In India, there are multiple well-known brands that originated from humble beginnings as small shops. Despite facing numerous challenges during their initial days, these businesses have now grown to earn millions and billions. Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, the creator of the popular Naturals Ice Cream, is one such individual who achieved success through perseverance and hard work. But who is he and what is the story behind his successful business empire?
In 1984, Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath established Naturals Ice Cream and inaugurated its first outlet in Juhu, Mumbai. Kamath’s father was a mango vendor in Karnataka and he grew up in a small village in Mangalore, where he assisted his father in selecting, harvesting, sorting and storing the ripe fruit, thus acquiring valuable skills.
Having acquired these skills, Kamath made the decision to depart from his father’s business. He subsequently arrived in Bombay from Mangalore and established Naturals Ice Cream on February 14, 1984, with a mere 10 ice cream flavors and a team of four employees.
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Despite his passion for ice cream, Kamath was uncertain if customers would be willing to try his unique flavors. To attract more customers, he initially served Pav Bhaji as the main dish, with ice cream as a complementary addition. Starting with just 12 flavors, the store rapidly grew into a successful ice cream parlour.
In FY 2020, Naturals Ice Cream achieved a retail turnover of Rs 300 crore. The brand was recognized as one of India’s top 10 brands for customer experience in the KPMG survey.
