This mother-daughter duo brings hand-ground spices to your kitchen shelf

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

ORCO, an organic condiments brand offering hand-ground natural, healthy, and certified organic spices, was founded in 2017 by the mother-daughter duo Pragya and Adhvika Agarwal in a small warehouse in New Delhi.

Over the last four years, ORCO has built a community of 100 marginalized women, and the number continues to grow. The brand recently launched products like Organic Nutmeg, Organic Garlic Granule, Organic Onion Flakes, Organic Natural Sesame Seed, Organic Cinnamon Whole, Organic Black Mustard, Organic Raisins, Organic Ginger Powder, Organic Black Chia Seed, Organic Flax Seed, and Organic Sunflower Seeds.

Available in over 100 retail stores across Delhi NCR, ORCO spices are also sold online via their website and multiple e-commerce platforms. The bootstrapped business, which started with a small budget for equipment, raw materials, and packaging, is now seeking investors to scale further.

Daughter Adhvika manages marketing and sales, while mother Pragya handles R&D, processing, and manufacturing. Despite occasional clashes, the duo works harmoniously. “The best part of our business is we can be ourselves and grow together without ego. We understand each other deeply, though sometimes age gaps create challenges,” says Pragya.

The Women Workforce Behind ORCO

From Chakki Masala to ORCO

“While pursuing my Masters in Entrepreneurship at Cass Business School, I worked on a tech app idea. But after returning to India in 2017, I realized my true calling lay elsewhere,” says Adhvika. Meanwhile, Pragya ran an NGO, Chakki Masala, working with marginalized women to hand-grind spices for the market. Seeing the potential, Adhvika joined her mother.

“We named our venture ORCO, short for Organic Condiments. Like Chakki Masala, our focus remained on empowering women. High-quality, 100% organic products are a by-product of this mission,” she smiles.

The duo supports women from weaker sections of society, many of whom are survivors of domestic abuse, giving them a safe workplace and financial independence. “My mother believes hand-ground spices taste better and are healthier. The repeat orders prove her right,” says Adhvika.

Challenges

Challenges were numerous—from training women and maintaining hygiene to managing the plant, inventory, marketing, and sales. “It has been very challenging but full of learning. For visibility, we connected with multiple stores in Delhi NCR and sold via our website nationwide,” says Pragya.

Future Plans

The duo aims to launch innovative organic products and hire more marginalised women. “We envision small ORCO plants across India and products in all retail stores. We are exploring international exports as well,” says Adhvika. Plans also include organic flours, handmade chips, pappad, cakes, bakes, and drinks.