DHARAMSHALA (Himachal
Pradesh), April 02 : A community-led women-led food venture in Himachal Pradesh is
enabling rural women to earn sustainable incomes by turning traditional
pickle-making into a structured livelihood model, aligning with broader efforts
to strengthen rural women entrepreneurship and women-led micro-enterprises in
India.

Founded
in 2024 by Nupur Kohli, Mustard Women, a Himachal-based artisanal pickle brand,
operates from Bandi village near Dharamshala and currently works with 3 to 4 local women, with
plans to scale to 10 to 15 women in the near term.

Kohli, who
previously worked in marketing and advertising in Gurugram, moved to the
mountains and set up a homestay in Dharamkot. Her interactions with local women
there led to the discovery of traditional
pickle-making practices that eventually evolved into a structured community-led
food enterprise.

“The idea was to build on existing skills
within the community and create a consistent source
of income without requiring women to move out of their villages,” says
Nupur Kohli, founder of Mustard Women.

The initiative reflects the growing
role of small women-led enterprises in rural India, where access to formal employment remains limited despite the
presence of traditional skill sets.

Models such as self-help groups (SHGs) and community-based food production units
have increasingly been seen as viable pathways for rural
livelihood generation and financial inclusion.

Operating from a
small production unit within the village, the women produce traditional
Himachali pickles and chutneys using locally sourced ingredients and
generational recipes. The products are characterised by lower oil and salt
content and the absence of artificial preservatives, positioning them within
the growing demand for clean-label artisanal food products in India. They are currently
sold through online
platforms and select
offline channels.

The venture
began as a hyperlocal experiment in 2024, supplying
limited batches to cafés, local markets, and a homestay. Following
consistent consumer demand and repeat purchases, it expanded into online sales
and began positioning itself as a small but emerging D2C food brand from Himachal Pradesh.

Beyond product
sales, the initiative is contributing to household-level economic
stability. Women associated
with the venture are earning supplementary incomes within their village
ecosystem, reducing the need for migration or external employment.

In several cases,
the additional earnings have supported children’s education and improved access to better schooling options, reflecting the multiplier effect often associated with women’s income participation in rural
households.

The production model is designed
to align with local social
structures, with women
working in a shared
facility within walking distance of their homes during fixed daytime hours,
ensuring both safety and
flexibility.

Mustard Women
has expanded from five initial variants to a wider range of traditional
Himalayan pickles, while introducing basic
standardisation processes to maintain quality
and consistency without altering core recipes.

The venture
now plans to expand its distribution network
across urban markets
and onboard more women from
nearby communities, positioning itself within the broader ecosystem of grassroots, women-led
rural enterprises in India that are contributing to sustainable rural development.

About Mustard
Women

Mustard Women is a Himachal Pradesh-based women-led artisanal food brand that
works with rural women to produce
traditional Himachali
pickles and chutneys. Founded
in 2024, the initiative focuses on creating rural livelihood opportunities for women
while preserving regional
food traditions through community-led production.

Mustard Women has expanded
from five initial
variants to a wider range of
traditional pickles, while
introducing basic standardisation processes to maintain quality and consistency
without altering core recipes.