Bhutan’s Himalayan Food Aims To Produce Healthy Snacks With A Worldwide Reach
Himalayan Food currently produces potato chips, apple chips and banana chips.
(Source: zliving)
By Staff Reporter | The Bhutanese
Himalayan Food, a business venture registered with equity crowd funding, has been able to raise a fund of Nu 4.5 million before the stipulated deadline.
The founders of Himalayan Food are Bikash Gurung and Tshering Dorji, who are graduates from the Gaeddu College of Business.
A total of 125 investors hold shares in Himalayan Food amounting to Nu 4.5m, with a face value of Nu 10 per share.
Photo: The Bhutanese
“We participated in the Business Idea Competition of Bhutan (BICOB) from where we also got awarded for the business, so these things actually motivated us to venture into this business. This is how our college project turned into an actual business,” Bikash Gurung said.
About Himalayan Food
Himalayan Food currently produces potato chips, apple chips and banana chips. There are also plans to diversify their products into the health fruit snack category as such food demands are increasing in the international market.
They currently employ 10 people, and with the funds now available, they plan to employ around 30 people or more in 3 months’ time. There are 40 farmers affiliated with them, but now they will be creating a market for more than 300 farmers.
The mission of the business is to produce healthy and quality snacks with a worldwide reach while procuring reliable technology from other countries is also their utmost priority. The founders will be investing in food packaging and processing machines.
Why Himalayan Food was started?
‘’We chose food business, not only because it is profitable for a country like ours, but also because during our college days, we saw farmers having really tough times selling their products in the market. We thought of adding value to their products and that is how the idea came about,” Bikash Gurung explained.
Himalayan Food is a guaranteed market for the farmers if they can supply standard quality farm produce required by the company.
A warehouse is also being planned so farmers can bring their produce to sell at the warehouse instead of through the manufacturing unit.
The founders are most thankful to His Majesty The King for making it all happen as the Royal Monetary Authority and Royal Securities Exchange of Bhutan (RSEB) have helped turned their idea into a reality.
Tapping into the crowd-funding model
Dorji Phuntsho, the CEO of RSEB, added that there are many ventures in the pipeline waiting to be registered with the crowd-funding model.
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‘’We know the loopholes of where it needs to be plugged. Accordingly now whoever comes for campaigning, we will advise them well and ask them to do marketing and go all out because entrepreneurs should be serious and give their everything. We will try to bring in this seriousness, then their seriousness will be recognised.’’
This article first appeared in The Bhutanese and has been edited for Daily Bhutan.
