CA Student Turns Lockdown Idea Into Pure Spice Brand

Ankit Sharma was studying financial statements during his chartered accountancy articleship when he spotted something powerful: spices never disappeared from household budgets, even during COVID lockdowns. While demand stayed steady, he kept hearing troubling stories about adulteration, including in his own family's kitchen.

The 2021 lockdown gave him time to turn frustration into action. Sharma had no business background. His father farms, and other family members work in government services. But he had numbers on his side and a clear principle: if he entered the spice market, quality would come first.

He spent months researching before making a single sale. Sharma visited Delhi's famous Khari Baoli spice market, studied how established brands operated, and learned about machinery and preservation standards. He checked whether his assumptions could survive real competition, treating it like the financial analysis he did at work.

When Sharma discovered a government loan program through social media, he moved quickly. He applied through Punjab National Bank under the Chief Minister Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan scheme. After some delays at the branch level, a manager change helped push his application through.

With the funds secured, Sharma set up operations in Ghaziabad and launched PooRak Spices in 2021. He stayed so quiet about it that he only told his family in 2025, four years after starting. He wanted results before making announcements.

Today, PooRak Spices sells packaged spices directly to customers while also supplying retailers and caterers. Sharma works with a team of five women who handle everything from cleaning and sorting raw materials to grinding and packaging. He manages sales and supply himself, keeping close to customer feedback.

The Ripple Effect

Sharma's commitment to purity is creating change beyond his own business. By refusing to cut corners in a market known for adulteration problems, he's showing that quality can compete with cheaper alternatives. His small team of five women now has steady employment doing meaningful work. Direct customers give him honest feedback, which helps him maintain the consistent taste and standards that set his brand apart from competitors taking shortcuts.

The shift from lockdown research to daily operations happened through repeatable habits, not dramatic leaps. For Sharma, stability comes from matching the work to the numbers on paper, day after day.

What started as one person's frustration with impure spices is now a business proving that doing things right can work.