Shyama Jha – Founder, Millet Magic Foundation (Brand -WOWMOM Foods)
From the dazzles of retail to sweating on the farm, corporate meetings in 5-star hotels to village level meetings in huts and choupal, stringent targets and numbers to creating targeted impact and differences in society, 20 years of a full-time job with no weekends and holidays to everyday work mode, everyday work lifestyle, and everyday my choice of meeting and work.
I am Shyama Jha, Founder of Millet Magic Foundation | Brand WOWMOM Foods.
Millet Magic Foundation and products
We are in the business of manufacturing products right at the farmers' doorstep. A state-of-the-art factory has been established in the hinterland with imported and state-of-the-art machines for manufacture and packaging, giving direct and indirect employment to more than 3000 people. We make noodles, pasta, cakes, cookies, snack items, and instant and ready-to-eat products out of millets.
We are enabling direct economic growth for 1000+ villagers and tribals.
Creating smiles in more than 3000+ individuals.
Showcasing tangible economic growth in the land of Mayurbhanj,
Odisha.
70% of the women's force, of which 20% are machine operators.
We are not only supporting and promoting economic growth but also
helping the entire ecosystem grow by including other products from that area as
our raw materials.
By using our products, you are supporting tribal and
underprivileged villagers, from young girls to housewives.
All are seeking their financial independence over there, and by
reading this, you have already put smiles on many faces.
What is your motive behind this
initiative? What are the precautions you take to ensure hygiene?
Being a marketer, I felt an urge to explore the untapped market of healthy millet and to make something that could replace the unhealthy fast food market.
After extensive experience in corporate work, I have taken the
challenge of being an entrepreneur. Trying to venture into untouched fields:
Taking challenges of designing, executing, and launching campaigns as a Brand
Marketing Consultant. MILLET MAGIC - A project under the Govt. of India's MSME,
SFURTI scheme. Here we are producing millet-based noodles, pasta, and other
products and being marketed under the brand WOWMOM Foods. Along with this, we
support Sabai grass artisans under the brand Hastrang.
Being from a corporate and retail background, I always felt the essence of quality control and standardization, which can be achieved in the food sector only if it is in a hygienic environment. Our entire factory is made as per the food processing industry's norms. Though tribals work, their culture adheres to international standards.
How is millet magic foundation helping in the upliftment of women
in society?
The Millet Magic Foundation is a dream project wherein inclusion is being established in the real sense. The Santhal tribals of Mayurbhanj are putting their full effort into bringing millets into the mainstream market by making products like Millet Noodles, Pasta, Papad, Cakes, Cookies, etc. A state-of-the-art food processing unit is being fully operated by these tribals, of which we have a 70% women's force, showcasing women's empowerment. The products are coming under the brand name WOWMOM FOODS. Through this project, the villagers from the interiors of Mayurbhanj have got the confidence to create the best brand which is competing with national and international brands. The FPO under the banner supports more than 1000 farmers, among whom women farmers are being encouraged more to join. Complete inclusion is done by adding the Sabai Grass artisans and creating our range "HASTRANG", which will promote furniture and furnishing items made from this eco friendly grass. Millet Magic Foundation gradually identified a big gap in Sabai handicraft market linkage and went into complete detail on it. We have been regularly supporting artisans, of which 90% are women, by giving them regular business. Taking a step forward, we are doing a detailed study on SHG and giving them whatever necessary help they need. To start with, training with fashion designers and new design ideas is being given.
How would you choose the ingredients for your products? What makes your products healthy even though they are processed?
No maida, no preservative, no added color. Benefits of millet topped with taste. Our products are great because they are full of health and are preserved. We take care of your gut. We have products that are gluten free, sugar free (we use jaggery), baked, and have no color. No preservatives make it completely friendly for the body and, above all, millet is the best friend for everyone to fight away lifestyle diseases. We maintain taste yet never compromise on healthy content.
How do you justify ‘zero carbon footprint’?
Ours is a factory where our entire unit runs on Electricity and LPG even though we have LPG generators.
What is your proudest moment at wowmom?
We were called to Parliament to display our products and engage with Members of Parliament. We are a well known brand in the state of Odisha and recently we were called by the Governor and Secretary. Our Chief Minister tweeted about us. And more than that, we are most proud of our 70% female workforce.
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