Sonali Kocharekar: From Homemade Laddus to a BSE-Listed Company

A journey that began with a mother's desire to make healthier food for her child grew into an entrepreneurial venture in food manufacturing, agricultural processing and consumer products. For Sonali Kocharekar, founder of Appetite Food and a key figure behind Sonalis Consumer Products Limited, the path from a small home kitchen to the BSE SME platform has been shaped by personal loss, difficult decisions, mentorship and a clear vision for the future.

With around 14 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, a background in nutrition and certification as an ESG Specialist from the World Council, Sonali brought a distinct perspective to entrepreneurship. She believed that good health begins with everyday food choices. What started as a personal experiment gradually attracted customers, opened the door to manufacturing and eventually became the foundation of a growing business.

Her story is not simply about building a company. It is about a woman who turned her knowledge into a product, her responsibilities into a reason to keep working towards her goals, and a modest beginning into a larger ambition for India's food and agricultural sectors.

A “COVID Baby” Born from Passion for Healthy Food

Before Sonali entered the world of entrepreneurship, she had spent years building her career in the pharmaceutical industry. Yet, alongside her professional responsibilities, she carried a strong interest in nutrition and healthy eating. The pandemic eventually gave her the opportunity to turn that interest into a business.

The journey began at home, where Sonali started preparing laddus for her five-year-old child. Drawing on her knowledge of pharmaceuticals and nutrition, she experimented with ingredients and recipes to create products that were both nutritious and enjoyable.

Friends who tasted the laddus began requesting them for their own families. Initially, the orders were small, amounting to a few kilograms. Over the following six months, however, demand grew through friends, relatives and word of mouth.

At the time, Sonali continued working in the pharmaceutical industry while managing her growing food venture. The turning point came during COVID-19, when people became more conscious of nutrition, immunity and the food they consumed. Orders increased significantly, and Sonali eventually found herself producing approximately 100 kilograms of products from her home.

What had begun as a personal initiative was now showing the potential to become a business.

“I call this business my ‘COVID baby’ because the pandemic gave me the confidence and circumstances to turn an idea into a business,” she reflects.

However, moving from a home-based venture to a formal manufacturing operation required more than a good product. Sonali had to think about funding, infrastructure, production capacity and the risks associated with leaving a stable career.

As a first-generation entrepreneur and a single mother, the decision carried considerable financial and personal responsibility. Her savings were her safety net, and the future of the business remained uncertain.

An opportunity emerged when she learned about the Chief Minister Employment Generation Programme (CMEGP) and the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). She prepared a detailed business projection, approached banks and pursued financial assistance. Eventually, she secured approval for a ₹50 lakh loan under the CMEGP scheme.

That support helped her establish Appetite Food with a 200-square-foot manufacturing facility and an initial range of five laddu products.

The foundation of Sonalis Consumer Products Limited had been laid.

Motherhood, Loss and the Courage to Begin Again

Sonali's entrepreneurial journey cannot be understood without looking at the personal circumstances that shaped her decisions long before she started her business.

When her son was just three-and-a-half years old, she lost her husband. At a young age, she suddenly found herself responsible for raising her child and managing the family's needs while continuing to pursue her professional aspirations.

The experience brought uncertainty into her life, but it also strengthened her determination to build a future on her own terms. She continued working in the pharmaceutical industry while holding on to her ambition of becoming an entrepreneur.

For Sonali, motherhood was never a limitation on what she could achieve. Instead, her son became one of her strongest motivations to work harder and create better opportunities for their future.

One of the most difficult decisions was to put her entire savings into a business whose outcome was uncertain. Another was convincing her parents to support her decision to leave an established career and enter entrepreneurship.

Coming from a Maharashtrian middle-class family, Sonali understood why her parents valued financial security and professional stability. Her decision naturally led to questions and difficult conversations. Over time, however, they came to understand her conviction and stood beside her.

Her parents, Mr. Gajanan Chavan and Mrs. Meenal Chavan, became important pillars of support. They took care of her son, allowing Sonali to devote more time and attention to building the business.

Their contribution went beyond practical assistance. Knowing that her child was in the care of her family gave her the peace of mind to concentrate on the demanding early years of entrepreneurship.

Sonali's experience shaped her understanding of responsibility, ambition and family. She learned that pursuing a dream does not mean having every uncertainty resolved in advance. Sometimes, it means making a difficult decision while carrying responsibilities that cannot be set aside.

