Nendran Banana Chips — Why the Variety Matters

Not all bananas fry the same way.

If you've ever made banana chips at home, you know the difference between a Nendran and a regular banana almost immediately. The Nendran has a denser flesh, a lower moisture content, and a natural starchiness that holds up to the heat of frying in a way other varieties simply don't.

The result is a chip that's thicker, crunchier, and more satisfying. The flavour is also distinct — a subtle earthiness that you don't get from a sweeter, high moisture banana.

Why Nendran?

Kerala has grown Authentic Nendran bananas for generations. It's the variety used in sadyas, in traditional home cooking, and in every roadside stall that does banana chips properly. The preference isn't arbitrary — it comes from the fact that the Nendran produces a better result for frying.

At Upperi, we specify Nendran as our raw material for every banana chip SKU. This matters because not all packaged banana chips do. When a chip is made from the right starting point, everything downstream — the texture, the flavour, the crunch — follows.

What does this look like on the pack?

Our ingredient lists read "Nendran Banana" rather than just "Banana." That's a deliberate choice. We want you to know what went into the chip, not just that a banana was involved.

The bottom line

The raw material is where the quality story starts. You can have the right oil and the right process, but if you start with the wrong banana, the result is a lesser chip. Nendran is the variety that makes the most sense for what we're making. So that's what we use. Every pack. Every batch.