How A Maharashtra Homemaker Turned Her Family's Pickle Recipes Into A Rs 25 Lakh Business
How A Maharashtra Homemaker Turned Her Family's Pickle Recipes Into A Rs 25 Lakh Business Published By, Last Updated: May 28, 2026, 15:51 IST Pratibha
How A Maharashtra Homemaker Turned Her Family's Pickle Recipes Into A Rs 25 Lakh Business Published By, Last Updated: May 28, 2026, 15:51 IST Pratibha has built a pickle brand using her family’s traditional recipes. Today, her business produces two dozen varieties of pickles and has an annual turnover of Rs 22-25 lakh Rapid Read Annapurna Home Industries produces around 24 varieties of pickles, including mango, lemon, amla, ginger-garlic, jackfruit, bitter gourd, tomato and traditional Varhadi thecha pickles. For most people, homemade pickles are simply part of family meals and childhood memories. But for Maharashtra’s Pratibha Gajanan Thayde, they became the foundation of a successful business earning lakhs every year. Based in Amravati, Pratibha has built a thriving pickle brand by turning recipes passed down through generations into a commercial venture. Today, her business produces nearly two dozen varieties of pickles and records an annual turnover of around Rs 22-25 lakh. Pratibha spent her childhood in Wadegaon village in Akola district, a region known for lemon cultivation.
She learnt the traditional art of pickle-making from her mother Mankaranabai and grandmother Dwarakabai at a young age. Even after marriage and shifting to Amravati, her interest in cooking and experimenting with flavours remained strong. Her turning point came in 2008 during a cooking competition organised by Lokmat Sakhi. While she prepared several dishes for the event, it was her homemade pickles that stood out and caught the judges’ attention. According to News18 Marathi, her first order was surprisingly small — just 2 kg of pickles from residents living in her apartment complex. At the time, even her family did not imagine that the hobby could grow into a full-fledged business. But as word spread and customer demand increased, Pratibha decided to take the venture seriously. With support from her husband Gajanan Tayde and their children, she slowly expanded operations and launched the business under the name ‘Annapurna Home Industries’. She focused not only on taste but also on presentation. Attractive packaging in bottles and pouches helped her products stand out at agricultural fairs and exhibitions where she regularly set up stalls.
To further promote the brand, she even organised pickle festivals at her home, which received an enthusiastic response from customers. Over the years, her pickles have built a customer base across cities such as Amravati, Nagpur, Nashik, Badlapur and even Delhi. The business also secured a dedicated counter at a popular hotel in Nashik. Training sessions at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Durgapur helped her improve her food processing and business management skills. Today, Pratibha also trains women across the Vidarbha region in pickle-making and food processing, encouraging them to pursue self-employment opportunities. Alongside business growth, she has continued social initiatives as well. Every year, she donates nearly one quintal of pickles to the Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Shegaon and also prepares food packets for people in need. Currently, Annapurna Home Industries produces around 24 varieties of pickles, including mango, lemon, amla, ginger-garlic, jackfruit, bitter gourd, tomato and traditional Varhadi thecha pickles. The business also makes special pickles designed for diabetic patients. According to reports, the company produces nearly 30 tonnes of mango pickle and 10 tonnes of wood apple pickle every year.
Pratibha has also received over 24 awards from different organisations for her work. What began as a family tradition in a small village kitchen has now become an example of how traditional skills and homegrown recipes can be transformed into a successful entrepreneurial journey. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 28, 2026, 15:50 IST News cities nagpur How A Maharashtra Homemaker Turned Her Family's Pickle Recipes Into A Rs 25 Lakh Business Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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