There’s a quiet hum inside the godown of Pachaiammal Enterprises, a wholesale spice business set up in Kanchipuram. The air is thick with the scent of pepper and cardamom- sharp, familiar, comforting. Drums and gunny sacks filled with cashews, cloves, and turmeric stand stacked like silent witnesses to years of trade.
Amid it all, a woman in a simple cotton saree moves with calm precision, one hand weighing spices, the other answering her ever-buzzing phone.
That woman is Manomani Shakar. For years, she worked behind the scenes, measuring, mixing, managing, but never owning. Until one afternoon, as she inspected the latest batch of spices, her eyes fell on a pack that carried no name.
Not her husband’s. Not hers.
“It hit me then,” she says. “We built these rows with our hands, but none of them bore our identity.”
That day, she decided to make a change.
Taking Over a Family Business and Redefining It
The wholesale spice business wasn’t new to the family. It began nearly two decades ago, long before smartphones and digital payments made their way into Kanchipuram’s lanes. Her in-laws started Pachaiammal Enterprises with a small cart of nuts and spices, selling cardamom by weight and trust. Over time, her husband took the reins, expanding the business into a steady B2B supply chain that reached across the district.
But when opportunity came knocking in the form of a boutique space a few towns away, he decided to follow that new dream. The boutique soon found its footing; fabrics and fashion took up his days, but the familiar smell of pepper and dried chillies still hung around their home.
The spice sacks began to gather dust, orders slowed, and something stirred in Manomani.
“I knew this business,” she says, recalling the early years. “Every supplier, every rate, every season’s demand, I’d been a silent part of it all. Just not officially.”
So, between school drops and lunchboxes, she made a quiet decision. She would take over the family wholesale spice business, not out of necessity, but out of love and respect for what her family had built.
Taking Over a Family Business and Redefining It
Manomani learned the ropes of running a wholesale spice business from scratch: how to negotiate with dealers, read invoices, track quality, and handle customers. Slowly, she brought order and trust back to the business.
“It wasn’t easy,” she admits. “I had no formal training, but my husband supported me, and that was enough to get started.” From managing suppliers to handling payments, she became the backbone of the wholesale spice business. Over the years, her confidence and customer base grew steadily.
Initially, it wasn’t easy. From googling “how to start a spice business in India” to taking tips from her husband, Manomani learned business the old-fashioned way.
She learned how to judge spice quality by scent, how to read market shifts from the chatter of traders, and how to keep customers coming back with honesty instead of offers.
There were evenings when she’d pack invoices with one hand while stirring sambhar with the other. But her husband stood by her. Slowly, confidence replaced hesitation.
“What I didn’t learn in school,” she smiles, “life and business taught me.”
When the Family Business Found Its Spark
As the wholesale spice business stabilised, Manomani began spotting a shift in the market. More customers wanted ready-to-buy, branded spice packs instead of bulk orders. It was a moment of realisation: her family business now has to transition from wholesale to retail model.
But expansion needed capital.
That’s when she discovered Mahila Money, a digital platform that offers business loans to women entrepreneurs like her.
“I was nervous at first,” she recalls. “I had never applied for a loan before. But the process was simple and transparent. It made me feel like I could really take this business forward.”
With a Mahila Money loan of ₹1,00,000, she upgraded packaging, purchased new stock in bulk, and started selling directly to retailers and individual customers.
This single step, backed by belief and a bit of credit, added the missing zest to her wholesale spice business story.
From Godown to Growth Story
Today, Pachaiammal Enterprises is more than just a wholesale supplier. It’s a thriving wholesale spice business renowned for its quality and consistency.
Six employees now work under Manomani, handling operations from cleaning and grading to packaging and delivery. Her monthly turnover has reached nearly ₹25 lakh, with a steady profit that supports both her business and her family.
Over 80% of transactions happen digitally, reflecting her confidence in modern business practices. “Earlier, I used to count notes. Now I count QR scans,” she laughs.
Her husband manages a boutique, while Manomani runs the wholesale spice business full-time. Together, they’ve built a household powered by shared dreams and financial independence.
The Impact of Courage Capital and Confidence
For Manomani, the loan was more than money; it was momentum.
“Before, I used to wait for things to improve. After the loan, I started planning for growth,” she says. The productive loan helped her diversify her offerings and transition from wholesale to retail business, meeting demand during the festive season.
Her customers, including local shops, hotels, and individuals, trust her brand. Some even buy directly from her through digital payments and repeat orders. She’s no longer just sustaining a family legacy; she’s scaling it.
Counting the Real Profits
Manomani’s success is measured not only by revenue but also by the recognition it receives. Her children see her as a role model. Her team respects her as “Madam”, the one who knows the weight of each spice and the value of every deal.
“People now come to me for advice on starting their own ventures,” she smiles. “That feels good. Earlier, I didn’t even see myself as a businesswoman.”
She dreams of turning her brand into a household name, one that blends the authenticity of traditional Indian spices with the efficiency of a modern small business.
“These spices are part of my life,” she says. “They remind me that strong flavours, like strong women, always leave their mark.”
Business Impact Snapshot
- Business Name: Pachaiammal Enterprises
- Location: Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
- Business Type: Wholesale and retail trade (spices, nuts, dry fruits)
- Loan Amount: ₹1,00,000
- Purpose: Business expansion (B2B to B2C transition)
- Employees: 6
- Monthly Turnover: ₹25 lakh
- Digital Payments: 80% transactions online
The Real Taste of Success
Manomani’s journey from wholesale to retail spice business shows that women-led small businesses aren’t just growing; they’re changing India’s trade map.
Her story is proof that when financial access meets determination, even a modest godown in Kanchipuram can become a powerhouse of progress.
Read more success stories:
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If you are a woman entrepreneur who wants to take your business to new heights and is in need of working capital and entrepreneurship resources, come speak to us on Mahila Money. For more such #JiyoApneDumPe live conversations, download the Mahila Money App on Play Store or visit us on www.mahila.money
