Namakwali — selling Himalayan delicacies by way of Uttarakhand’s flavoured salts

Over the previous few years, Mahila Nav Jagran Samiti, a non-governmental organisation, has been planting bushes on behalf of flavoured salt producer Namakwali throughout Uttarakhand’s well-known Harela pageant throughout July 16-17 to have a good time the marriage of Shiva and Parvati.

The NGO does this on the request of Namakwali, which celebrates the Harela pageant, by planting a tree for each buy made throughout that point.   

There’s a widespread thread between the NGO and Namakwali. Each have been based by Shashi Baghuguna Raturi, who not too long ago made headlines when Automobile Dekho CEO and co-founder Amit Jain invested in her flavoured salt agency. Participating within the Shark Tank programme, Jain introduced an funding of ₹10 for a 5 per cent fairness in Namakwali.  

Creating consciousness

Raturi launched Namakwali in 2018 by beginning to promote her merchandise by way of Instagram and Fb. Nonetheless, Namakwali was formally registered as a model in 2020. The corporate was born out of her eagerness to create consciousness about Himalayan delicacies and empower girls by way of their culinary expertise.  

She started her entrepreneurship journey focussing on selling and promoting Pisyu Loon Pahadi Namak, a conventional Himalayan salt in Uttarakhand. It’s made by hand-grinding substances utilizing a “sil batta” (conventional grindstone). “We launched Namakwali to empower village girls and supply sustainable revenue alternatives,” stated Raturi in an e-mail interplay with businessline. 

The speciality

Demand because the launch has grown with the product vary increasing, together with native merchandise. The model now has 21 stock-keeping models. This has been potential as Namakwali expanded to a community of 10-12 girls who can produce a wide range of salts. 

The normal salt is meticulously floor with herbs and spices utilizing the standard grindstone, preserving the style and texture. “We at the moment supply garlic-flavoured salt, ginger-flavoured salt and flavour salt. These salts not solely improve the flavour of dishes but in addition convey a contact of conventional Uttarakhandi culinary heritage to your desk,” stated the Namakwali founder.

Raturi, who based the NGO in 1985, and her community of girls purchase rock salt from the market and blend it with different substances corresponding to garlic and ginger by way of the grinding stone. The Namakwali founder and her group adopted a grassroots method to popularise the salt. “Phrase-of-mouth suggestions performed a major function, supplemented by media and social media platforms, boosting its attraction and attain,” she stated. 

Wellness-consciousness pushing gross sales

At this time, Namakwali’s merchandise are in demand from well being and wellness-conscious clients eager on dietary richness. “Total, the mixture of dietary worth, geographical origin, buyer satisfaction and market traits synergistically drives the excessive demand for Namakwali’s merchandise at the moment,” says Raturi.

Moreover different web sites, Namakawali sells its merchandise by way of its portal. It’s getting orders from New Delhi, Mumbai the Nationwide Capital Area and Bengaluru.

On its half, the Mahila Nav Jagran Samiti focuses on girls’s empowerment, little one training, well being, agriculture and different social causes within the Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.