Two 16-year-old friends from Bihar transformed a traditional Chhath Puja delicacy into a thriving enterprise worth Rs 1 crore, combining cultural heritage with modern food safety standards. Their inspiring entrepreneurial journey demonstrates how young innovators can bridge tradition with contemporary business practices.
The Catalyst for Change
The story of Jayanta Karmakar and Kailash began with a health crisis. When Jayanta fell ill after consuming thekua(a traditional sweet integral to Chhath Puja celebrations) from a roadside vendor, he recognized a critical gap in the market. While this culturally significant snack held deep sentimental value for people across Bihar, it was primarily sold under unhygienic conditions, limiting its reach and making consumers hesitant to purchase it. This moment of realization sparked their vision to transform traditional Indian snacks by maintaining their authentic taste while introducing modern food safety and hygiene standards.
From Kitchen Experiments to Brand Launch
What began as a passionate conversation between two friends evolved into concrete action. Kailash, who had left school to work at railway stations selling water bottles to support his family, immediately embraced Jayanta’s vision of bringing traditional flavors back into mainstream consumption through a modern approach. Together, they started experimenting with recipes in a small home kitchen, testing various traditional snacks including thekua, makhana, banana chips, and laddoos while prioritizing cleanliness and maintaining authentic taste profiles.
Initial challenges they have to face
The initial phase proved challenging. For weeks, they received no orders, and skeptics questioned whether consumers would accept packaged versions of traditionally homemade snacks. However, the duo persisted, continuously refining their recipes, leveraging social media for marketing, and personally connecting with local customers.
Building Shuddh Swad: A Growing Success
In 2023, Jayanta and Kailash officially launched Shuddh Swad, their snack brand, from a modest setup in West Bengal. Their dedication paid off remarkably quickly. Within a year, the company had:
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Reached over three lakh customers across India
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Grown from two founders to a team of approximately fifteen employees handling production, packaging, marketing, and customer service
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Achieved a valuation of Rs 1 crore
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Expanded distribution through major online platforms including Amazon and Instagram
Product Portfolio and Future Vision
Shuddh Swad currently offers two varieties of thekua: one made with coconut jaggery and another with coconut suji, with plans to introduce a cardamom-flavored variant. While Kailash manages day-to-day operations, Jayanta balances his studies with the business, demonstrating how young entrepreneurs can pursue education and entrepreneurship simultaneously.
The Broader Impact
Their business model addresses multiple challenges simultaneously: it preserves vanishing traditional food culture, provides employment for approximately fifteen workers, ensures food safety and hygiene standards, and makes culturally significant snacks accessible year-round rather than limiting them to seasonal festivals. Their story resonates with the broader startup ecosystem, showing how identifying genuine market problems—particularly those rooted in cultural contexts—can lead to sustainable, scalable business solutions.
For Bihar’s young population and aspiring entrepreneurs, Jayanta and Kailash’s journey exemplifies how personal experiences, coupled with determination and innovation, can transform cultural traditions into thriving modern businesses worth crores of rupees.
