Spicy Spotlight

Armed with a social mission to fill hungry bellies with nutritious, healthy food, Nigeria-born NAMITA MEHRA founded her cooking kit business Indian Spicebox in 2014. We chat with the inspiring mumpreneur on how she does it all.

- Anthia Chng

What’s the story behind Indian Spicebox?

While I was studying and living in the US (I lived there for 12 years before moving to Singapore six years ago), I was dealing with food sensitivity and other health issues – including an underactive thyroid and weight gain. I struggled to eat healthily and decided to start compiling healthy, homemade Indian recipes from my family members. I worked hard at perfecting those recipes and cooked a lot more when I got married to my husband who had a love for Indian food!

In 2004, I joined a new advertising agency in New York and took part in a talent show for all new employees. I presented my traditional spice box and did a short talk on Indian cooking. Afterwards, many colleagues showed their interest in my spice box and recipes – that was when I had the idea of creating a kit to include a cookbook and a curated box of spices. I went on to create the Indian Spicebox community on Facebook in 2009 when I joined Facebook as an employee (I worked there for five years) and, finally in 2014, I founded the company, wrote the cookbook and launched the kit.

Tell us more about your social impact initiative in India.

Right from the beginning, the mission was clear to me – I wanted to help fill bellies with tasty, homemade and nutritious food. There is a massive hunger problem around the world, and India is dealing with the largest undernourished population. Women and children are facing issues like anaemia and stunted growth; the statistics are just heart-breaking.