Laveena Jain, a 45-year-old woman from Meerut, set a powerful example by not giving up on her challenges like cancer and financial struggles. She bravely fought these challenges and founded Tripti Foods, a venture that specializes in traditional homemade condiments.
13 years ago, Laveena and her husband were diagnosed with cancer. Laveena was fighting breast cancer while her husband was diagnosed with mouth cancer. During this difficult time, they faced financial, emotional, and physical challenges. They even got suggestions to sell their house, which they could not because that was the only thing they had for the kids.
However, they have their transport business, but that was not enough to cover the expenses of medical treatment. During this time, she decided to pursue her passion for making pickles.
Launch of Tripti Foods
During her schooling, Laveena gained knowledge from a food preservation course.
In 2011, she took a bold step to give her knowledge a try and launch her first business, Tripti Foods. With just an investment of Rs 1500, she started her business.
Her first product, which she added to her startup, was lemon squash and thandai. Her family became the biggest support team for her. They helped her with packing, selling, marketing, and labeling the products.
In the beginning, she couldn’t sell many products, but she remained strong. Gradually, she managed to convince women to taste her products, and eventually, in her first batch, she sold 10 kg of lemon pickles.
Her pickles cost between Rs 100 to Rs 300. On the other hand, her squashes are priced between Rs 110 to Rs 300.
With word-of-mouth growth, Laveena avoids spending a lot on marketing and advertisements. For her, customer feedback is an important element in sustaining the market.
Production Process
Meerut-based Tripti Foods is a team of eight women. Her production depends on seasonal fruits and vegetables. They buy fresh and handpicked vegetables and fruits from the market. Initially, a small batch is prepared and tested. Then only, large-scale batches are made.
Today, the business offers around 70 varieties of products like pickles, squashes, chutneys, jams, and more.
With the motto: Right product, right quality, Laveena uses only what they find okay to eat at home. Moreover, no machines are used because they believe that machines do not give a personal touch.
Handling Products and Customers
The best-selling product of Tripti Foods is hind achar, which has driven repeated orders. Additionally, other products also drive repeated orders such as kiwi and apple jam, strawberry squash, leafy squash, and pineapple crush.
Her customers are not just from Meerut but also from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru. Additionally, Laveena also travels to numerous cities like Kashipur, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, and Rudrapur to put up stalls in events and exhibitions.
Challenges and Overcomes
For Laveena, the first three years were really challenging. She struggled to grow her business. Her biggest challenge was to convenience people to try her products. However, her strong willpower and commitment to providing her children a better life kept her going.
As time passed, her venture grew and today transitioned into a successful business that now generates an impressive turnover of around Rs 39 lakh in FY24. Laveena’s homemade products are also available on offline and online platforms like Amazon.
Support from the Government
Laveena’s successful entrepreneurial journey wasn’t possible without the support she received from the government. She was able to expand her business by obtaining a loan under the PM Mudra Yojana.
After battling cancer, she participated in a 100-day food preservation training program that was organized by the Uttar Pradesh government; Kisan Mela, and World Food India 2024.
Family Support and Future Goals
Currently, Laveena and her husband are doing well and working together to grow the business. While her son Kinshuk Jain left his education to help in the business, her daughter Hrithik Jain had supported her mother since the beginning.
In the future, she is looking ahead to add new products and deliver innovative products and cross the target of Rs 50 lakh revenue.
From surviving from cancer to establishing a successful business. Laveena’s hard work pays off. Her successful journey is an Inspiration and hope for many individuals.
