From kitchen wisdom to airport shelves: The rise of Mama Nourish | Fusion - WeRIndia

Many entrepreneurial journeys begin long after traditional retirement age.

At 62, Usha Shrotriya chose to reimagine her lifelong culinary skills into a modern brand.

For decades, she prioritised family over personal ambition.

Although she once dreamed of becoming a police officer and later a teacher, her aspirations remained unfulfilled.

Marriage and motherhood took precedence. Nevertheless, her passion for traditional recipes never faded.

In 2021, while visiting her son in Mumbai, she prepared gond laddus for her daughter-in-law after childbirth. Soon after, a shortage and a family discussion sparked concern.

Recipes, she realised, might disappear with generations. Moreover, her pregnant daughter’s gestational diabetes demanded a healthier alternative.

Consequently, she replaced sugar with dates and adjusted ingredients. The result pleased everyone.

Meanwhile, she noticed cereal bars packed for busy workdays. Therefore, she experimented with shaping laddus into portable bars.

She reduced ghee, removed refined sugar, and tested grains like bajra and moong dal. After nearly 90 trials, she perfected the texture and taste.

Encouraged by office appreciation and market surveys across cities, her son, Yash Parashar, and his colleague, Kunal Goel, identified a gap.

Urban families trusted homemade recipes but lacked reliable brands. Thus, they consulted food technologists and refined production methods for scale. In January 2024, Mama Nourish began deliveries.

Importantly, the brand extends beyond Shrotriya’s kitchen. It features recipes from Saroj Madan and Suman Dhamane, known as Aapli Aaji, a grandmother and digital creator.

Today, Mama Nourish offers 12 variants, including a Mini Laddubar for post-meal cravings.

Initially, sales focused on the brand’s website and later expanded to Amazon. Strategic digital marketing quickly secured corporate interest, including an early order from Netflix.

Subsequently, the bars entered vending machines at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. They also reached 150 corporate offices nationwide.

While manufacturing occurs at certified facilities, Shrotriya oversees quality closely. The larger bars start at ₹70, whereas mini bars cost ₹40. Although profitability remains early-stage, angel funding now supports the company’s expansion.

Mama Nourish blends heritage with convenience. Through it, Shrotriya ensures that grandmother recipes travel far beyond home kitchens.

Image Credit: Mamanourish Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://mamanourish.in/