Women entrepreneurs aim big at Vyapar 2022

Seeking to cash in on burgeoning marketing opportunities in the MSME sector, women entrepreneurs are making their presence dominantly felt at the ongoing 'Vyapar 2022' meet here, displaying a wide range of products and their business acumen that is catching the attention of both domestic buyers and global e-commerce giants.

Among the 300-odd exhibition stalls at the expo, 65 of them belong to women business leaders, whose palpable confidence and professionalism convey that they aim big in their respective enterprises, organisers said in a release here.

Ranging from food products to handicrafts, they have displayed riveting products for buyers, including global e-commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart.

Minimol Mathew, owner of organic mushroom farm Nahomi, has displayed a raft of value-added products made from mushroom including, oyster mushroom powder, oil, chocolate, soap, pickle, and cake.

"It has been proven that oyster mushroom powder is useful for curing thyroid. We convert unsold mushroom into value-added products, which are being sold through major fairs," says Mathew, a native of Vithura in Thiruvananthapuram, who has been attending major fairs across India.

Geetha from Kalpetta has set up a stall for her venture West Mount Caffe. She said her firm sells premium coffee powder Arabica, which is famous for its superior quality, flavour, taste and aroma.

"We are mainly exporting the Arabica coffee powder to Dubai. Our major market in Kerala is five-star hotels, high-end restaurants and branded supermarkets," she added.

Kasaragod-based Arunakshi M launched her enterprise Viflowers, a pillow and mattress-making venture, during the pandemic. Within no time, the micro-fibre pillows that are helpful for reducing neck pain gained a prominent place in the market and the firm registered a turnover of Rs 50 lakh last year.

"Our major market is Kerala and Karnataka. I have employed around 10 staff and all are women," she said.
Hailing from Pathanamthitta, Suma Reji, Managing Director, Taste of Travancore, has a pickle brand, Mummy's Secret, which offers around 25 types of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pickles.

Reji says she prepares these pickles in a conventional way without adding any preservatives. She believes that it is the quality and taste that helped the organic products find a place in the hypermarkets of LuLu Group.

"At Vyapar 2022, we got enquiries for exporting the products, besides supplying them to the domestic market. Discussions are going on with brands like Reliance and More to showcase the products in their supermarkets," says Reji, who is also a politician.

Vandana Jubin, Founder of MinyM, is adept in making chocolates, and has already scripted her success as an entrepreneur. An engineering graduate from Chalakkudy, she is focusing on making healthy and sugar-free chocolates using natural ingredients.

She makes more than 25 varieties of chocolates, including sugar-free chocolates using stevia, a natural sweetener.

"Apart from domestic buyers, I have got a good number of enquiries regarding the export of chocolates at Vyapar 2022. We have an online platform to sell the products, but I'm targeting a tie-up with major e-commerce firms for getting more visibility," Jubin points out.

Showcasing an array of attractive bags, masks and stationery items made of jute, Sujatha K from Palakkad exudes confidence that Vyapar 2022 will help scale up her business brand Tiddy Bags.

She has been making jute products for the last nine years and has around 12 staff working under her. Even COVID-19 could not snuff out her entrepreneurial spirit as she made the most of the glum situation by lapping up bulk orders for making cotton masks.

Organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce to give a big boost to the MSME sector hit hard by the pandemic, the three-day 'Vyapar 2022' in the city will conclude on Saturday.