Soumya Pradhan and Aurobinda Nayak, both from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, saw their lives take a new direction thanks to sweets. They had been getting by with their jobs until the idea of starting a sweets business struck them while distributing ration during the COVID-19 pandemic. This became the turning point in their lives. What began as a small idea has now grown into a thriving business, earning them an annual income of Rs 45 lakh and providing employment to 40 women.

Business ideas

These sweets hold a unique significance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aurobinda Nayak, who was a cluster manager at a company, and Soumya Pradhan, a sales officer at an FMCG company, discovered something important while distributing rations to those in need. They learned that the local people had a strong preference for traditional Odia sweets but were concerned about quality and hygiene. This insight led them to realize that if they could produce sweets with a focus on both quality and hygiene, they would have something people would truly appreciate.

Having understood people's taste for traditional sweets, the two friends decided to start a business focused on Odia sweets. In 2021, they founded the 'Mo Pitha' startup. The name 'Pitha' refers to a traditional sweet made daily at the Jagannath Temple in Puri and included in the Mahaprasad. It is also prepared during festivals. Aurobinda and Soumya named their startup after these sweets that are closely associated with various cultural celebrations.

'Mo Pitha' 

To launch their business, they brought on board women who were skilled in making traditional sweets. Most of these women had faced severe financial hardships due to the Covid pandemic and were struggling to make ends meet. They went door to door, speaking with these women, and eventually started 'Mo Pitha' with a team of 8 women workers, all experts in preparing seven types of traditional sweets, including Enduri, Arisa, and Kakara. They opened their first outlet in Sahid Nagar and initially earned 3 to 4 thousand rupees daily. As the demand for their sweets grew, they expanded by opening more outlets.

Women workers

Women aged 30 to 65 work as chefs at 'Mo Pitha,' producing more than 20 types of sweets and earning 500 to 600 rupees daily. Currently, 40 women are employed there. Making traditional Odia sweets is not an easy task. For instance, the sweet 'Arisa' is made using roasted sesame flour, jaggery, and rice flour, while 'Kakara' requires cashews, raisins, coconut, sugar, semolina, grated coconut, and other ingredients. These women put in tremendous effort to create clean, high-quality traditional sweets, which are receiving local praise. In essence, a single idea not only transformed the lives of two friends but also empowered over three dozen women to become self-reliant.