Category: Millets Startups

Nutritious and Healthy Ragi Ladoos by EarthPoorna creating Food Sensation
Ragi Ladoos – Nutritious & Healthy
Millets making a comeback due to their rise in demand by the people and the ability of millets to face climate change creating space on the farmers’ fields. Finger Millet (Ragi) is widely accepted in India due to its ease in processing and making different recipes. Ragi Lodoos made by EarthPorna are creating food sensations in people’s hearts.
EarthPoorna, a social venture by Sucheta Bhandare of Pune involving women in the business and procuring millets directly from farmers. Ensuring and supporting the livelihood of women and farmers.
Before going to the story let us understand the health benefits of ragi ladoos and how it is helping people in their health.
Health Benefits of Ragi Ladoos:
- Rich in Calcium which is good for bones. It has been reported that 100 gm of ragi contains 364 mg of calcium.
- It is gluten-free and it will be a good choice for people suffering from celiac disease.
- Due to the low glycemic index, it is good for diabetic patients. The recent meta-analysis of millets has given us more evidence of their goodness in controlling blood sugar levels in our bodies.
- It helps in maintaining good skin and prevents wrinkle formation and sagging.
- Due to high fiber, it helps in better digestion and prevents constipation.
- Ragi helps in checking the weight of the body by lowering the appetite and helps in the weight loss journey.
Related Post: Health Benefits of Finger Millet (Ragi)
After going through the health benefits of Ragi Ladoos, let us now listen to the Founder of EarthPoorna- Sucheta Bhandare a Social Entrepreneur who has taken the Ragi Ladoos to a great level and created a sensation among the people of India.
The short breaks at my school in Vadner used to be so interesting that even the thought of it makes me smile today. I used to take peanuts and jaggery, dates and grated coconut, roasted grams, and puffed rice some days, and seasonal fruits, pulses, and healthy and nutritious ladoos on other days. During days-offs and holidays, my friends and I would go to the farms and happily devour whatever was growing there. Spending my childhood in a village in a village in the district of Nashik meant that I had no other option for the junk food that kids in the cities eat today.
Today, although I live in a big city like Pune, my hunger pangs are still fulfilled by such simple preparation. During times of exertion and exercise, I have realized the benefits of consuming such simple yet healthy preparations. All this was easily available to me back at home because my mother made it a point to put it in my Dabba(tiffin box). In cities, there are many out there who want to incorporate such a healthy diet into their lifestyle but have no time and sources to get hold of such products.
That is why we are bringing to you such preparations filled with love and health. A combination of your grandma’s recipe and expert advice on diets suitable to our lifestyle is what you will find in our natural and tasty preparations. We at ‘EarthPoorna Foods’ are glad to serve you delicious food in your office, school, gym, college, and at your home.
EarthPoorna – Impact on the life of Women, Farmers, and Consumers:
The best thing about EarthPoorna is that the chemical-free raw materials are procured directly from the farmers. In the initial days, it was difficult to get ragi grains, but slowly Sucheta Bhandare convinced the farmers of her locality to cultivate and promised to pay a better price. Farmers were happy and started cultivating ragi in their fields when they could find a better market for their produce.
Photo: Ragi Procurement directly from farmers
EarthPoorna has a team of dedicated and well-trained women who make delicious, healthy, and nutritious ragi ladoos. This venture has bought about a change in the life of the women and improved their livelihood status.
The EarthPoorna Ragi Ladoos impacted the health of the consumers. Now, people have got a nice product to choose from. Ragi Ladoos has reached the different corners of the country. The feedback from the consumers is amazing and they are recommending it to their friends and relatives. They liked the taste of the Ragi Ladoos. It is becoming a part of every festival in India. It has created positive vibes among consumers.
EarthPoorna’s Ragi Ladoos among the Trekking Group
The uniqueness of EarthPoorna’s Ragi Ladoos:
The Ragi Ladoos are made by maintaining proper hygiene and cleanliness. These products are tested in the Government Lab and a proper nutrients certificate is obtained and also certified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Ragi Ladoos is made under the guidance of a Nutritionist and Ayurveda practitioner.
Ragi Ladoos are made in four variants. The main ingredients of the ladoos are Ragi flour, Jaggery, Cow Ghee, dry fruits, dry dates, flax seed powder, and Cardamom powder. One of them is the multigrain ladoo which is made with a combination of pulses, flax seeds, jaggery, ghee, and almonds. Research has found that millets in combination with pulses improve the bio-availability and absorption of nutrients in the body.
This makes EarthPoorna’s Ragi Ladoos unique in the market.
Online Presence of EarthPoorna’s Ragi Ladoos:
The presence of ragi ladoos in the online platform connects consumers from different corners of the country.
Click to buy Online
Adding Ragi Ladoos to your diet will definitely keep you and your family healthy. EarthPoorna’s venture works for the sustainable development of farmers and simultaneously provides you with wholesome and healthy food. I hope this social enterprise will flourish more in the days to come and bring smiles to the face of the farmers and keep us healthy.

