In 2010, with her children away for studies, Kerala-based Sumila Jayaraj seized the opportunity to establish her identity and pursue her passion for work.

She began by joining a local virgin coconut oil company, where she gained valuable experience handling international customer queries. Her efforts even led to the company securing its first export order to London.

Her growing interest in coconut products was further fuelled by learning about their health benefits.

“Virgin coconut oil is considered the mother of all oils owing to its health benefits. It acts as an immunity booster and is the best moisturiser. Mothers can even apply the oil to newborn babies,” she says.

Driven by the vision to create a range of value-added products from coconuts and share their goodness with the world, Sumila launched ‘Greenaura’ in 2021.

Starting from a small shed adjacent to her house, she began offering 13 coconut-based products, including virgin coconut oil, coconut milk powder, and pickles.

Today, Sumila has built a customer base across the USA, UK, Australia, and Malaysia, achieving impressive monthly sales of Rs 20 lakh.

She explains how she uses the centrifugal method to make cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. “The coconuts are pressed gently and milk is spun at 10,000 revolutions per minute in the machine. Without any heating process, we can retain more nutrients and antioxidants in this method.”

Despite lacking a business background, she overcame numerous challenges — from securing loans to raising awareness about coconut products — demonstrating resilience.

Her entrepreneurial journey has not only transformed her life but also enabled her to inspire others. She is now frequently invited to speak at universities and exhibitions.

“This work has completely changed my life. I was once very shy and hesitated to speak in public. Now, I speak in universities and have made lots of contacts abroad. As a homemaker, I couldn’t even have thought about this life,” says Sumila.