The seed of Thapasu!

A History of Thapasu Foods LLP

Thapasu Foods is a food and agricultural startup, founded and established in the year 2017, by our Founder, Amshu CR, https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/amshu-cr-8605bb9 , with the core vision of bringing the regional superfoods of the Himalayas to the domestic and global markets. At present, the company operates from the Himalayan ranges of Himachal Pradesh and the southern hills of Karnataka.

How was the word “Thapasu” coined as our startup name?

The word ‘thapasu’ is a Kannada word, derived basically from the original Sanskrit word ‘Tapas’, which is the Hindi word ‘tapasya’. This is in relation to the growth of a food crop. Anything that comes into existence needs heat to originate. For example, germination is a process in which the seed first comes into existence through some kind of a heat process.

MADE OF EARTH!

For us, ‘thapasu’ means going back to our roots by preserving the ancient art and customs of food making; implantation, cultivation and the harvesting, and then using the final crop in the food making process. Another way of looking at this is the 4 R’s, that is, Renewing, Remembering, Restarting and Rejoicing.

Products At Thapasu

Have you ever heard of a plant called Seabuckthorn or Himalayan Berry? If not, then you’re in for a great surprise as the seabuckthorn fruit which is in the form of small, golden berries, is nothing less of a superfood. These amazing berries are known for their medicinal value. They grow in abundance in the vast Himalayan valleys of Lahaul and Spiti. Our star product is the Seabuckthorn Pulp which has a multi-purpose quality as it can be used for an umpteen number of products ranging from food products, infusions to skincare and pharmaceutical products. Our other products include Kullu Dried Morel mushrooms, Rosehips, Spiti Black Peas, Spiti Barley Sattu, Kullu Jattoo Red Rice, and more such jewels from the forests of Himalayas.

Thapasu Foods is one such startup which has been widely instrumental in enabling the local farmers and women to get business and employment opportunities by working with them on all of the aforementioned food crops and various agricultural practices and processes needed for running the startup.

Since its inception in 2017, the agro based startup has added several achievements to its kitty. We started by collaborating with IIM, Bengaluru’s NSRCEL program in which our company was one of the top 8 startups that were sent to Israel for building technological tie-ups between India and Israel related to agriculture. Another big shot achievement for us was the pre-incubation 3 month tie-up with IIT, Mandi’s Catalyst in 2018.??

Moreover, the Founder of Thapasu Foods, Ms. Amshu CR, was awarded the Best Woman Entrepreneur in Himachal Pradesh Award of 2018, and Best Promoter of Nature Produces by HIMCA and Himachal Tourism. She is also an alumni from Cardiff Business school - 2009-2010 batch, Cherie Blaire Foundation 2019. We are also semi finalists of Ashoka Change-makers South Asia - India and finally top 10 startups from India for World Resource Institute - Land Accelerator Program 2022. The journey has only just begun for us being a fairly new startup in the agriculture and food space towards biodiversity preservation and community development objectives.