When Growth Brought New Challenges

Securing funding and establishing a manufacturing unit marked an important beginning, but the next stage of growth brought a different set of challenges.

Sonali soon realised that moving from home production to a factory changed the economics of her business. Rent, machinery, labour, quality control, laboratory requirements, accounting and other operating expenses increased the cost of production.

The impact on demand was immediate.

From producing around 100 kilograms of products a day at home, the business saw its orders fall sharply. Daily demand dropped to approximately 20 boxes containing six laddus each, then to around five boxes. At one point, she received no orders for an entire week.

For a growing business, this was a difficult phase. The manufacturing facility needed to be maintained, expenses continued to accumulate, and the brand still had to establish itself in the market.

Rather than abandoning the venture, Sonali began looking for ways to sustain operations. She approached competitors and experienced people in the industry, openly discussing her challenges and asking whether there were opportunities to work together.

Those conversations introduced her to contract manufacturing.

Sonali began producing laddus and other food products for different brands. The arrangement created an additional revenue stream, helping her cover regular operating expenses while continuing to develop her own brand.

It also gave her an opportunity to understand production at a larger scale, respond to different customer requirements and improve operational processes.

Gradually, the business expanded from its initial facility to a 1,200-square-foot unit and subsequently to two manufacturing facilities. At one stage, the company developed the capacity to manufacture approximately 10 tonnes of laddus per week, alongside other food products.

What initially appeared to be a setback ultimately opened another avenue for growth. Contract manufacturing helped Sonali build production capabilities while giving her own brand more time to develop.

Her experience reinforced an important lesson: a business plan may need to change when circumstances change, but the underlying goal can remain the same.

The Value of Mentorship and Experienced Guidance

As Sonali worked to establish her company, she recognised that access to capital was only one part of building a sustainable business. Experienced guidance, sound judgement and the ability to make informed decisions were equally important.

She actively sought people who could share their knowledge and help her understand the complexities of entrepreneurship.

One such person was Mrs. Smita Shah, whose progressive outlook and belief in Sonali's vision proved valuable during product curation and development. Her son, Mr. Shivang Shah, brought extensive business development experience and helped guide the company towards its broader objectives.

Their guidance was especially useful during the early stages, when Sonali was learning many aspects of business operations through direct experience.

She believes that experienced professionals can be as valuable to a growing business as physical infrastructure. Machinery can be purchased, but practical judgement, industry knowledge and mentorship take years to develop.

For Sonali, finding the right people to learn from became an important part of building the company. Their support helped her look beyond immediate challenges and consider the decisions required for long-term growth.

Her approach also reflects a broader understanding of entrepreneurship: building a company is not a solitary exercise. Alongside a founder's conviction, it requires the contribution of people who can offer knowledge, perspective and practical support.

From Traditional Laddus to the BSE SME Platform

One of the defining milestones in Sonali's journey came in 2023, when Sonalis Consumer Products Limited was listed on the BSE SME platform.

For a business that began with homemade laddus, the listing represented a significant transition. It marked the movement from a small entrepreneurial venture towards a more formally structured organisation with wider responsibilities to shareholders, employees, customers and other stakeholders.

The milestone also brought public attention to the unusual journey of a laddu-making business that had grown into a listed company. Sonali recalls media coverage, including in Maharashtra Times and other publications of the Times Group, as a particularly memorable moment.

The recognition captured the scale of the transformation: a product made at home for a child had become the starting point of a business with manufacturing capabilities and ambitions extending beyond its original category.

Another significant milestone was signing a memorandum of understanding worth ₹100 crore with the Government of Maharashtra in the presence of the state's Industrial Minister, Shri Uday Samant.

For Sonali, the agreement represented an important opportunity to contribute to the state's industrial and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

She was also recognised by the Government of Maharashtra as a fast-growing woman entrepreneur. The recognition carried particular meaning for her as a mother and first-generation entrepreneur who had built her business while managing substantial personal responsibilities.

Yet, she does not view these achievements as the final destination. Each milestone, in her view, creates a new set of responsibilities and opens the door to further possibilities.

Moving Closer to the Source: Farmers and Agriculture

As the business developed, Sonali began looking beyond finished food products to understand the agricultural inputs that determine their quality and consistency.

This led Sonalis Consumer Products Limited into grain and spice processing and trading, bringing the company closer to farmers and the source of its raw materials.

