Rekha karmakar is a young woman from Silchar, Assam. After finishing her graduation, she wanted to support her family and make money for herself. but in her small town, good jobs were not easy to find. She thought for many days “What can I do from home .. without much investment?” Then she noticed that many students came to Silchar to study in colleges, from nearby and in some cases far away ( NIT and in medical college) many small office workers and shopkeepers stayed away from their homes and they all wanted fresh home style food at a reasonable price. That gave her the idea –lets open a tiffin service.
This is not only Rekha’s story. Across Assam, Bengal, and many other states, young women are running tiffin services from their homes and earning good income. Let us see how this works, step by step.
Why Tiffin service works
In towns and small cities, many people live alone in rented rooms or in hostels. Cooking daily is difficult for them. Eating in hotels every day is costly and unhealthy. They miss the taste of simple, homely dal, rice, sabzi and roti.
That is where tiffin service becomes important. A woman ( or even a man ) can cook at home and deliver meals packed neatly. Customers are happy because they get fresh food at low prices and the business owner gets steady daily income.
Starting Small from Home
Rekha started with only 4 customers – two college boys, one bank employee and one shop worker. She cooked extra food in her own kitchen and packed it in steel tiffins. Slowly, word spread and within three months, she had about 20 customers.
The good thing about this business is that you don’t need a shop. Your own kitchen is enough. A few steel dabbas, plastic containers and delivery arrangements are all you need in the beginning to start.
Menu Planning
Customers don’t want hotel style oily food. They want simple ghar ka khana.
A normal menu can be:
- Morning: 4 rotis + sabzi + pickle
- Afternoon: rice + dal + 1 sabzi + papad
- Sometimes add egg curry, fish curry or chicken ( at extra cost)
It is important to keep the menu simple but change it a little every day so that customers do not get bored.
How to Fix the Price
Rekha started at Rs70 per meal for vegetarian and Rs120 per meal for non vegetarian. Many tiffin services also give monthly packages, like Rs2500 to RS 3000 per month for 2 meals a day.
Price depends on:
- local cost of vegetables and rice
- Whether non veg is included
- Distance of delivery
Investment Needed
This business does not need big money. Basic investment:
- Extra utensils and kadai – Rs3000 to Rs5000
- Steel tiffins or disposable boxes – Rs2000 to Rs 3000
- Gas stove and cylinder – already at home, maybe add one more
- Delivery arrangement ( cycle, scooty or hiring a boy) – Rs2000 per month approx.
So with Rs10000 to Rs15000, anyone can start.
Learning Cooking
Some women already know cooking well. But to run a tiffin service, food must be tasty, hygienic and consistent on a daily basis.
- You can learn from your mother or relatives who cook daily.
- Practice popular dishes like dal fry, alu and mixed sabzi, chatni ,chicken curry, fish curry and Bengali style sweets like payesh.
- For more skill, short cooking classes and how to prepare and package are available in Guwahati, Kolkata and even online.
The secret is simple: cook with less oil, use fresh vegetables and maintain good hygiene.
Getting Customers
At first, you may not know how to find people who want tiffin service. Rekha started with word of mouth , telling neighbors, friends, and relatives. Slowly she spread the word in nearby hostels.
Other ways:
- Put small posters outside hostels and pg houses.
- Talk to college students and small offices.
- Use Whatsapp groups to share menu daily.
- Offer 1 free meal as trial.
Once people like your food, they will never leave.
Delivery System
In small towns, delivery is not too difficult. If customers live nearby family members can deliver by cycle or scooty. Some women even ask customers to pick up tiffin themselves from the house.
For bigger areas, one can hire a boy for delivery paying a monthly salary. This ensures timely supply.
Challenges in Tiffin service
Like every business, this one also has some problems.
- late payment – Some customers delay paying monthly fees.
- Food wastage – If someone cancels last minute, the food may go waste.
- Rising prices – Vegetable and rice rates often go up suddenly but you can’t ask extra.
- Health issue – If the owner falls sick, cooking stops.
To manage this, Rekha kept simple rules: advance monthly payment, clear menu and a backup helper (her cousin sister) in case she was unwell.
Hiring Helpers
As the business grows, one person cannot manage everything. You may need a helper for chopping vegetables, washing utensils or delivery. Hiring a part time maid or relative can solve this.
Expanding the Business
Once you have 20 to 30 steady customers, you can slowly expand. Some ideas:
- Add snacks like samosa, pakora or cutlet in evening.
- Provide special thalis during Durga Puja, Eid or Bihu.
- Tie up with small offices for regular bulk orders.
Later, you can even open a small mess or canteen near college or bazaar.
Rekha’s Success
Within one year, Rekha grew her customer base to about 50 people. She was earning around Rs35000 to Rs40000 per month after expenses. More importantly, she earned respect in her community. Many other women came to her for guidance and she helped them start their own services that are similar in nature.
Last Words
A tiffin service is one of the best home based businesses for women in rural and semi urban India. It needs small investment, simple skills and can be managed along with family life. With honesty, hygiene and tasty food it can grow steadily.
As Rekha says with a smile, “My kitchen became my office, and my food became my identity.”