Serving food and earning livelihood: Success Story of a Kudumbashree Cafeteria

Kudumbashree aims at revolutionizing the hospitality sector in the state and also local economic development providing gainful employment to the poor women through the network of Cafe Kudumbashree units across Kerala. The demand for homemade food is increasing considerably in this modern society especially in Kerala, people tend to have reluctance towards fast foods, a group of entrepreneurs found opportunity in this changing scenario. Also Kudumbashree had a strong brand in cafe sector it has got opportunities to run Government canteens in many places.

Kudumbashree Cafeteria unit functioning at the Guest House Mess, Calicut University, was started on 1 November 2018 with the initiative of five Scheduled Caste women of Pallikkal Panchayath of Malappuram district of Kerala.  Pre General Orientation Training and General Orientation Training were conducted at panchayat levels followed by intensive trainings in the areas of skill, technical and entrepreneurial activities to the interested ones. After the completion of trainings, a group of five members Smt. Jishy, Smt. Sasitha, Smt. Shyni, Smt. Sarada and Smt. Soumya started the unit. They got training from Adebha Institute of Food Research and Hospitality Management, Thrissur (AIFRHM).  AIFRHM is a nodal agency which extend training sessions on both technical and marketing aspects including bulk cooking, crisis management, business promotion, accounting and many more.

The various food items available at the cafeteria unit enjoy great demand as healthy meals are provided and have completely avoided artificial colours and other artificial taste makers. Meals, tea and snacks are made available at the canteen at reasonable rates. To make avail the students and public, non-adulterated food is the main aim of these units. Apart from the routine schedule and regular customers, they used to get orders from various departmental meetings, syndicate meetings, arts festivals, sports and other programmes conducted at university compound.

The unit is run by women and all profits are shared amongst themselves the owners, who are Kudumbashree members. The positive factor is that the members have their whole family’s support in all areas of activities. Kudumbashree mission provides supports necessary to capacitate them like regular professional training, partial financial support, marketing avenues and interface with banks for raising capital. Shyni says that they have become self-confident under Kudumbashree and have gained acceptance and identity in the society.

Employees and students of Calicut University can now enjoy good food without burning a hole in their pockets, at the new Kudumbashree cafeteria launched there. Prompt and timely fulfilment of orders not compromising on quality and taste and the customer friendly approach stands out our unit unique and successful.

Two other canteens are already running in the college premises and competition from similar units with better brand is the major challenge faced by them. The constant support from District Mission team of Malappuram and University college officials have gave them immense motivation to run the unit in a sustained manner. They are intending to expand our activities by setting up take away counters and serving sumptuous and mouthwatering food for the customers including diverse ethnic delicacies of Malabar. They are receiving tremendous support from the local community and help them to upgrade the status both socially and economically.

Without any compromise in quality of food they offered now they are able to maintain stability of market among other competitors. Rather than focusing on a profit oriented enterprise the consumer satisfaction motivated them to run the unit in a better way. It is purely the self confidence in oneself that made these women start and success in such an enterprise. When Kudumbashree Mission supported them wholeheartedly, they succeeded in their enterprise and is moving forward.