Author: Tapas Chandra Roy, A Certified Farm Advisor on Millets, ‘Promoting Millets from Farm to Plate’. In a mission to take the forgotten grains- Millets to Millions. To remain updated on my blogs on millets you can join my Telegram Channel – Millet Advisor.
August 31, 2021

Millets Market Analysis in 2020

MILLET MARKET ANALYSIS:

Millets are ancient Super grains, nowadays known as Nutri-Cereals, is the reservoirs of nutrition for better health. They are classified into major and minor. Major Millets( Sorghum and Pearl Millet) and Minor Millets(Foxtail, Proso, Kodo, Little, Barnyard Millet). They are predominantly gaining more importance in the world and in India.

Market Analysis pertaining to Millet can be discussed by its:

1. Demand and Consumption

2. Use in Food Processing

3.Online Distribution Channel

4. Increase in Millet Production

5. Market Forecast

6. Market Competition.

DEMAND & CONSUMPTION:

Millets were considered as the Poor Man’s Food. Now it has shifted to Rich Man’s Food. The demand for it is increasing in urban areas not only due to its nutritional value but also enhancing immunity in the human body. They are considered to be promising sources as an immunity booster. The important elements that maintain our body’s immune system are those which contain all vitamins and minerals and a completely balanced diet.

So, the first cereals that come to my mind which contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants are the MILLETS. The increase in awareness of the health benefits of Millets will directly boost the consumption and trigger the industry growth rapidly by 2025.

USE OF MILLETS IN PROCESSING:

Millet Beer

Innovative millet products are taking their share in many segments like Infant Food, Bakery Products, Health Drinks, Ready to Eat Food, Breakfast Food, and the emerging industry i.e. Alcohol.

Two mothers of India came forward with a yummy and healthy food for babies in the brand name Slurrp Farm. Bringing their experience and imbibing their ideas into them. Many Startup Businesses have come with wonderful millet products in the market. The Toit Brewery of Bengaluru is the first to introduce Nutri grain-Millet into the beer jug. By this, there will be a reduction in the import of barley malt from abroad. As they are rich in nutrients, it is taking the place in the health drink segment.

ONLINE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL:

Market Share by Distribution Channel

In 2018, millets market share by distribution channel shows that e-commerce online stores are gaining importance and likely to show promising above growth more than 3% CAGR by 2025. Previously people were dependant on traditional grocery stores for millet products but now in the situation of COVID-Pandemic, everyone is dependant on online stores. Keep in mind that Millets are the immunity booster and getting the product at the doorstep, Online Store will take the maximum share in the distribution channel.

INCREASE IN MILLET PRODUCTION:

India is the largest producer of millets with 41% market share in the world. The importance of millet is increasing day by day due to increased awareness among people and government policies supporting nutritional security. The only crop to withstand drought and climate change is the millet as it can be grown in every soil with less rainfall. Many states like Odisha, Karnataka are promoting millets on a large scale benefitting small and marginal farmers. There is an increase in MSP of millets for the last 3 years giving confidence to farmers to grow more millets.

