In the misty hills of Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka, where coffee plantations and forests teem with natural bounty, Chayaa Nanjappa has built a premium brand that captures the essence of rural purity. As the founder and managing partner of Nectar Fresh, Chayaa has scaled her honey and food processing business to an annual turnover of 10-12 crores, starting from humble beginnings with just 2 lakhs in capital. At 43 in 2015 (now in her early 50s), this first-generation entrepreneur exemplifies how indigenous knowledge and perseverance can create global markets for rural products.
Chayaa’s early life was rooted in Coorg’s agrarian culture. Born in Nalkeri as the only daughter of a coffee-planter father and a headmistress mother, she stopped formal education after Class 12 due to family circumstances. Moving to Bengaluru, she joined the front office of The Chancery, a five-star hotel, where her innate hospitality skills shone. However, her passion lay in Coorg’s spices, coffee, and honey.
In 2006-07, she pursued a course at the Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI) in Pune, learning honey processing and preservation. Armed with this expertise, she launched Nectar Fresh in 2007 with 10 lakhs from her mother’s savings, 8 lakhs from selling her jewelry, and a 10-lakh bank loan, supported by the Khadi and Village Industries Board.
The initial setup was a modest processing unit in Bommanahalli, Bengaluru, sourcing honey from Kodagu’s farmers and tribals. Chayaa targeted local markets but soon eyed the hospitality sector’s demand for fresh Coorg honey. Challenges abounded: competition from international giants like Beerenberg and Darbo, who dominated with portion packs; multiple factory relocations due to personal reasons—first to Nanjangud near Mysuru, then in 2010 to its current site between Srirangapatna and Mysuru. Each move cost lakhs in losses, equipment damage, and staff retraining. As a first-generation entrepreneur without mentors, she learned through trial and error, securing loans without government subsidies.
By 2010, Chayaa diversified into fruit processing with guidance from the Central Food and Processing Research Institute in Mysuru. Partnering with Rajappa, a retail expert from Mystore superstores, she expanded the product line. Today, Nectar Fresh produces over 200 tonnes of honey monthly (from 1 tonne initially), including apiary, forest, and uniflora varieties like Himachal, litchi, and clover. Sourced eco-friendly from pollution-free areas, the honey retains natural pollen and nutrients. The portfolio includes jams, fruit preserves, sauces, ketchups, mayonnaise, and coffee, available in portion packs (5-8g), jars (100g-1L), and corporate gifts.
Nectar Fresh supplies premium hotels like ITC and Le Meridien, with a significant portion exported to Germany and France. Chayaa collaborates with over 100 farmers, renting apiary boxes on their lands and operating 20 mobile vans nationwide. Her 45-strong workforce is mostly rural women, and she inspires over 2,000 women through self-help groups and Sangha meetings. Achievements include a 6-crore net worth and 10-12 crore turnover, national awards like the ‘Best Entrepreneur in Food Processing’ from the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India in 2014, and being the first woman entrepreneur to empower tribal communities via business.
Chayaa’s impact extends beyond profits: she promotes sustainable beekeeping, empowers rural women, and preserves Coorg’s heritage. Her story is a testament to how rural women can leverage local resources to build scalable, ethical businesses, bridging traditional knowledge with modern markets.
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