3 Female Foodies

In honour of International Women’s Day this month (8 March), we’re shining the spotlight on female entrepreneurs who are making a mark on the food scene here in Singapore and beyond.

- Amy Greenburg

NAMITA MEHRA

Who she is: Cookbook author and founder of popular cooking kit business Indian Spicebox (indian-spicebox.com), which helps feed impoverished children in India.

Why she’s awesome: Namita’s commitment to inspiring healthier eating is, of course, admirable, but the fact that she has also helped feed tens of thousands of hungry bellies though her business takes it to the next level. (Also impressive is the fact that she manages her one-woman-business while juggling two little ones at home!)

Her story: Namita boldly traded in her flourishing creative digital marketing career to launch her own meaningful start-up. Not only did she want to disprove common misconceptions surrounding Indian food – that it’s unhealthy, heavy, overly spicy and too complicated to attempt at home – and empower families to cook with healthier, organic ingredients, but she also wanted to feed hungry bellies.

So, in 2014, Namita introduced the Spicebox kit, which includes a cookbook with easy-to-follow recipes and a beautiful tin with nine organic spices, all sourced from small farms in India. Since its launch, proceeds from the sale of each Spicebox ($95) have been used to feed children in India, with over 100,000 meals served to date.

“I wanted to design a life for myself where I could be an involved and present mother while also creating something meaningful for others,” she says. “Indian Spicebox began as an idea in my head in 2004 when I lived in New York and, a decade later, it was born as a business. It wasn’t an easy transition but I’m so grateful that I was able to let my dream build and bubble away until I could take and mould it into what it is today!”