From Idea to Sold Out: Testing a Food Business in 20 Days

For a long time, I wanted to build something in the food and restaurant space. In 2020, during the Diwali season, I tested this idea as a proof-of-concept business project called Theju’s Kitchen, based in Coimbatore, India.

I created a simple post featuring homemade gulab jamun, packaged in glass jars, and shared a single photograph in a local Facebook foodie group — which went viral almost overnight.

I personally prepared and packed 66 kg of gulab jamun in 500ml and 1kg glass jars under the Theju’s Kitchen brand, selling out within 20 days at a 30% profit margin, entirely through organic, word-of-mouth demand during the festive season.

Key takeaway: Recognize and act on market opportunities based on real-time demand — sometimes the simplest idea, executed at the right moment, is what resonates most.