While we wolf down those lip-smacking delicacies at local teashops and bakeries, many of us are unaware of the entrepreneurial homemakers who supply these snacks on a regular basis.
For these women do not have the wherewithal to rope in a celebrity to promote their products or even place a hard-to-miss ad in newspapers.
Instead, what they have in abundance is the zest to work hard and make these goodies with dollops of love, pretty much like that secret recipe of the heavenly ‘Sulaimani’ tea revealed by Usthad, the memorable character portrayed brilliantly by the ace actor Thilakan, to his grandson in the film Usthad Hotel .
No wonder, these delicacies are literally flying out from the glass shelves of neighbourhood tea shops and bakeries keeping these housewives-turned-entrepreneurs busy .
Chandrakala, one such member of that clan, makes around 20 kgs of unniyappams a day for about five to eight bakeries, besides selling them in wholesale. The hard work is paying rich dividends as she keeps on getting bulk orders and the demand seems to be increasing by the day.
The forte of Rajeswari, her counterpart from Kathrikadavu, is uzhunnuvada and she makes around 25 kg of it a day. “I have a regular clientele of bakeries and shops to whom I supply daily. I also take orders to supply at various functions,” she says.
These are not large enterprises employing multiple hands but one that is often operated singlehandedly from a small kitchen.
Sometimes, they come together to scale up through collective efforts as in ‘Keni’, a group of friends who make snacks like samosa , pazhampori, achappam and unniyappam . The teaming up has worked out well and they manage a decent income, now spending their previously wasted time productively.
Shiny, from Vytilla, has made a name through her crisp cutlets, both veg and non-veg ones. She takes extra care in choosing meat and vegetables. Taste coupled with attractive pricing has won her a clientele that comprises students and school canteens ensuring her a fair profit.
With people turning increasingly health conscious, these entrepreneurs have realised that keeping their delicacies healthy is key to their success.
“I never use any kind of preservatives to boost the taste or flavour of unniyappams . I make them with ingredients traditionally used over years by our mothers and grandmothers,” quips Chandrakala.
‘Keni’ attributes demand for their products to their preparation in households, which instils confidence in people about their cleanliness and hygiene. To keep that trust intact, they see to it that only natural ingredients go into their snacks. They refrain from adding additives and high in fat ingredients that make children addicted to the snack. Hence they feel it to be the reason that parents are opting for these homemade snacks.
The success mantra of these ladies can be pretty much summed up thus: tasty hygienic and healthy snacks at prices much cheaper than the fast food items like pizza, burgers etc.
Many of these enterprising women have not restricted themselves to traditional snacks but ventured into confections and meals. For instance, Livi based in Vypeen has built a reputation through designer cakes served at weddings and birthday parties.
“We chanced up on these cakes and are now regular customers” says Anju, a college student. Jacob a businessman goes for homemade cakes as they are fresh unlike the ones in bakeries about which he’s not so sure.
Santhakumari, an employee at LIC office at Menaka, is a member of a growing tribe of consumers of homely meals. “Almost everyone who works here eats from the Kudumbasree stall at the office run by housewives who prepare snacks at their own homes,” she says, an opinion backed by her colleague Omana who sums the delicacies on offer succinctly, “tasty and cheap.”
These homely items are especially a blessing to those staying away from home for different reasons and Kudumbasree outlets have especially become quite popular due to these snacks.
Unnikrishanan, who works with BPCL, is regular at a nearby Kudumbasree unit that offers meals complete with three to four varieties of curries, which he finds very reasonable.
Sheena, a regular commuter at Vyttila hub, seconds. “I usually buy snacks from Kudumbasree stalls, while travelling or when I don’t get time to prepare them myself. It is a relief to have such places, which take care of taste and hygiene equally,” she says.
With the demand for these traditional snacks on the rise, more such stalls are dotting public places, such as bus stands and railway stations that witness a lot of activity.
As it is, these women have turned out to be Usthads in their own right with secret recipes of their own.
( Inputs from Thamanna Abdul Latheef C. and Aiswarya T. Unnikrishnan )
