At the age of 47, when Kerala’s Brijith Krishna lost his IT job during the pandemic in 2020, he was at a crossroads, unable to find a stable source of income for his family.
He came from a family of cashew farmers. However, his small farm was also suffering a loss at the time.
Being a vegetarian, Brijith always felt there was a lack of protein in most vegan diets. With this idea and a background in cashew farming, he intended to launch a food startup specializing in protein-rich sprouted cashews for vegans.
Brijith officially launched his cashew sprouts venture, eatery Malabarikas LLP, in 2021 to prepare a variety of unique cashew dishes. Now, his startup supplies food items to major food supply companies and hotels in Kerala, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.
Initially, a major challenge for Brijith was the limited germination potential of cashews.
However, through persistent research, he successfully extended the germination potential to 180-200 days, ensuring year-round availability of sprouted cashews.
Coming from a family of cashew farmers at Iritty in Kannur, Brijith was aware of the challenges faced by the farmers. He knew that wet cashew nuts had no buyers.
In an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia, Brijith said, “Rain spoils a year’s effort of a cashew farmer. During heavy rains, the cashew nuts absorb moisture, and because of the moisture content, these cashew nuts are refused by cashew nut processing companies. When I decided to start a venture, I was determined to find a solution to this problem.”
The unseasonal rains in March-May affect the pollination process and the harvesting period. As the small farmers don’t have good storage facilities, they keep their harvest out in the open.
During this time of the year, their produce gets wet. No cashew factory is ready to purchase this damaged product as the quality becomes poor, the colour gets faded, and the taste is also bad.
Brijith did his research to come up with a patented technology that extends the germinability of cashews.
Additionally, he received a Rs. 25 Lakh grant from the central government under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme.
Today, Eatery Malabarikas offers a wider range of delicious cashew sprout dishes ranging from curries to salads, snacks, and milkshakes.
Recently, Eatery Malabarikas received ISO 22000:2018 and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certifications from the globally recognized Food Safety Management System.
Beyond his passion for cashew innovation, Brijith supports local farmers by purchasing wet cashews from at least 11 local farmers and transforming them into high-quality sprouted cashews.
As a result of his efforts, Brijith achieved an annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh in FY24 and continues to expand his reach in the market.
Brijith told Startup Pedia that he provides free training to small-scale farmers who want to make a living out of cashew farming.
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