KUANTAN: Traditional Indian smackers and sweet treat lovers can now have their favourite delicacies delivered in attractive wooden boxes straight to their doorstep.
The Indian snacks business of B.Sri Themudu has also not escaped the vagaries of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Instead of lamenting his unfortunate predicament, he has instead embraced the wide reach of the internet to get in touch with his prospective customers.
It has been a busy week for the 39-year-old along with his six workers with Deepavali just-around corner as they sort out orders to ensure their customers receive the sweets and snacks before the festive holidays.
Sri said he usually prefers to be physically present when delivering the gift hampers to customers and clients from multi-national companies but that could not be the case anymore.
"In the past, I adopted a personal touch by meeting customers. However, times have changed and these days due to the pandemic, the entire process is done online so it requires me to ensure my website is regularly updated.
"Every year, I introduce new packages and promotions depending on the current demand. This year my team has been spending long hours in front of the computer as we customise the orders, design attractive layouts and deliver them," he told New Straits Times today.
Sri, who holds a job as a sustainable development education programme consultant, said his internet-based business had also led to the creation of jobs for a group of passionate individuals, mostly elderly mothers from Perak and Kuala Lumpur who are responsible for preparing the traditional sweets and snacks.
"Upon receiving the orders through the store's official website, my team will finalise the list before the women get down to work. The sweets and snacks are prepared within 24 to 48 hours to ensure their freshness.
"This year I recruited some part-time delivery riders to help us send the hampers. People have lost their jobs due to the pandemic so I am trying to do my part to help those in need," said the father-of-two.
Sri said besides reducing plastic waste, he choose the colourful wooden boxes and canisters as they could be later used as multipurpose storage containers.
"The sweets and snacks are packed in high-quality reusable canisters, and air-tight glass jars. The environment-friendly gift boxes come in various sizes and customised according to customers' preferences," he said.
The Masters in Entrepreneurship holder, whose gift sets are priced between RM10 and RM450, depending on the size of the box, type of sweets and quantity, said among the popular sweets were "athirasam", a traditional doughnut pastry, "chinipagu" (brown sugar coconut truffles), Boondhi Laddu, Mysore-Pak and Rava Ladoo.
For details, visit www.deepavalihamper.com