The shift gave Sonali an opportunity to understand agricultural operations more directly, engage with farmers and learn about the challenges they face.

For her, this expansion was about more than adding new business activities. It was an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between agriculture, processing, markets and the food ultimately consumed by customers.

She believes that a company operating in the food sector can create greater value by understanding the entire chain rather than focusing only on the finished product.

Direct engagement with farmers has therefore become an important part of her broader vision. She wants the company to strengthen these relationships and explore ways to create more effective connections between agricultural producers, processing operations and markets.

This perspective also informs her interest in value-added agricultural products. By expanding into additional product categories under its own brands, the company aims to build on its understanding of agricultural commodities, processing requirements and consumer needs.

Milestones That Define Her Journey

For Sonali, achievements are meaningful not only because they reflect business growth, but also because of the opportunities they create. One of the significant milestones in her journey was expanding into grain and spice processing and trading, which brought the company closer to farmers and helped her understand the agricultural ecosystem more deeply. Another defining moment came in 2023, when Sonalis Consumer Products Limited was listed on the BSE SME platform, marking an important transition from a small entrepreneurial venture to a more formally structured organisation. Her journey also received media attention, including coverage in Maharashtra Times and other publications of the Times Group, highlighting how a business that began with homemade laddus had grown into a listed company.

Another important achievement was signing a ₹100-crore memorandum of understanding with the Government of Maharashtra in the presence of Industrial Minister Shri Uday Samant. The agreement represented a significant milestone in the company's development and its potential contribution to the state's industrial ecosystem. Sonali was also recognised by the Government of Maharashtra as a fast-growing woman entrepreneur, an honour that holds particular meaning given the personal responsibilities and professional challenges she has managed throughout her journey. Beyond these accomplishments, she considers the opportunity to share her story with others equally meaningful. She hopes her experience will encourage women who have business ideas but are hesitant to take the first step. For Sonali, every achievement builds confidence, creates new possibilities and provides a foundation for the next stage of growth.

Building a Business with a Larger Purpose

Sonali's vision for Sonalis Consumer Products Limited extends beyond expanding its product portfolio or increasing manufacturing capacity. She wants the company to become a meaningful participant in the agricultural and food ecosystem, creating value from the farm to the end consumer.

Supporting other entrepreneurs is another part of this vision. She recognises that people with promising ideas may need more than funding to establish a successful business. Access to mentorship, business connections, market opportunities and practical guidance can also make a difference.

Where it aligns with the company's capabilities and strategic priorities, she would like Sonalis to contribute to that support system.

International expansion is also part of the company's longer-term plans. With a presence through offices in Rajkot, Mumbai and Dubai, Sonalis is looking to develop direct exports under its own brands and explore opportunities in international markets.

The company is also evaluating strategic acquisitions and partnerships in agriculture, food processing, consumer products and related sectors. The emphasis, Sonali explains, is on finding businesses that offer a genuine strategic fit and the potential to create long-term value.

These ambitions reflect her intention to build a company that contributes to more than its own commercial growth. Farmers, consumers, employees, entrepreneurs and shareholders all form part of the wider ecosystem she wants the business to serve.

For now, the focus remains on strengthening the company's foundations, developing new agricultural product categories, improving processing capabilities and expanding its presence in domestic and international markets.

The Journey Continues

Looking back, Sonali Kocharekar's entrepreneurial journey began with a simple objective: to prepare healthier food for her child. Friends and family became her first customers, the pandemic accelerated demand, and government-supported funding helped her establish a manufacturing operation.

The path that followed was far from straightforward. She faced the loss of her husband, the responsibility of raising a young child, difficult financial decisions and the challenge of sustaining a business when orders declined. Family support, mentorship and a willingness to explore contract manufacturing helped her move through those early stages.

The listing of Sonalis Consumer Products Limited on the BSE SME platform in 2023 marked a major achievement, but her ambitions now extend further into agriculture, food processing, consumer products and international markets.

Her story offers a practical lesson in entrepreneurship: a promising idea needs more than passion. It needs careful decisions, the willingness to seek help, an understanding of changing circumstances and the patience to build a business one stage at a time.

For Sonali, the biggest achievement is not necessarily the milestone already reached. It is the work still ahead: building a company that can grow commercially while creating meaningful opportunities across the agricultural and food value chain.