The land is filled with valleys of greenery and pure white snowy mountains. The air is so pure that you will feel you have been breathing nothing but life in its purest sense. Tourists all around the globe come here to visit heaven on earth. It is indeed the Jannat.
Welcome to Jammu & Kashmir. Yet, it is hard to believe, that, for the last six-seven years, most local people were not aware of the availability of organic food products in J&K. The organic products used to be imported from outside J&K, which were usually unaffordable for middle-class families and their authenticity, sometimes was doubtful.
With a vision to develop a business which will not only cater to consumers’ requirements for authentic organic food at affordable prices but also provide employment to thousands of local women farmers, Pooja Gupta took the initiative to launch the Nimbark brand with a complete range of Organic kitchen, grocery as well as health products under Himalaya Bio Organic Pvt Ltd.
The Nimbark Connection
Today, ‘NIMBARK’ became a famous brand not only in both capital cities of J&K but also in states like Punjab, Delhi and Mumbai. NIMBARK Organic food products are manufactured and tested in labs keeping in view strict norms of USDA, Indian Organics, APEDA etc.
Himalayan Bio Organic Foods Pvt Ltd, is a sister concern of Sarveshwar Foods Limited. Sarveshwar Group is a family-owned and operated business that is committed to providing the finest quality rice for your family. Since 1954 Sarveshwar family has been serving healthy, great-tasting rice while respecting and sustaining the earth.
Today, the fourth generation carries on the family heritage by using eco-positive farming methods that produce wholesome, healthful products while improving and protecting the environment for generations to come. With over 100 years of experience in sourcing and processing of Rice, Sarveshwar has introduced Nimbark Organic Products from the virgin lands of Jammu & Kashmir in India.
A Satvik Origin
Pooja states, “The core pillars of our groups are the quality, authenticity, and purity of our products which sets us apart, as a reliable organic product manufacturer.
At NIMBARK, we believe in the philosophy of a ‘SATVIK’ conscious lifestyle. We have our lands in the foothills of the Himalayas and our produce is nourished by fertile mineral-rich soil, organic manure and snow-melted waters of river Chenab, without the use of artificial fertilizers and chemicals which are then sold through a household brand name NIMBARK, who believes in spreading positive and pure energy.”
Each of the product is hygienically processed and packed and undergo multiple rounds of quality assurance to retain its natural essence and freshness throughout the shelf life.
Pooja Gupta: A Passionate and Grounded Businesswoman from the Great Himalayas
Pooja adds, “Being the founder of NIMBARK Organics, I handle my business and social responsibilities in a very sober manner. I started developing clusters of fields and provided them with all technical know-how, awareness, and information about Indian Traditional Systems of Agricultural Farming.
These rural womenfolk, approximately 10,000 in number, are provided with all Organic inputs by the NIMBARK Organics. Even the marketing facilities are provided after proper testing, packaging, and labelling. Apart from this, I periodically interact with rural womenfolk to listen to their problems, if any and I’m always ready to extend my helping hand to those needy ones.”
Talking about the challenges Pooja says that in the initial stages, Nimbark faced many problems like Brand building and making consumers understand the concept of Organic and its benefits. And now after COVID, the market is trending in an upward direction but a lot of hurdles come related to Certifications and testing.
A Blend of Sanctity and Superiority
Nimbark Products are the ultimate blend of taste, aroma and purity cultivated under the strict supervision of experts and after following Good Agriculture Practices. Pooja shares, “Our products are undoubtedly the mark of superiority and sanctity because we at Nimbark believe in nurturing relationships that will last forever.
We have a wide range of Organic Grocery foods Products – Organic Flour, Organic Rice, Organic Pulses, Organic Spices, Super Foods, Organic Dry Fruits, Organic Saffron, Organic Ready to Eat Snacks and Organic Cereals and Kashmiri Specialty Products: Kashmiri Kahwa, Kashmiri Garlic, Black Morels, Red Chilli and more.”
Immersion in the Natural Living
Speaking about the immense health benefits offered by organic products, Pooja feels that nowadays almost 40 % population of the World is suffering from major health diseases: Cancer, cardiac arrest and others, so that is why Nimbark came up with the concept of Organic farming and marketing organic produce.
Since organic food is not prepared using chemical fertilizers, it does not contain any traces of these strong chemicals and does not affect the human body in negative ways. Natural fertilizers, like manure, work perfectly fine, and organic farmers are happy to use this smellier, yet safer form of fertilizer.
Avoiding Possible Health Risks from Pesticides: Organic farmers believe that altered farming practices can be harmful to people. Altered practices aren’t grown the way nature intended. There can be negative consequences to a life lived on such produce.
The vision of these farmers is to restore healthier people by restoring a healthier food supply. Organic produce lacks the mutation risks that come with tampering with plants’ DNA.
Contain Helpful Nutrients: To save money and reputation, many pass the organic aisle without a second thought. They feel that organic foods are more expensive and aren’t worth the time. What they don’t realize is that they’re missing out on helpful nutrients that will help them get through the rigours of a long day of work and school.
Organic food can help you as an employee and a student. Not only is it jam-packed with all of the nutrients you would get from non-organic fruits and vegetables, but it also meets stringent standards of excellence.
Organic produce can reduce health risks from pesticides and other chemicals that are linked to causing cancer and other diseases. By eating organic produce, you will consume fewer of these chemicals and may avoid these health risks.
Pure Energy: On top of that, natural foods provide the body with pure energy, thanks to their lower levels of toxins. This is the energy that the body was made to digest; it can work through it quickly and efficiently.
Better for Your Immune System: The extra energy these foods provide can help you work quickly and more efficiently for longer periods of time. A better immune system combined with a better source of energy will sustain your concentration for your work and school assignments as the long day grows into an even longer night.
Safe for the Environment: As organic foods are locally grown; they pose very minimal interference to the environmental resources that support healthy living. As harmful chemicals are forbidden in organic farming, it ensures a healthier and safer environment due to minimum water, air, and soil pollution. To summarize, organic farming decreases the long-term human health implications caused by air, water, and soil pollution.
A Promise of Trusted Surety
According to Pooja, there are many USPs that make Nimbark stand out as a trusted company in the niche. “Our Participating farmers are issued NPOP and NOP registrations, which are the technical standards of APEDA, India, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) respectively. NPOP standards are also compliant with the standards of organic farming in the European Union thereby providing a competitive edge.
We have our own projects of Organic Rice Cultivation, 7000 farmers, 170 villages, Organic walnut, saffron- 765.16 Acre, Organic Red Kidney Beans- 606.12, Organic Spices Cultivation in Rajasthan, Organic Farming Project in R.S. Pura area of Jammu district. with Dept. of Agriculture, Jammu,” reveals Pooja.
Age-Old Wisdom of Himalaya
As an established industry leader, Pooja’s advice to budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the industry is simple and profound. She says that becoming successful in business is more about your mentality, psychology and determination than it is about finding little tips, tricks, hacks and exploitations in the marketplace.
Focus on setting and achieving small incremental goals rather than trying to start a business and instantly build your vision of what the company should be in the years to come. Setting realistic goals and milestones is a major component of building long-term success.
Envisioning further strengthening Nimbark’s stronghold in 2022 and beyond, Pooja says, “We are visioned to be at top 10 of best organic grocery brands in World!”