually is.That belief only means something if the food we deliver is genuinely what we say it is. Authentic. Fresh. Made by real people using real methods in the Northeast.Every sourcing decision we make, every packaging choice, every shipping arrangement — it all comes back to that.When you order from us, you're not just buying a product. You're connecting with the people who made it, the place it came from, and a food culture that has been building these flavours for centuries.

Ready to experience it for yourself? Browse our full range at thenortheaststore.com and get authentic Northeast India delivered to your door.