MILLET MARKET FORECAST:

According to a report announced by the Reportlinker.com “North America Millets Market Forecast to 2027- COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis By Product; Application; Distribution Channel; and Country, where they have mentioned that The North America Millets Market was valued at US$ 841.87 million in 2018 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2019-2027 to reach US$ 1,192.24 million by 2027.

MARKET COMPETITION:

The global millet market is unorganized and fragmented. The millet processors are generally small in size catering small export business. As the trend of growth in millet will bring more opportunities for the entrepreneurs and simultaneously have more competition in the market. The entrepreneur with the right strategy and good quality products will take the maximum market share. The organic millets with more traceability and transparency will win the game.

BUY MILLET PRODUCTS FROM STOREFRONT IN AMAZON

Author: Tapas Chandra Roy

July 24, 2020

Millet Startups and Business Opportunities in 2020
”Millet Startups Ignition – Business Opportunities in Millets”
Looking into the potential of Millets and its business in India, A webinar was organized by a premier agricultural research institute engaged in basic and strategic research on sorghum and other millets under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR)-Indian Institute of Millet Research(IIMR), Hyderabad on 23rd, May 2020 at 10 AM.
Millet Startups Webinar- Nutrihub, IIMR
Around 80 participants participated in this Millet Startups webinar and I too got the opportunity to attend this Webinar and could learn a lot of things from the great panelists who are having better experience and knowledge in this sector. So, I thought of sharing with you all.
It started with joining and acceptance of participants and then witnessed the Nutrihub Film focusing not only Lab to Land and Farm to Fork Solution but addressing a major nutritional problem of the nation and Indian Government is putting effort into supporting the commercialization of technologies from public-funded Institute through Start-up.
Nutrihub Incubation program is designed to help Nutri-cereals startups grow in a streamlined fashion by providing them the required technology and business support system which I have mentioned in my previous post on “The Potential of Millets and start-up”. In the future, we intend to create 100 plus entrepreneurs in the next 5 years said by Director of IIMR, Hyderabad.

Dr. Raj Bhandari said on the topic “USP of Millets – Developing markets on Nutrition”. Health and Nutrition will be the main focus of all future development programs. Over the years there are many changes in lifestyle, nutrition, food, and immunity.
The challenges that we are going to face is the Food Nutrition and Immunity. Millets were there around the 3000-5000 years and were eaten as a staple food. There is a lot of value in these wonderful grains. In the next decade will go back to ancient grains. The body recognizes and understands millets due to its immunological memory in our body of our past experience which we carry as a legacy for the future.

USP of Millets:

1. Millets are the next smart food because it is packed with nutrients and energy. They are the powerhouse and the Government of India has named it Nutri-Cereals.
2. Nice source of energy as it releases energy in a constant manner.
3. Millets are gluten-free.
4. Millets contain a good profile of micronutrients which is divided into two categories, Type-1 and Type-2. First, the Type-1 which are the functional nutrients that can be stored in the body like iron, calcium, manganese, copper, iodine, and a certain amount of Vitamin A, D, K which is helpful for cellulose metabolism. The type-2 are the growth nutrients (growth promoters) like Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Zinc, Magnesium, and Potassium.
5. Millets contain a balanced amino profile. The protein digestibility can be increased by proper processing and malting.
6. Millets doest not contain trans fat.
7. Millets contain fiber and resistant starch which work as pre-biotics.
8. Millets are used in the pharmaceutical industry.
9. Millets are alkaline in nature.
10. Millets come under the therapeutic category.
11. Good for the farmers as it is suitable for dryland agriculture and requires fewer inputs that require less water and naturally organic in nature.
12.Good for the planet as it is climate-resilient crops.
The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of Millets can be created in the target groups and demographic profile where we can use millet as the main ingredients in the food-based approach. We are committed to reducing malnutrition. The stakeholders of millets are huge and this is a way to move forward.

