A small business does not always begin with a large investment. Sometimes, a simple idea can be the beginning of something much bigger. For Kerala-based Shije Thankachan, mushroom cultivation started as a way to keep herself busy at home while her husband was at work and her children were at school.
Nearly two decades later, she and her husband, T.J. Thankachan runs Coon Fresh, a mushroom farming business. It has now expanded into cultivation, spawn production and value-added food products. According to Intend-To Marketing, the business now earns an annual revenue of around Rs 80 lakh to Rs 90 lakh.
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How Shije Thankachan Started Mushroom Farming
Shije began experimenting with mushroom cultivation in 2007 after moving to a village near Kochi. With her husband away at work and her children at school, she wanted to find something productive to do during the day. Coming from an agricultural family, she decided to try growing oyster mushrooms.
The first experiment was small, with mushroom beds set up on the family's balcony. The couple used paddy straw as the growing medium and continued the trial for several months. The results encouraged them to consider turning the activity into a business. Shije reportedly started with Rs 250 for mushroom beds and spawn.
From A Small Setup To A Mushroom Farm
After the initial trial, the family decided to expand. According to Startup Pedia, they invested around Rs 1 lakh in a mushroom farm with space for 600 beds. The first commercial attempt did not go as planned, as excess moisture and poor-quality mushroom spawn led to contamination that destroyed the crop.
Instead of giving up, they worked on identifying the reasons behind the failure. With a few changes, they restarted cultivation on a smaller scale and gradually increased the number of beds.
In an interview with Startup Pedia, TJ Thankachan said, "We used paddy straw as the growing medium and ran the trial for nearly six months. The results were encouraging, with a steady supply of oyster mushrooms from the small setup. That success gave us the confidence to move beyond the balcony and invest in a dedicated mushroom farm."
According to Startup Pedia, the farm has around 6,000 to 7,000 beds and produces nearly 12 tonnes of fresh oyster mushrooms annually. Its operations also include a packhouse, cold storage and a training facility.
The business has expanded beyond selling fresh mushrooms. According to Intend-To Marketing, Coon Fresh has introduced products such as mushroom momos, cutlets, sandwiches, bread rolls, pickles, chutney powder, millet payasam and mushroom-fortified cakes. These products allow the company to use mushrooms in different forms and reach more customers.
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