§1What this business is

Bhatt bought from growers in Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Almora is cleaned, sorted and de-husked, then roasted or puffed and mixed with local spices such as jakhiya, cumin and Himalayan salt, or with jaggery and nuts for bars. Products are cooled, moisture-checked and packed in 30 g and 100 g pouches. Buyers are cafés, tourist outlets, organic stores, wellness centres, yoga retreats, homestays and online customers across India.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A hill entrepreneur, SHG or FPO that can source bhatt locally and sell to tourists and online buyers.

Who it is not for

Someone wanting a large, mass-market snack factory.

Advantages

  • Small start at ₹12.50 L in an 800 sq ft room
  • Bhatt is a high-protein Pahadi food with a strong local story
  • Low break-even — about 35 packs a day
  • Women SHGs can run cleaning and packing

Drawbacks

  • Bhatt is little known outside the hills — buyers need explaining
  • Supply depends on small hill harvests
  • Roasted snacks go stale without good packing
  • Small volumes make branding costs heavy

Skills you need

  • Roasting and puffing pulses evenly
  • Pahadi spice blends
  • FSSAI hygiene and shelf-life testing
  • Online and tourist-outlet selling

Why difficulty 2/5: Small, simple food unit; the work is in sourcing bhatt and building awareness.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Cafés and tourist outlets
  • Organic food stores and Ayurvedic wellness centres
  • Yoga retreats, homestays and health resorts
  • Health-conscious buyers across India and NRIs

How it sells

  • Local retail and tourist shops
  • E-commerce
  • Institutional supply to retreats and homestays

Good to know

  • Launch range in the profile: roasted salted bhatt, bhatt trail mix, bhatt crunch protein bars and puffed masala bhatt.
  • Later products named: bhatt flour chips, bhatt laddoos and granola blends.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Grain cleaner and sorter—₹60,000
Roaster (electric/oil-less drum type)—₹90,000
Spice blender / mixing tumbler—₹55,000
Protein bar forming press (manual)—₹70,000
Sealing and weighing machine—₹75,000
Label printing machine—₹40,000
Moisture meter and food-grade bins—₹60,000

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Bhatt ki Dal (Black Soybean) Snack Line Unit

  • Bhatt (black soybean)from Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Almora
  • Mustard oil or ghee for roasting
  • Jakhiya, cumin, turmeric, Himalayan salt, jaggery, optional dry fruits and lemon powder
  • Zip-lock pouches, paper jars and labels

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Bhatt ki Dal (Black Soybean) Snack Line Unit

§5Licences & registration

  1. FSSAI registration or licence (by turnover)
  2. Udyam registration
  3. GST registration (when turnover crosses the limit or you sell online)
  4. Legal Metrology registration for pre-packed goods

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

The profile names PMFME/DUY capital subsidy and a MUDRA/MSME bank loan; PMEGP also fits a ₹12.50 L unit; CGTMSE covers a collateral-free loan. SHGs and FPOs may get NRLM or NABARD support.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Building rent/renovation (800 sq ft) ₹3.00 L + machinery & equipment ₹5.50 L + raw material for 3 months ₹1.20 L + packaging & labelling ₹0.80 L + branding, design & website ₹0.70 L + training & documentation ₹0.50 L + contingency ₹0.80 L = ₹12.50 L.

Working capital: Raw material for the first 3 months ₹1.20 L is in the project cost. Finance: promoter ₹1.50 L, bank loan (MUDRA/MSME) ₹8.00 L, capital subsidy (PMFME/DUY) ₹3.00 L.

Year not printed on the profile — check current machinery prices. Its itemised machinery list adds up to ₹4.50 L, while the cost table shows ₹5.50 L.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Export council / board: APEDA

  • Roasted and spiced soybean snacks can fall under Chapter 20 or 21 — confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
  • You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT and APEDA registration for processed foods.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Bhatt crop failure or price rise
  • Moisture and rancidity in pouches
  • Slow awareness outside Uttarakhand
  • Copycat products

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working bhatt (black soybean) snacks unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI registration or licence (by turnover), Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect

§12Watch

There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.

Want to start Bhatt (Black Soybean) Snacks?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Bhatt ki Dal (Black Soybean) Snack Line Unit

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.