Dr. Vilas A Tonapi, Director, IIMR
Dr.Vilas Tonapi, Director, ICAR- Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad presented on ”An Overview of Millets – Production and Utilization”. This institute has taken this task of mainstreaming millets into the food plates of everyone. This can be done by telling people about the millet grains, what are the business opportunity around them, how to cook these millets. The food recipes created in this institute can be used in creating food diversity at home.
Awareness is the key to success. A strong value chain has been created. 15 states have spearheaded in the millet mission. Production and productivity will take place but the backward linkages that we have created with the technologies with the cultivars, with the production practices and the awareness all these have created an ecosystem of awareness around Millets. It is not only the elder to take millets but also for children. For children, the recipes should be attractive, appealing, and tasty. We have experimented, confirmed, and validated that tasty recipes can be made with millets as wheat and rice.
Coming to the Business Opportunities in Millets. You need to look at the area of business, which is good for me and how can I create my own sphere, dimensions, and status around which I am called the Millet entrepreneur.
Important aspects for a Millet Entrepreneur:
1. Production: You can create a Farmer Producer Organisation(FPO) for which you can get Government support.
2. Primary Processing of Millets at the farm gate.
3. Millets Value Addition: Vermicelli, pasta, puffs, flakes
4. Seed Entrepreneurs: You can give good quality seed to the farmers which will enhance the production and productivity of millets.
5. Aggregators: Aggregating millets in the warehouse for supermarkets and food industry.
6. Packaging for supermarkets and food industry
7. Food Entrepreneurs: Biscuits and Cakes
8. Millet based Hotel Industry
9. Millet Export Industry
When you link to all the value chain from production, processing, value addition, aggregators, and you as a millet entrepreneur making available to consumers is an important aspect. APEDA and FSSAI and laboratory for quality checks are there to help you in this business. Opportunities are many if we explore and we can provide you handhold support under NGRAIN Programme and RKVY-RAFTAAR.
Dr. Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub
Dr. Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub presented on ”Millet Startups and Business Opportunities in Millets”. 24 Mantra is doing good business in the United States. I was a little bit skeptical about one aspect is the Shelf life. The holistic aspect and clear understanding of the products are required. Nutrition Security is a stake and we are unable to tackle the problem of malnutrition.
There is a shift in government policies and how to address nutrition security. There are many programs where the government is looking for millets to supplement with other products. We are at the forefront taking millet movement in the country and took with millets working with people from NGOs, Public, Private like ITC, 24 Mantra.
We succeeded in creating a brand under the name of Eatrite. Now we focus on other brands by Nutrihub. This will cater to all business needs of Millet Startups and there is Centre of Excellency for Nutri-Cereals at IIMR supported by the Government where the R&D takes place.
Government Industry policies to encourage the micro food enterprise. Today the value chain be relied upon which was not before. Backward integration is to be done to do the business proposition.
Availability of processing machines where the efficiency is about 70-80% and we are working hard to take it to 90% efficiency.
There is a move by APEDA to take millets into the international market as proposed by our honorable prime minister and create a brand in the global market.
Recently, I heard about the importance of millets from our honorable Prime Minister and you can surely have a look at it.

