This is the story of a 30-year-old couple who moved to America five years ago. But the fragrance and attachment of the soil of the country made him return to his homeland after 5 years. Sandeep Jogiparti and Kavita Gopu, wanted to start their own business. In the year 2018, after coming to India, he worked as a software engineer in an American company for a few months. But the idea of becoming an entrepreneur remained in his mind.
by Sandeep The Better India Told to, “I was a software engineer. But the idea of starting my own business always kept on running in my mind. I used to talk about this with family and friends. After working in the US for five years, I had put together a lot of money for it.”
Business idea found with sweet desire
They knew that they have to do business for a long time, but had no idea of what they would do business with. He wanted to do some business related to sweets. Because they themselves have been very fond of sweets.
Says Sandeep, “I have a habit of eating something sweet, especially laddus after my meal. There is always a box of sweets in my house. But family members often advised me to stay away from things made from refined sugar. They say that it would be better if you eat a spoonful of jaggery instead. It was from here that the idea of healthy laddu business came in his mind.
Then in the year 2019, Sandeep and Kavita entered the market with ‘Laddoo Box’. In this box of his, there are 11 varieties of laddus, which are made from jaggery, bajra, ragi, lentils etc. Within a year, his startup has done a business of 55 lakhs. On craving for something sweet every day, Sandeep says that it is not the only ones who are worried about refined sugar, their friends, family and many people living nearby were facing the same problem.
This is how the journey of laddu box started
Sandeep explains, “Everyone I spoke to during market research wanted a sweet alternative that was both tasty and healthy. When I told him about a nutri bar made of jaggery, he did not show any interest in it, people wanted something indigenous.” Sandeep further explains that Laddu was everyone’s choice. Because they can be eaten easily and they are also tasty.
Then Sandeep and Kavita started working on sweet recipes that have been passed down through generations in the family.
Says Sandeep, “Our grandparents used to use different things to make sweets for family functions. Earlier we did not know their importance. But now it seems that everything is so important. For example, laddoos made from urad dal are rich in iron, whereas laddoos made from linseed are also full of energy.”
There are many qualities in this laddu.
Sandeep and Kavita wanted to make laddus from indigenous ingredients like whole grains, millets, ghee and jaggery and they did. He kept working on these recipes in the kitchen till the perfect healthy laddus were ready.
He made 11 types of laddus from ragi, foxtail and finger millet. There is a lot of nutrition in all types of millet. Kodo millet keeps cholesterol levels under control, while ragi controls blood sugar. Foxtail millet is rich in antioxidants and improves memory. Since these laddoos are made from pure ghee, there is no fear of spoilage for a long time. Each laddu has a shelf life of 21 days.
Sandeep explains, “In December 2019, we quit our jobs and launched ‘Laddoo Box’ in the market. We sold ‘Laddoo Boxes’ through stalls set up in fairs and IT companies. Apart from these events, we again got a lot of orders from customers who liked the laddus a lot.”
Didn’t give up even in lockdown
However, in March 2020, Laddu Box had to take a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thereafter, he planned online sales and launched a website. Create social media handles for marketing. Sandeep says, “In June 2020 we started selling online. We got more response online than offline.
We are getting orders from many cities in the country, even from UK and US.” The company has so far received 6000 orders and earned 55 lakhs. 28 years old Anusha is an interior designer in Vuthaluru, Hyderabad and also a valued customer of Laddu Box. She is very conscious about her health. According to him, this is the best sweet, which does not cause any ‘gilt’ by eating it.
She says, “The laddoos in the laddu box are just as delicious as the normal laddoos. But eating them does not feel bad, but there is a feeling of eating something good and healthy. Whenever I feel tired, I pick up a ladoo, put it in my mouth and within minutes I get active again.”
Just one laddu for all needs
The weight of the laddus should not exceed 28 grams, Sandeep and Kavita take special care of it. Whereas the mango laddus found in the market are more than 40 grams. Explaining the reason, Kavita says, “Laddus bought from a sweet shop are often not eaten whole at one go and are left in the box after eating half. Doing so may spoil the rest of the laddus. So we decided that each laddu should be of the right size, so that if a person wants to eat it in two times, he does not have to eat more in the second time.”
He also has an ‘on the go box’ containing three laddoos. This box can be easily carried around anywhere by keeping it in your bag. Whenever you feel like eating something during the day, take out a healthy snack from the bag and eat it.
Vegan laddus will also be available
Recently they have also launched a new range of laddoos. These include protein-rich laddoos for fitness freaks, iron-rich laddoos for women and ragi laddoos for kids. They have also come up with vegan laddus, which are made from dates instead of jaggery and ghee.
To order healthy laddoos, visit their website and follow them on Instagram for more information.
Original article: Roshni Muthukumar
Editing: Archana Dubey
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