‘Bees of Beena’: Woman Uses Fruits & Flowers From Her Garden To Run Food Biz; Earns Rs 50K/Month

As the first light of day touches the picturesque town of Marangattupally in Kerala, Beena Tom embarks on her morning ritual: collecting a fresh harvest of sun-kissed fruits from her backyard. For the proud 56-year-old entrepreneur, turning her passion into a profitable venture had always been a suggestion in passing; eight years ago, she decided to make it a reality.

“Today, I collected about 20 kg of nutmeg and made juice. While most people discard the outer covering of the nutmeg flower, I use it to make pickles and juices,” she says after the end of her morning ritual.

Beena uses her culinary prowess to make a variety of dishes from flowers and fruits she grows in her cherished backyard — home to a thriving population of coconuts, areca nuts, mangoes, guavas and butterfly peas, to name a few. She combines traditional recipes with a modern twist to showcase the flavours of Kerala’s rich produce. Her ingenuity has transformed her simple harvest into a prosperous business, bringing in Rs 50,000 each month.

Under her enterprise ‘Bees of Beena’, she makes over 140 varieties of products — such as homemade pickles, jams, squash, juices, chips, pulps, and honey. Her creations have captured the hearts and taste buds of many, leading to a steady stream of orders, both online and offline.

Beena makes a wide range of products — such as homemade jams, pickles, and squash.

Through the effective use of social media and word-of-mouth marketing, Beena has expanded her reach beyond Kerala. Today, she caters to customers across several cities, including Bengaluru, Lucknow and Mumbai.

Harvesting dreams: The birth of an enterprise

Beena’s journey into the world of culinary entrepreneurship began in 2017, following her husband Tom Antony’s retirement. While her passion laid the foundation for her business, Tom’s unwavering support helped Beena start her journey.

“I was always fond of cooking food with what I harvested in my backyard. Whenever my husband’s friends or our relatives would visit us, I enjoyed treating them to my homemade dishes. They would take some with them as well and often suggested that I commercialise them. Their compliments motivated me,” she says.

Beena was always fond of cooking food with what she harvested in her backyard.

“But she was never able to commercialise the products. All her time went into looking after our two children and my parents. She was able to focus on starting the business only after my retirement. Now that my parents are no more and our children are settled, she has all the time to fulfil her dreams,” her husband Tom explains.

He smiles as he fondly recalls how his wife was always his rock when he was still working. “After my retirement, I just offered her some support and she started doing this work. While I was in service, she was my backbone, and now, I try to be hers,” he says.

In 2017, Beena began her journey by undergoing training in beekeeping and the value addition of fruits and vegetables through various agencies, including the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kumarakom. Following her training, she started processing honey and creating products like honey soaps.

Over time, she refined her skills and learned to create a variety of innovative products from bananas, nutmeg, mangoes, and other fruits. Apart from her garden, Beena and her husband also manage 60 bee boxes.

Organic magic: Beena Tom’s speciality

In the three acres that make up Beena’s backyard, everything is organically grown. “We don’t put any chemical fertiliser. We only use vermicompost, cow dung, bone meal, and kitchen waste compost to grow our fruits and flowers,” she says.

Beena refined her skills and learned to create a variety of innovative products like juices and soaps.

One of Beena’s star ingredients is the butterfly pea — a delicate blue flower that adds a pop of colour and flavour to her creations. She transforms this humble harvest into delectable tea and juice.

Her dedication to using natural and organic ingredients sets her products apart, attracting a loyal customer base nationwide. Flower juices are priced between Rs 350 and Rs 400 per litre, while pulps and other products range from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. Beena caters to eight to 10 orders daily. “With this, I am able to make around Rs 50,000 per month as profit,” she says.

Beyond the financial success of her business, Beena finds fulfilment in pursuing her passion and staying engaged in meaningful work. With her children settled abroad, farming and her home business have become not just sources of income but avenues for personal growth and connection.

“More than earnings, I do this for passion and to stay engaged. I don’t want to waste a minute of my life. It’s a win-win situation, as I’m able to earn a good income while pursuing what I love,” she shares.

Talking about running a home business at 56, Beena says, “If pursuing your interests makes you happy, the work doesn’t feel hectic. I enjoy my time doing this. With kids being away, it’s farming and this home business that has become a medium for us to get engaged and get away from loneliness.”

In a world where time is a precious commodity, Beena emphasises that pursuing one’s passions not only enriches one’s life but also positively impacts several others. “Whenever I met someone new, they would first ask my name; the second thing would be what I did for a living. Every person has a purpose. I didn’t know mine. These questions kept bothering me. But today as a working woman earning an income, my self-esteem has definitely grown. I feel confident now,” she says as we conclude our conversation.

Edited by Arunava Banerjee. All photos: Beena Tom.