5 Entrepreneurs Turning Millets Into a Win for Farmers & Our Health

Millets, often hailed as superfoods, are rich in protein, antioxidants, minerals, and fibre. As climate-resilient crops, they need less water and fewer pesticides, making them perfect for sustainable farming and supporting small-scale farmers.

Thriving in arid climates, millets are gluten-free, low-glycaemic, and packed with essential nutrients. They benefit both the environment and consumers while contributing significantly to global food security and health.

Indian entrepreneurs are at the forefront of revitalising millets with startups creating innovative products that showcase millets as a sustainable, nutrient-rich grain. These efforts drive demand and enhance incomes for thousands of farmers. Here are five such inspiring pioneers:

1. Veer Shetty Biradar Known as the ‘Millet Man of Telangana’, Veer founded ‘SS Bhavani Foods’ in Hyderabad with a vision to "produce food for future generations”. He offers over 60 millet-based products, including snacks, sweets, and rotis made from sorghum, bajra, foxtail millet, and finger millet.

Collaborating with more than 1,000 farmers, Veer provides quality seeds directly to their doorsteps, supporting drought-affected communities and promoting sustainable agriculture. To read the full story, click here.

2. Chittem Sudheer Chittem Sudheer, armed with a master’s degree in AgroEconomics, launched ‘Vasena Poli’, a stall in Visakhapatnam serving idlis made with eight types of millets. This initiative not only caters to urban consumers but also creates market demand for tribal farmers’ produce.

Sudheer sources 700 kg of millet monthly from tribal farmers, paying Rs 70 per kg — more than double the market rate of Rs 30 to provide fair compensation and profits, thus boosting rural livelihoods. To read the full story, click here.

3. Sharmila Jain Oswal Sharmila Jain Oswal, a lawyer-turned-entrepreneur, founded ‘Gud Mom’ with her son Shubham, offering millet-based noodles, pasta, and snacks. She also established the Green Energy Foundation, which has empowered over 1.5 lakh farmers to grow climate-resilient crops and adopt sustainable farming practices.

Her efforts have supported over 5,000 millet farmers across five states, boosting livelihoods and promoting sustainable, healthy food options. To read her full story, click here.

4. Raju Bhupati Raju Bhupati’s ‘Troo Good’ aims to combat malnutrition with innovative millet snacks. “Millets could be a panacea for solving the nutrition issue in the country,” notes Raju, whose millet chikkis are distributed in schools to make nutritious foods accessible to children.

Working with 15,000 farmers, Troo Good sells 2 million chikkis daily, priced at Rs 5 each. With a Rs 100 crore revenue target, the brand empowers local communities through its farm-to-fork operations. To read the full story, click here.

5. Saandeep Jogiparti and Kavitha Gopu After returning to Hyderabad from the US, Saandeep Jogiparti and Kavitha Gopu launched ‘Laddu Box ’ in 2019. Inspired by Saandeep’s love for sweets and the need for healthier options, they reimagined traditional laddus using millets, whole grains, ghee, and jaggery.

The brand offers 11 varieties, including laddus for fitness enthusiasts, women’s health, and children, along with vegan options made with dates. The brand’s success supports a sustainable millet supply chain, benefitting farmers and customers. To read the full story, click here.