Venkatachalam, a 67-year-old loom owner from Perundurai, have been intending to start a new venture. After going through a number of ideas, he decided on a packaged masala and spice powder industry. He is now attending a coaching programme in meals processing at the Post-harvest Technology Centre of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) to grasp the technicalities involved in the industry.
"I had been doing textile business since the 1970s and now my son has taken up the venture. I was looking to start a new business, when I came to know that food items such as masala powders and pickles had a big market. So, I came to the training programme offered by TNAU to know the intricacies involved in the business," mentioned Venkatachalam.
Like him, engineers and professionals in different fields too are taking over the industry, which they say has a perennial market. They say home-made products akin to spice powders and pickles, if marketed correctly, can find a dedicated clientele.
This is what inspired D Sudar Kodi, 40, a sales supervisor at a non-public firm in the city, to think seriously about taking over the industry. She says she has been considering quitting her activity and starting a meals products venture. "I always had an idea to start this business, as the products had a good demand. I was at first sceptical about giving up a salaried job for a start-up. However, I made up my mind and started collecting data on how to make food products professionally," says Sudar Kodi who also had come to attend the learning programme at TNAU. "When I bought ready-made masala powders, I would think it would be nice if they were home-made. So now I have decided to cater to the needs of people who think on those lines," she provides.
There are people who had left salaried jobs to begin meals product ventures and found luck. Vincent Charles, 49, from Dindigul is one. An engineer by way of career, he had left his activity to begin a pharmacy. But it didn't supply him much scope for expansion. "So, decided on a food product start-up. It took me six months to arrive at the right blend and taste by trial and error. Gradually, it picked up and now I am supplying products to 10 departmental stores in Dindigul. I have also planned to open a venture in Trichy," says Charles.
The ‘home-made’ issue is the important thing that makes such ventures, says Charles. "At first, departmental stores were reluctant to take products from small players like me against big brands. But when I started highlighting the fact that my products were home-made, shops started taking them and a soon a customer base also formed for the products," Charles says.
Experts say the scope for meals product industry was once large and so was once the contest. "Small players who come into the business can sustain for a while by catering to their friends and family, but when they want to do it on a large scale, there are several challenges," mentioned Vijay Prasad, director of Sree Annapoorna Foods. He says there was once at all times a trend of people from various fields entering meals ventures on account of its scope. "But small players must know where to position their product to sustain in the market," he provides.
"I had been doing textile business since the 1970s and now my son has taken up the venture. I was looking to start a new business, when I came to know that food items such as masala powders and pickles had a big market. So, I came to the training programme offered by TNAU to know the intricacies involved in the business," mentioned Venkatachalam.
Like him, engineers and professionals in different fields too are taking over the industry, which they say has a perennial market. They say home-made products akin to spice powders and pickles, if marketed correctly, can find a dedicated clientele.
This is what inspired D Sudar Kodi, 40, a sales supervisor at a non-public firm in the city, to think seriously about taking over the industry. She says she has been considering quitting her activity and starting a meals products venture. "I always had an idea to start this business, as the products had a good demand. I was at first sceptical about giving up a salaried job for a start-up. However, I made up my mind and started collecting data on how to make food products professionally," says Sudar Kodi who also had come to attend the learning programme at TNAU. "When I bought ready-made masala powders, I would think it would be nice if they were home-made. So now I have decided to cater to the needs of people who think on those lines," she provides.
There are people who had left salaried jobs to begin meals product ventures and found luck. Vincent Charles, 49, from Dindigul is one. An engineer by way of career, he had left his activity to begin a pharmacy. But it didn't supply him much scope for expansion. "So, decided on a food product start-up. It took me six months to arrive at the right blend and taste by trial and error. Gradually, it picked up and now I am supplying products to 10 departmental stores in Dindigul. I have also planned to open a venture in Trichy," says Charles.
The ‘home-made’ issue is the important thing that makes such ventures, says Charles. "At first, departmental stores were reluctant to take products from small players like me against big brands. But when I started highlighting the fact that my products were home-made, shops started taking them and a soon a customer base also formed for the products," Charles says.
Experts say the scope for meals product industry was once large and so was once the contest. "Small players who come into the business can sustain for a while by catering to their friends and family, but when they want to do it on a large scale, there are several challenges," mentioned Vijay Prasad, director of Sree Annapoorna Foods. He says there was once at all times a trend of people from various fields entering meals ventures on account of its scope. "But small players must know where to position their product to sustain in the market," he provides.
Food products spice up business for start-ups
![Food products spice up business for start-ups]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
February 23, 2018
Rating:
