Najiya’s Biryani Business: A Homemade Success Story
Najiya, has turned her homemade biryani into a thriving business. Her journey began when she was just 20 years old and got married while pursuing her CA (Chartered Accountancy) course. By the age of 24, she became a mother and started making banana powder for her baby. When her neighbors tasted it, they found it incredibly delicious. This led her to sell banana powder in jars to acquaintances and start offering “Pothichoru,” a traditional Kerala meal box, for sale.
As she expanded her offerings, COVID-19 swept across the country. Alongside “Pothichoru,” she began serving biryani, which became a hit. Thiruvananthapuram locals preferred their biryani spicier, so Najiya started offering various biryani varieties, all of which were well-received.
Najiya’s success story has brought her from a rented house in Sreekariyam to owning her own house in the same area. She employs five people in the kitchen and 14 for delivery duties. Biryani orders are accepted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Najiya, with the support of her husband Irshad, who works at Technopark, and her son, Ihan, a UKG student, has even delivered biryani to the house of former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan.
Re-reported from the article originally published in Kaumudi Online
