Kudumbashree - Success Story of Ethnic Food Restaurant

Making ethnic foodand earninglivelihood: Success Story of Ethnic Food Restaurant

Eating is one of life’s pleasure and pride – so cooking and serving good food to others. A restaurant is a commercial outfit which specializes in the preparation of quality food and to serve them to satisfy the customer’s demands. Kumarakom is a village located on the shores of  Vembanad Lake in the backwaters of Kerala, Southern India.

This Restaurant, Samrudhi Ethnic Food Restaurant is situated on the bank of Vembanad lake. The unit was formed on 11 April 2011 with 10 members. Some members of this unit were members of the CDS in 2009.  As there weren’t any good hotels for them, they decided to start a restaurant for the ordinary people after their official term in the CDS. At that time, they understood that the hotel named 'Araam' decided to stop because of theirfinancial losses and they decided to buy this restaurant as a Micro Enterprise Unit with 10 Kudumbashree members with an initial investment of Rs. 10,000. Several times they got financial assistance from Kudumbashree Mission. At present, there are 8 members active in this unit. They provide vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods at reasonable prices. The hotel is working hours are from 6 AM to 9 PM. But because of their family and their home was very distant, it was difficult to spend all this time at restaurant. Therefore, they plan to work as four members on each other on ashift basis.The training was provided to them by Kudumbashree Mission for 6 months and the same was obtained through a training agency. The training helped them to cook, clean, and control the foodstuff and gave them great confidence. Participating in various Business Expos and Food Fest inside and outside the state and earning more profit.  They have monthly sales of around Rs. 200,000. The sincerity, hardworking, commitment and quality in food helped them get this year's Tourism Award for Outstanding Ethnic Restaurant in this year. They believe that not compromising on the quality of foods, hard work and joint responsibility, participating in various exhibitions, food fests and earning more profit are the reasons behind their success.

Another restaurant was started in parallel to their restaurant. But they were unable to compete with them restaurant and so they were soon closed.

Attending Expos and Food fests all over Kerala and outside Kerala marked the turning point in their business.This restaurant is located on the banks of Vembanad Lake. So they want to start a floating restaurant on Vembanad Lake.  They are now happy that, they we can live well in society and could evenmanage their children's education and marriage very smoothly.

The women from Ethnic Food Restaurant believes that one cannot thrive one’s own income without hard work. Success normally comes to those people who devote to their work. Prosperity in life will never come to us when we remain sitting idle.By extending opportunities to many women like the entrepreneurs of Ethnic Food Restaurant, Kudumbashree Mission is giving wings to the dreams of many.  These women of Kudumbashree Mission prove that there is nothing impossible in the world, if one have decided to work hard to make it succeed.