Read full article @ Asian Image Photo Credit: Deepa Vinay
A mum who launched her own brand of homemade porridge mixes has seen her business thrive during the pandemic.
Deepa Vinay launched ‘Mumsome’ a South Indian finger millet porridge mix and the business has grown three-fold in just under a year.
Deepa of Manchester said, “Catering for both kids and adults, the mixes are full of nuts, grains and packed with nutrition. It can be consumed as a porridge or shaped into balls/bars for breakfast or anytime during the day when you feel low on energy”
Finger millet, also known as ragi, is the staple diet in South India as it’s rich in fibre and packed with iron, calcium, good carbs, amino acids and Vitamin D. There’s been a huge interest in millets nowadays, globally. Ragi is one such wonder millet that has recently made a comeback in a big way.”
Mumsome’s journey started when Deepa’s son was born prematurely in Manchester in the winter of 2012. She had to discontinue her MSc Biotechnology course abruptly, although she did manage to complete successfully after a gap year.
She said, “All our products are vegan, dairy-free and sugar-free. And yes, we do prepare some products to exclude wheat.”
“I remember, as a child, I was fed finger millet porridge as a cereal for breakfast. So, I really wanted to give the same to my son as it’s so rich and healthy.
“As soon as my little one was ready for pureed diet, I tried to prepare finger millet porridge as a main source of nutrition.””
Deepa initially started to prepare her mixes on a small scale for her family and friends. Gradually, she identified a potential in the market for her homemade ragi porridge mixes.
Deepa said, “I tried to make ragi porridge at home in Manchester based on my grandmother’s recipes. As I started getting orders from all over the country, I formally set up the business.
“Thus, Mumsome was born – to help mothers in their quest to include ragi in their kid’s diet. And yes, our mixes can be consumed by adults too.”
“Bursting with nuts, the mixes are great source of iron, minerals and calcium that children need to boost their immunity and overall well-being. Our smooth mixes, specially designed as an infant’s first weaning food, have become quite popular recently.”
The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Mumsome. The business blossomed during the lockdown period as more people shopped online.
She added, “Sometimes we are inundated with orders and it feels like being on a treadmill. But the effort is worth it when it puts a smile on a mother or child’s face at the other end.”
Last month, Mumsome donated a portion of their profits to NSPCC Charity to promote a good cause involving children. “We teamed up with ‘Work For Good’ to make a small contribution to NSPCC, which works hard to make our communities safer for our children.
“We’ve been bowled over by the kindness of our customers who supported us during the festive period to make this campaign a huge success.”
