An inspiring conversation with a Bangalore based signature baker Mrs. Swathi Girimaji

Not too long ago, there was a time when Google regularly showed red on maps, due to notorious traffic jams.  It was then when professionals at Bangalore used to get stuck in traffic for prolonged hours, which left them completely exhausted when they arrived home. It seems, the time stood still when Covid-19 struck. Despite the catastrophic pandemic, there were a few positives among all the negatives. Work from home became the norm, and even those who continued to go to the office because they were in essential services discovered that traffic on the road had significantly decreased. There was lesser honking on roads, people reached their destinations quicker, and thus they had more time to pursue long-forgotten hobbies.

Amidst these bitter-sweet experiences of life during Covid, Mrs. Swathi Girimaji, a busy lawyer had a rendezvous with her long-lost hobby of baking cakes. Initially, she baked for her family as this allowed her to constructively utilize her spare time. What started as a hobby, slowly developed into a full-blown passion, and later when she started getting praises, she knew it was the time to turn the passion into a venture. No wonder, motivation gives wings to our ambitions. Her bakery items are delectable and of high quality. What she needed was an equally good packaging product, and when she discovered Oko, she knew her search was over. Oko packaging products are aesthetically pleasing, and they just blended with her menu items. Since last year, Swathi has been consistently using Oko brand products and has become one of the most esteemed customers of Evirocor Ltd. We reached out to Swathi to share her story with our readers, and motivate numerous budding entrepreneurs, who are still trying to find their motivation. Following is an excerpt of our conversation on the incredible journey of Swathi, who plays so many roles of a wife, a mother, a lawyer, and now a successful entrepreneur, with equal dexterity.

Mrs. Swathi Girimaji

Please tell us about yourself, and about the history behind your venture Little Hogger.

Swathi: I’m a corporate lawyer with a passion for baking. When my son was born last year, I made nearly 50 hampers and sent them to my friends and family to celebrate his first Diwali, as hosting in person was impossible due to the pandemic. Everyone loved the treats and encouraged me to start a part-time venture to bake to order.

What inspired you to start this venture and what motivates you?

Swathi: Baking is unquestionably my happy place. The fact that I can brighten someone’s day keeps me going.

How do you manage your business, please provide some more details?

Swathi: I run the venture on my own, taking orders when I think I can get away from my desk job, and I currently operate it from my kitchen at home.

I enjoy experimenting and challenging myself to create new dishes that meet dietary restrictions while maintaining quality and taste. I never bake anything that I wouldn’t eat myself. My favourite items on the menu change regularly. A blueberry pecan muffin cake is the current favourite.

I have not contracted with any delivery service. Customers are free to pick up personally or book a Dunzo / Swiggy / Uber as per their convenience.

Generally, orders are placed by people who find my phone number through word of mouth. People occasionally contact me through my Instagram handle @little_hogger to place orders, and payments are usually accepted through Google Pay.

What is your future?

Swathi: Someday, I’d like to open a small café where I could sell all my favourite seasonal foods. My venture, Little Hogger, is heavily focused on sustainability. I organized a bake sale a few months ago and sold nearly 50 boxes to raise funds for oxygen cylinders for Covid patients. I’d definitely do more of these sales as and when I’m able and the need arises.

Any message to our readers who too have dreams to start their own venture?

Swathi: “Don’t dilute your beliefs, think of your impact on the planet and be patient. You will find an audience for whatever you want to do.”

It was an interesting quick chat with Swathi, an esteemed Oko customer, who discovered her passion during Covid times. Swathi is using two of Evirocor’s Oko products with labels: the first one for the packaging of cakes, breads, cupcakes, jars& crackers STA1700-DL & STA4400-DL and the second product for cookies& energy bars ST1000. Her experience with Oko products has been absolutely fantastic. She always receives positive feedback about the packing on every order, both for its appearance and for being eco-friendly and sustainable. When she decided to start her venture, she looked for sustainable options for food packaging as she truly believes in leaving a lesser impact on the environment. Her search ended with eco-friendly Oko products, which truly mingled with her vision of the venture. Swathi finds that Oko boxes are compact to store, easy to assemble and open, sturdy, and aesthetically pleasing too. Despite the rushed timeline, Oko products are always delivered on time. That is why she has recommended Oko to her friends and acquaintances who have started with their own ventures.

To expand her products selection, Swathi asked about cake boards and cupcake holders, which are not currently in Oko’s portfolio. Such feedback from valued customers like Swathi enables Evirocor to develop new and better products based on genuine customers’ feedback. Recently, Evirocor came up with sustainable Oko food bowls with universal lids, which are perfect for packaging of curries, noodles, salads, soups, rice, gravies, and liquids. They are greaseproof, waterproof, and strong with excellent heat insulation.

Evirocor Ltd always strives to provide high-quality products at a reasonable price, with on-time delivery, to consistently delight their customers. We wish Swathi success and a bright future ahead in all her endeavours.