Feature: Not Just Curries
Food entrepreneurs are some of the most inspiring people in the world. With their passion and determination, they have created an impact on our society by providing us with delicious food creations and innovative business concepts. In this feature, we will be introducing you to a few of these amazing individuals who have taken the leap into the culinary landscape and made a name for themselves. We’ll explore their stories, from humble beginnings to successful businesses, discussing how they found success and what makes them stand out as innovators in the food industry. Get ready for an inspiring journey through the lives of these extraordinary entrepreneurs!
What inspired you to start your business?
We are from the southern part of India, and moved to Canada five and a half years ago. We noticed a lack of southern Indian cuisine in Canada, specifically in smaller cities like Kelowna. Most Indian restaurants here serve northern Indian cuisine, which is what most people know: Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, etc. We missed the food we grew up with; food from southern India. And it made us sad that our new community didn’t know about the food and the culture of southern India. That inspired us to start Not Just Curries
What is your business model?
We are a meal-to-deliver service. The menu for the whole month is uploaded onto the website, where customers can place their orders. On the day of, we prepare and deliver the meals to them. Currently, we operate out of a commercial kitchen in West Kelowna.
What is your favorite part about what you do?
The ability to share our culture through our food is definitely our favourite part of the business. With every order that goes out, we send along a little Story Card that explains the meal and tells it’s story, cultural significance, etc. Most of our recipes are family recipes, handed down to us from our mothers and grandmothers. And the fact that we get to share it with our Kelowna/Okanagan community gives us so much joy!
What are your favorite food creations?
Although we love all the dishes we make, our favourites are the family recipes! Amma’s Chicken Biryani, Kerala Fish Fry, and Vendakkai Moru Curry are our top 3!
What is the most popular food item?
Definitely the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast, Amma’s Chicken Biryani, and Amma’s Chicken Curry. These meals tend to sell out almost every month
What is coming in 2023 for you?
We are going to be switching to compostable, eco-friendly packaging in 2023! This is something we’ve wanted to do right from when we started the business and we’re so glad to see it come to fruition! Additionally, we are also going to be launching a pick-up option in 2023. We are going to be partnering with another local business, but with a storefront, and they will serve as our pick-up location. So, members of the community whose address falls outside out delivery radius don’t have to miss out on all the yumminess. They can get their order delivered to the pick-up location!