So, there will be a lot of support from the government side in this millet business.
The shelf life of millets is to considered as Bajra contains 5% fats whereas the rest millets contain less than that. We have achieved the shelf from 6 months to one year except for some flours. In flour, you can go with adding and packing in a different way. An integrated approach is required for packing these products. We have developed around 70 product technology and we will be glad to handhold support by licensing of the technology. We are looking for express food technology as we find it in flight. Plant protein is a future opportunity. Fermented food is another area of opportunity. There are about 400 brands in South India. There is also an opportunity in the fabrication industry as of now only about 5 fabricators are there in India. You can also go for bio-ethanol from sorghum stalk. and making alcohol by blending like whiskey, Brandy, and Beer.
A journey of 24 Mantra in India and Abroad:
Dr.Rajashekar Reddy, Founder & MD, 24 Mantra presented on “24 Mantra – Perspective of leading organic exports company”. We have started the 24 Mantra 16 years back and there was no much awareness on organic and that too in a small market.
There were mainly two challenges one was the building of a supply chain where maintaining traceability was difficult. The other problems were in processing, packaging, and storage. There was no suitable technology and convincing farmers for doing organics and educating consumers to eat organics.
We systematically tackled the supply chain and it took 7-8 years without using preservatives or chemicals. In terms of minor millets, there is a challenge of getting the right seeds but in the case of major millet, there was no issue. For demand creation Government should run a program as ”One Millet a Day Mission”.
Initially, we have started with our own store and doing investment in taking supermarket shelf space. Similar things we have to do for millets by putting a shelf and a person educating consumers about millets. If you are self-funded the ability to invest becomes very difficult. So, early in our life, we realized that with our own funding we will be never able to move in retail. So we convinced some of the institutional investors to invest and they are looking for the size of the market opportunity and our ability to convert that opportunity into a reality. So we were able to secure a large number of findings.
So in millet entrepreneurs have to go the people and convince them to invest and this is possible. If we were able to convince 10% people to have one millet in a day so we are talking about 30-40 million dollar opportunity. The grocery market is about 600 million dollars. So, there is a huge opportunity.
When we started our journey in 2004 the export was the only market but when we looked down the export market and realized that if you want to tap the export market you need to have very good systems and processing infrastructure to tap the opportunity. So, we hopefully started the domestic market although it was very tough and in a few years, we were able to set up some basic processes, infrastructure, and looking for export opportunities.
Unless you conquer the domestic market, the exports will not be a viable kind of approach. ”You have to win at home to win outside”. 40 years back rice was luxury for most of the south Indian people but today eating millets have become luxury. Millets are more expensive than rice and wheat. So, changing food habits is not going to be easy.
Some points to note before starting Millet Startups:
1. Keep developing products with a good taste profile.
2. Investing in educating consumers.
3. Price competitiveness closer to conventional products.
4. Develop a domestic market.
5. Gluten-free trends as it is adopted in the USA at an 8-10% rate.
6. Government help in educating the consumer.
Dr. Sangappa, Scientist, IIMR
Dr. Sangappa, Scientist, IIMR presented on ”Millet value-added technology licensing” ICAR-IIMR. The value-added technologies of Millets developed by ICAR-IIMR are:
1. Milling:

Sorghum Atta
Multigrain atta
Semolina, Khichdi, Idli and Upma rawa for all millets
Millets Rice

2. Shelf-life enhancement technologies:

Pretreatments
Packaging
Application of TBHQ
Millet primary processing

3. Beverages:

Malts
Lassi

4.Instant Mix:

Sorghum upma mix
Sorghum Pongal mix
Millet Laddu mix
Millet Idli mix
Khichdi Mix
Dosa Mix
5. Flaking:
All millet flakes
Muesli
6. Puffing:
All millet puffs
7.Baking:
All Millets/Multi Millet
Cookies
cakes
Bread/Bun
Pizza Base
8. Extrusion:
All Millets/Multi Millet
Vermicelli
Pasta
Noodles
Extruded Snacks
Extruded Flakes
MOU is signed with more than 100 entrepreneurs.
Millets Technology Transfer :
1. Potential Technology Identification
2. Disclosure of ITMU/PME
3. Expression of Interest
4. Technology Pricing & ITMU Approval.
5. Technology Licensing/MOU
6. Training & handholding for three years.

Once the MOU is signed training for 2 days be done on the particular technology and provide all the documents. The training will be conducted as per the convenience. Karnataka Government has come with a scheme for new entrepreneurs, FPOs, and SHG members where the Government is bearing the technology prices.
Ms. Sri Devi Nune, Chief Business Manager, Nutrihub presented on ”Millet Startups – Incubation at Nutihub- Programs. Nutrihub will be going to help in:
1. Infrastructure facilities
2. Domain/R&D Consultancy
3.Technology Consultancy
4. Business Consultancy
5. Mentoring and Networking
6. Access to Funding
7. Awareness

Capacity Building Programs:
1. NEST: Training participants from idea to prototype, with up to 5 lakhs grants-in-aid after two months of training.
2. N-GRAIN: Training for those startups which are having their MVP in place, with up to 25 lakhs grants-in-aid.
If you are interested to be Millet Entrepreneur and want to do Millet Startups you can apply in this NGRAIN Programs. Be Hurry as the closing date for this program is 30th May 2020.

