Hyderabad couple Saandeep Jogiparti and Kavitha Gopu’s sweet connect with ladoos

Former software professionals Saandeep Jogiparti and Kavitha Gopu from Hyderabad share the four year journey of their start-up Laddubox and launching a ladoo premix and a physical store in Kondapur

What is that traditional sweet that is loved by all? “The ladoos,” say Saandeep Jogiparti and Kavitha Gopu in unison. Ladoo is not just the favourite sweet of this Hyderabad-based couple but is also a vehicle to fulfil their entrepreneurship dreams. Unlike regular sweet ventures that offer a wide variety of sweets, the startup Laddubox sells only ladoos.

“We set out to make a healthier option of this globally known sweet by making it with only jaggery and dates” says Saandeep on foraying into this business in 2019.

From sunnunda (urad dal), coconut, multigrain, sajja (pearl millet), to ragi with almond, flax seeds including one made of only cashew nuts there are a variety of options. Laddubox assorted comes in sets of nine (₹250) and 24 ladoos (₹770). It started with 11 varieties of ladoos and now has around 18 with each ladoo weighing 28 grams. The boxes are shipped across India.

The ladoo-making unit started in a four-room house in Pocharam with a team of three. While the couple sold these at stalls in IT companies, the running around helped them to understand market needs before launching an online store in 2020. “The coconut and besan ladoos were made after customer enquiries. We also mixed ingredients such as urad dal and ragi with peanuts and almonds to create healthy flavours,” says Kavitha, a native of Siddipet.

Saandeep was 27 when the venture was launched. “It was a huge risk but only risks give the reward. My goal was to be an entrepreneur and I worked towards it with my wife’s support.”

Simple recipes and less ingredients to retain original flavour remains their mantra even after expanding. The second wave of COVID hit them badly leading to fewer orders but gradually picked up with Deepavali in 2021. From its initial 200 online orders a month to 400 and even 1000 orders during festivals Laddubox’s gradual success encouraged the couple to open its first physical store in Sainikpuri in July 2022.

The 1000-square feet store is in collaboration with another brand called Chakkinaalu known for its Telangana sweets and savouries. “It is a big space for us,” says Saandeep on reasons to collaborate. The store modelled as an experience store for customers to eat here at their own pace showcases the company’s plans to create an experiential ladoo cafe at a new location.