§1What this business is
Kandali (bichhu booti) leaves from mid-altitude Uttarakhand are harvested, blanched to remove the sting, dried, ground into soup powder with Himalayan salt, herbs and mild spices, or baked/air-fried into seasoned chips. Soup is sold in sachets and refill pouches; chips in sealed pouches. Buyers are health-conscious shoppers, wellness stores, cafés, yoga centres and mountain resorts.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A food entrepreneur or SHG in a nettle-rich district with a food technologist on hand.
Who it is not for
Someone without food-processing hygiene skills or a sales plan.
Advantages
- Wild raw material that grows freely in the hills
- Iron-rich 'Himalayan superfood' story
- Two products from one leaf
- Dry products keep well and ship easily
Drawbacks
- Leaves must be blanched quickly to remove the sting
- Unfamiliar product to most city buyers
- Large working capital (₹10 lakh)
- Wild harvest needs sustainable collection
Skills you need
- Blanching and drying
- Soup and snack formulation
- FSSAI compliance
- Wellness and online marketing
Why difficulty 3/5: Process is simple, but building demand for a new food takes time.
§3Market
Who buys
- Health-conscious urban shoppers, fitness enthusiasts and older adults
- Wellness stores and cafés
- Yoga centres, spas and mountain resorts
How it sells
- Amazon, BigBasket and Qtrove
- Retail in Rishikesh, Mussoorie and Nainital
- Organic expos and ODOP showcases
Good to know
- The profile sees later products such as spice blends, capsules, tea bags and nutraceutical powders.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf washing tank with filter | 1 | — |
| Blanching unit (steam/electric) | 1 | — |
| Tray or solar dryer | 1 | — |
| Pulveriser / grinder (soup powder) | 1 | — |
| Baking oven / air fryer (chips) | 1 | — |
| Weighing and filling machine | 2 | — |
| Sealing and pouch packaging machine | 1 | — |
| Labelling machine | 1 | — |
| Quality testing kit (moisture, pH) | 1 set | — |
- Kandali (stinging nettle) leavesfrom Chamoli, Pauri, Almora and Pithoragarh; processed right after harvest
- Himalayan salt, herbs and spicessourced locally
- Sachets, pouches and labelspacking
§5Licences & registration
- FSSAI licence
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Legal Metrology packaged-commodity registration
- IEC if exporting
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMFMECentralUnclear35% subsidy, up to ₹10 lakh
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
The profile names PMEGP, SFURTI and DUY; PMFME fits as a micro food unit; MUDRA up to ₹20 lakh; CGTMSE gives collateral-free cover.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DUY profile cost ₹26.75 lakh: plant infrastructure ₹3.00 lakh, machinery ₹7.50 lakh, raw material and packaging stock ₹2.00 lakh, licensing and branding ₹1.50 lakh, working capital for 6 months ₹10.00 lakh, marketing and distribution ₹1.75 lakh, contingency ₹1.00 lakh. Finance: own ₹5.35 lakh (20%), bank loan ₹16.05 lakh (60%), subsidy/grant ₹5.35 lakh (20%).
Working capital: ₹10.00 lakh for 6 months — the largest cost line.
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current machinery and material prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: APEDA
- Nettle chips fall under a different heading from soup; confirm each code on the DGFT site.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Product not taking off with consumers
- Moisture spoiling powder
- Uneven leaf supply
- Unproven health claims on labels
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working kandali (nettle) soup and chips unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI licence, Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
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 Kandali (Nettle) Soup and Chips?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.