Really, the Millet Startups Webinar was a very mind-opening event and it has enriched my knowledge. I must thank Director, IIMR, & the panelists of this webinar for providing such enriching technologies, and experiences. Hope Millets will go a long way when everyone is putting the best effort and will be witnessing more Millet Startups in India. In the end, I must thank all the team members of IIMR for conducting such a nice webinar successfully.

Finally, I must thank Dr.Vilas Tonapi, Director, ICAR-IIMR, and Dr.B.Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub for providing the e-Certificate for attending this webinar.
e-Certificate for attending the Millet Startups Webinar
May 23, 2020
The Potential of Millets and Healthy Start Ups in 2020
MILLET STARTUPS:
The demand for healthy food is increasing rapidly due to current lifestyle diseases. The best option for healthy and nutritious food that comes to my mind is the Millets. When we look deep into its nutritional content, it makes us astonished. They are gluten-free and have a low glycemic index so it is good for diabetic patients. They are called the Nutri-cereals and are superior to other grains in terms of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and micro-nutrients.

Products on the shelf:
Recently, I visited a Reliance Store and could find millet products on the shelf. Retailers are dedicating separate aisle and shelf to display products which were not seen 10 years back. Putting products on display is bringing more revenue and impacting their sales. People who know millets will be surely picked up and those who are new will pick up out of curiosity. Many companies have launched variants of products into their grain category.
Organic Brand in India:
24mantra organic food brand is available across India and abroad and has introduced millets as the ancient grains. In their basket, they have Sorghum, Bajra, Ragi, Proso, Barnyard, Kodo Millet, Little, and Foxtail. Their presence is at the retail stores of their own, as well as in the supermarkets and also we can buy it online.
Institutions popularising Millets:

Eatrite is a brand built and marketed by IIMR, Hyderabad solely popularising millets as healthy food.
Nutrihub one of the largest technology incubator in India. The Nutrihub incubation program is designed to help Nutri-cereals startups grow in a streamlined fashion by providing them the required technology and business support system. The startups of Nutrihub are as under:
Startups in Nutrihub, Hyderabad
The above entrepreneurs have developed many products in their basket and made them available in retail stores and as well as their presence online globally.
Support System by Nutrihub, Hyderabad:
- Technology Consultancy – Registrations, Licenses, Technology Transfer, and Commercialization.
- Business Facilitation – Assistance with business plan development. Market strategies and connect with backward and forward market linkages.
- Mentoring and Networking – Knowledge and skill enhancement through technical and business training, networking, and access to technical and business mentors and experts.
- Infrastructure Facilities – Facilitation of product development and access to the Research and Development laboratory, Production Facilities.
- Access to Funding – Assistance in preparation of the business plan, proposals. Linkage with Banks, Financial Institutions, and Investors.
- Awareness – Promotion of incubated Startups and Nutritional merits of Millets for wide acceptance among the consumers.
Last year, when I visited ICRISAT, Hyderabad could see many products worldwide from India, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the USA, and Africa. Millets products are entering the market after proper survey and customer feedback. Products are delicious, nutritious, and good for health.
ICRISAT established its Agri-Business Incubator to improve the livelihood of small farmers and rural communities through agribusiness enterprises/startups.
“Millets have multiple benefits as they contribute to food and nutrition security for millions of people in the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa, generate market opportunities for farmers, and are a critical solution to climate change.” Kofi A. Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation.

The Honourable Prime Minister of India highlighted the roles of millets in ensuring food security and nutrition, underlining their resilience to adverse climatic conditions, and their potential to ensure increased incomes or the resource-poor farmers.

So, there is a lot of potential in the food processing industry in India and also globally. It is the right time to think and step into millet startups in India.
Author: Tapas Chandra Roy, Assistant Agriculture Officer, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, (Govt. of Odisha)
May 2, 2020