With Vishu approaching, ‘kanikonna’ from Kerala is exported to several countries

Kochi-based company exports kanikonna flowers and Vishukkani kit to many countries during Vishu

This Vishu, at least a few Malayali families living abroad will wake up to see fresh kanikonna (golden shower or Indian laburnum) flowers instead of the plastic ones. The yellow blooms, integral to Vishukkani — the display of auspicious things that one should see as the first thing on Vishu morning — are being exported to Canada, the UK, Germany and New Zealand by Kochi-based Bleeko Imports and Exports Private Ltd.

During Vishu, the spring harvest festival, Malayali diaspora across the world usually opts for any available yellow flower as a substitute for the kanikonna. Akhil Bleeko, one of the directors of the company, admits that they have cashed in on the nostalgia factor associated with the festival.

While kanikonna export to GCC countries (the Gulf Corporation Council that constitutes six Arab countries) is common, only a few companies send it to other parts of the world. “It takes only a few hours for these flowers to reach the GCC countries by air. The duration of travel is longer for other countries like, for instance, Canada. It is expensive and there is always the risk of these delicate flowers getting damaged. However, we decided to take the risk and exported it to Canada last year. The response was so good that the shops placed the order this year as well,” says Akhil, who runs the company with his friend Behnan K Reji at Kizhakkambalam. In Canada, the flowers will be available at stores in Kitchener, Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke and Scarborough.

The flowers are predominantly procured from parts of Idukki and Ernakulam districts. “They are packed in 100-gm plastic covers and are sealed in thermocol boxes with ice packets,” Akhil says. He adds that they plan to export only around 200 kilograms of the flower. “It is not easy to procure these flowers. Labour charges are also high,” he points out.

They are also exporting a kit with items needed for Vishukkani, including uruli (bronze cookware to arrange the kani), para (traditional brass vessel), new dhoti, Krishna idol, vaalkkannadi (traditional hand mirror), sindoor, thiru udayada (traditional cloth shaped like a hand fan), wick, lamp, oil etc in addition to mango, jackfruit, kanivellari (golden cucumber), coconut, banana and banana leaves.

The five-year-old company been shipping products such as ethnic eats, breakfast dishes, fruits and vegetables, handicraft items etc specific to Kerala. “A breakfast kit, for example, dosa-sambar-chutney combination, dishes such as Angamaly manga curry, and different types of thoran, kozhukatta, unniyappam, full-course sadya etc. are some of the products we export, in addition to Marayoor jaggery and nettipattam (elephant caparison),” says Akhil, 30.

The company is one of the divisions under Bleeko Group International, which started operations 10 years ago. “Canada, the UK and New Zealand have been our main market. This year we are expanding to Germany and Malta,” Akhil says. The company also runs an export start-up facility centre, claimed to be one-of-its-kind in Kerala.