The journey of a mother and son duo has successfully converted a traditional delicacy from Bihar into a significant business. With Rs 15 crore a year, 1,000 orders daily, Actor Madhavan shared how a Bihar mother-son duo built a Rs 75 crore thekua brand in Bengaluru. Veena Devi, a former school teacher, relocated to Bengaluru with her son Sameer after dedicating 15 years to education. Upon her arrival in the new city, she sought out engaging activities as she found it challenging to adjust to her new lifestyle.

Observing a number of women in her housing society who were running successful home kitchens, Veena was inspired to start her own culinary venture. Thus, she established Apna Kitchen, where she began preparing authentic snacks including namkeen thekua, sweet thekua, and daalbhoote. Her initiative drew upon the rich traditions of her home state of Bihar, aiming to bring a slice of this heritage to her new community.

Growth of MomsMade

A pivotal moment in Veena’s entrepreneurial journey occurred when Sameer proposed the idea of producing gur thekuas, aligning them with the traditional recipes made during the Chhath Puja festival in Bihar. The homemade treats quickly gained popularity within their residential community, initially receiving between 10 to 50 orders daily, and soon escalating beyond 100 orders.

As word spread and demand increased, Veena and her team began to fulfil over 1,000 orders each day under the brand name MomsMade. This clean-label snack brand has reportedly generated an annual revenue of around Rs 15 crore. The operations not only employ about 50 local women who assist in the preparation and packaging of the snacks but also aim to offer a range of traditional treats, including nimki and chana dal.

The success of MomsMade drew the attention of tech investor Aditya Singh, who publicly disclosed an investment of Rs 1.5 crore in the venture. He indicated that the company experienced an impressive growth rate, reportedly increasing 15 times within a year. Such growth illustrates the potential for traditional recipes to thrive in broader markets.

From Family Recipes to Consistent Production

As the demand for their products soared, Vedha faced significant challenges in maintaining the quality and consistency of her offerings. Initially, preparing small batches allowed her to judge the necessary amounts of flour, jaggery, and ghee instinctively. However, as production grew to thousands of units, she realised the need to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure uniformity in taste, texture, and appearance.

The journey to establish this consistency was time-consuming and required extensive refinement. Much of the knowledge that informed her production processes stemmed from insights shared by her mother, whose family recipe and culinary techniques provided the essential foundation for the business. Each batch of thekuas is meticulously checked for crunchiness, ensuring that customers receive the same quality each time they purchase.

What started as a small home kitchen endeavor has blossomed into a thriving enterprise that honours tradition while meeting the demands of the contemporary market. For Veena Devi and Sameer, their journey exemplifies how a cherished family recipe, combined with entrepreneurial spirit, can achieve far-reaching success beyond its original context.

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