Catering to the Craving Souls – Meena Vishwanath’s story

Every business, businessman, or businesswoman has a unique story to tell the world. We have lived in a world where business was male-dominated because women were always taught to take care of the home and family. From a young age, girls were taught the art of cooking, sewing, art, and other skills that were home-related. As the world progressed, women got better education and stepped out of their homes to do jobs; some started food businesses. There are innumerable examples of women who started businesses from home and built a brand; today they are successful and established brands in the market.

Today, I will narrate to you the story of Mrs. Meena Vishwanath, born into a simple South Indian family. Like all girls, she completed her education and got married. She worked as a teacher for 18 years, juggling work and home while taking care of her husband, in-laws, and daughter. She just managed to cook simple food. Life was like a clock, with the same routine every day until the day the husband had to shift to Indonesia for work. Mrs. Meena and their daughter too migrated to an unknown land.

Journey

Vishwanath’s family shifted to Indonesia; they lived in Surabayanim in East Jawa for 1.5 years. As I mentioned earlier, Mrs. Meena did simple cooking. Over the next few days of their stay, she realized that Indians barely got Indian snacks and sweets. She sensed their craving. Mrs. Meena decided to brush up on her skills and knowledge because she knew that if she wanted to cook a variety of Indian food, her simple cooking would not fetch much. The next few days, she spent time doing research, doing trials, and cooking till she mastered the recipes. With the support of her husband and daughter, Mrs. Meena rolled out her menu, which included popular south Indian Muruku that was crisp and perfect in taste; Sev; chakali; Chiwda, Mixtures, tasty Namkeens; and Theplas. Rice vadams, a daily staple and the most popular food among South Indians, were a big hit. They were delighted and complimented her cooking for its taste and price. She also took orders for nutritious breakfasts like Idli, Dosa, Upma, Sevai, Adai, Uthappam, and much more. Being away from their homeland and not getting Indian food, Mrs. Meena was a blessing in disguise for all. With not too many Indian restaurants, her food garnered immense popularity among Indians as well as local Indonesians, who loved the taste of India.

Challenges

Every business has its own set of challenges. Mrs. Meena and her family were now residing in Surakarla aka Solo in Central Jawa. The local language is the biggest hurdle in every country. She too faced the same difficulty as the locals, be it small shopkeepers or big shopkeepers in malls or any market that did not welcome English. Mrs. Meena found it hard to communicate and understand the local Indonesian Bahasa language. But Mrs. Meena’s dedication to overcoming these small challenges slowly decreased. Now it was easy for her to do her daily grocery shopping for her business. She was able to identify and relate the names of fruits and vegetables; grocery shopping became easier. Another big challenge was procuring groceries from local shops in Solo. Every item needed to be sourced and bought in Jakarta. But, as the saying goes, “No Pain, No Gain.” Mrs. Meena’s love of cooking gave her name and fame despite the difficulties. Every snack she made turned out to be a hit among the Indians. But her butter Muruku and Chaklis topped the list. Likewise, Ribbon Pakoda and Chiwda. Sambhar and Rasam powder were highly recommended and the most-sold items by every person who had them. If this was not enough, Idli Podi as it is popularly called is a powder that is mainly eaten with rice, Idlis, and Dosas, It’s a must on the plate. What is Indian food without an Indian sweet dish? She cooked a variety, but the Gajar halwa she made topped the list. It was a delicacy, as they enjoyed it thoroughly on every occasion.

Her business has grown manifold in the last 3.5 years. Even when the entire world was reeling under the fear of COVID, Mrs. Meena felt that home-cooked food would be safe and hygienic.

Result

There are many reasons why a business can become successful and popular. One important reason is customer satisfaction and excellent reviews. In Mrs. Meena’s case, both worked in her favor. She became a household name in her town. No journey is easy; it has to be made easy with a lot of hard work, dedication, patience, and a willingness to overcome all obstacles. Having said this, she does not need to look back. She still continues to take care of her family, and her enthusiasm for the food business has won the hearts of her family back in India too.

This is how Mrs. Meena’s simple cooking has given her an identity as a food businesswoman in Indonesia. Now she looks forward to continuing to grow her business; her customer base is already doubling. Her lip-smacking snacks and Indian food have finally found their place.

Mrs. Meena is a true inspiration to all the women who have to move with their families to a foreign land. Never underestimate yourself; your smallest skill can do wonders. You can put your strength into doing the right thing and work towards achieving your dream.

We commonly hear that behind every successful man there is a woman, but it can be rightly said that behind every successful woman there is her family.

Our Storyteller: Chanda Maken

Work hard, dream big, and never give up. That is Chanda; she is a dreamer, go-getter, creative, and very ambitious. She loves to live each second of her life to the fullest. She is a people person and also loves to travel and explore. Her energy and family are her strengths.

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