Megala Pugazhenthi was a new mom when she decided to make additive- and pollutant-free oil for her baby. She made it out of coconuts from her farm at Pollachi and gifted a bottle of the same oil to her friend Priyadarshini Krishnan (also a new mom).
Priyadarshini says, “I was surprised at its aroma and how it left my child’s skin soft. I used it to keep her safe from diaper rashes too,” she says. So impressed was she that, along with Megala, she founded Root and Soil, a brand that sells virgin coconut oil, cold-pressed coconut oil and black sesame seed oil in April, this year.
While Megala takes care of the production, Priyadharshini looks after packaging and marketing. “We hired two women to help us in the production,” she says.
Priyadarshini and Megala were so pleased with how it helped their babies with diaper rash that they named the Virgin Coconut oil ‘Bae’ be’ Bum’! Now, it is becoming increasingly popular with other health-conscious moms.
While their first clients were friends and family, they now they have people across India buying the oils.
They are available on Amazon and so far, they say they have sold 260 litres. “Our best selling product is the cold-pressed coconut oil. We have sold around 150 litres,” says Priyadarshini.
Oils
She says it takes two days to make a batch of virgin coconut oil. Coconuts are grated and then the milk is squeezed out. “We need five litres of milk to make one litre of the oil and it takes 22 medium sized coconuts for that amount of milk,” Priyadarshini explains. The milk is then left overnight to ferment. “This process allows the development of pro-biotic bacteria, which is good for the gut. It is then heated to extract the oil.” Priyadharshini says that a spoon of the oil can be mixed with the solid food for babies.
- Available at Pazhamudir Plus Supermarket, Nehru Nagar and Peelamedu and AVM Pazhamudir, Nava India. Order online at https://www.facebook.com/RootandSoil/ and www.amazon.in
- Virgin coconut oil is available in 100 ml bottle. Cold pressed oils are available in 300 ml, 500 ml and one litre bottles
- Price ranges between ₹135 to ₹930
Coconuts are harvested once in 28 days, then the flesh is sun dried for three days before being cold-pressed for the oil. The sesame seeds come from farmers in Palani. “Till a few years ago, refined oil was the preferred medium of cooking in many homes. Now, cold pressed oils are back in demand.We have a capacity to produce 30 litres of coconut oil, 20 litres of black sesame oil and 10 litres of virgin coconut oil in a month,” says Priyadarshini.
Root and Soil sells their products in glass jars. “We plan to give special discounts to people who return the bottles. These bottles will be reused,” she says. They have recently launched a balm made with coconut oil and bee wax. “Balms are easy to carry around and mothers will not have to worry about leakage. It can be used to prevent rashes and also as lip balm. We are planning to launch coconut oil soaps soon.”
