How this entrepreneur built a Rs 1 crore hemp startup in 4 years, exports to Japan and the UK

Pavitra Joshi loved going on treks and engaging with the local community, including farmers, in Almora, Uttarakhand, where he was born. From a young age, he was aware of the local produce and farming practices and learned about the hemp plant from his mother.

Hemp, scientifically known as Cannabis sativa, is a non-psychoactive relative of the marijuana plant. It is used in various industries, including personal care, construction, biofuels and food.

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Hemp seed oil and cannabidiol (CBD) (extracted from the leaves and flowers) have high concentration of nutrients, essential fatty acids and anti-inflammatory properties, making them ideal for personal care and wellness products.

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Having grown up in the mountains with hemp around, Pavitra chose the plant for his project during his post-graduation in Social Entrepreneurship from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). "For my Master's thesis, I picked the topic Entrepreneurship on Hemp in India," Pavitra tells 30Stades.

That decision laid the foundation for what is now a Rs 1 crore startup – Kumaon Khand. Founded in 2021 after beginning as a college project in 2019, Kumaon Khand produces a range of organic and eco-friendly hemp products.

Hemp flour and bricks to construction blocks

Starting with just 15 farmers, the company now sources raw materials from over 2,500 farmers in Kumaon, most of whom are women. Its product portfolio includes face cream, lip balm, hemp seed oil, hemp seed flour, hemp textiles, soaps, and its star product, CBD oil. Most products are priced between Rs 80 and Rs 4,500.

“In addition to personal care and wellness goods, we are also experimenting with hemp plasters and hemp blocks for construction, and have even built hemp stays at Kasar Devi and Mukteshwar,” Pavitra says.

Over the last three years, Kumaon Khand, which started with an investment of around Rs 25 lakh, has scaled its annual sales to Rs 1 crore. The startup now eyes an annual revenue of Rs 3 crore next year. It operates through its website, e-commerce platforms like Amazon, and a store-in-store model across Uttarakhand and Goa, among other locations.

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The company also exports primarily to Japan and the United Kingdom, and has showcased its products at international exhibitions in countries including Japan, Thailand, and the UK.

A first-generation entrepreneur

With his father in the Indian Air Force and his mother a homemaker, Pavitra is a first-generation entrepreneur.

"I come from Almora, so I always wanted to go back and do something. It started with a very simple thing we learnt in college -- problem identification,” he says.

“So I returned to the mountains, where I would earlier go to explore or trek, to understand the challenges of living in the mountains.”

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Why hemp made sense

He says although agriculture was the mainstay for at least 70 percent of the region’s residents, most farmers owned small landholdings and their produce was undervalued compared to that of farmers in other states. Crops in the hilly terrain were also vulnerable to destruction by wild predators and monkeys.

This challenge prompted Pavitra to focus on hemp. 

"Hemp is not eaten or destroyed by monkeys. It is also very versatile, like a bamboo plant. You can use hemp for making roti, kapda, aur makaan (food, clothing, and shelter)," he says.

The state government had also rolled out grants for startups working with hemp, strengthening his resolve. Beyond its resilience as a crop, he highlights the health and wellness benefits of hemp-based products. He says they help relieve stress, anxiety, and sleep-related issues like insomnia.

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CBD oil, in particular, helps relieve chronic pain and is useful for those who have undergone chemotherapy. “The skincare range moisturises without clogging pores, helps with depigmentation, and can lighten scars or surgical marks. The lip balm helps address darkening of lips,” Pavitra says.

Kumaon Khand is also exploring architectural uses of hemp.

"France and several other countries are already using hemp for architectural purposes. You can use hemp blocks as ‘lego’ to create the whole structure. Our facility at Kasar Devi is also constructed using hemp. It can also be used to make bioplastics or panels," says Pavitra.

The startup collaborates with agencies such as the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). It has partnered with universities, including Swami Rama Himalayan University (SRHU), Dehradun, as well as some institutions in Connecticut through the US Embassy.

Pavitra says hemp also offers environmental advantages as it can absorb 15 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare, serving as an effective carbon sink.

“Its deep roots improve soil structure, prevent erosion, and retain water, thriving in alkali and saline soil,” he adds. 

Moreover, hemp’s natural resistance reduces the need for chemical pesticides, minimizing environmental impact. 

Scaling from the mountains

Kumaon Khand’s processing facility is located in Kasar Devi, near Almora.

"The production really matters. Even if you use Himalayan raw materials to create products in metros like Delhi or Mumbai, then the polluted air or water will eventually make them lose their true essence," Pavitra says.

The core team consists of eight members, and the startup employs around 30 weavers, of whom 99 percent are women. Nearly 90 percent of the 2,500 farmers associated with Kumaon Khand are also women. "Usually women take up farming and agriculture in the area as most of the men are either in the army or in metros to earn a better living," he says.

Through the startup, farmers can earn an additional income of Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 lakh annually. The company has also created a use case for hemp stacks that were previously discarded or burnt, thereby increasing farmers’ monetary gains, he says.

Pavitra says the company follows a traditional marketing approach, participating in exhibitions and directly engaging with potential customers.

"We are working on something that needs a lot of education from the customer standpoint, because everyone finds it new. When you tell a customer about it, they often have questions about how to use it right, how to consume it. Only then do they really understand," he says.

Looking ahead, the startup is exploring scaling options. "A lot of partners that we work with, like Amazon, don't provide us with a facility in the mountains. We'll need to shift our warehouse in Delhi or some other metro, so we are still looking at all available options," says Pavitra.

(Riya Singh is a Ranchi-based journalist who writes on environment, farming, sustainability, startups, & women empowerment).

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