Entrepreneurs Prashanth and Rahul have united to develop a diverse range of cardamom value-added products, aiming to introduce cardamom to previously untapped global markets. Their vision relies on active collaboration with grassroots small cardamom growers, ensuring they are integral to the value addition chain.Explore further
Prashanth gave up his career as a surgeon to take over his family’s cardamom plantation, which has been cultivating cardamom since 1989 in the Cardamom Hill Reserve, Idukki District, India. As a globally trained medical doctor, Dr. Prashanth became captivated by the untapped medical potential of cardamom. Through his startup, Zum Heilen Diagnostics & Therapeutics, he embarked on a mission to unlock the health benefits of cardamom through rigorous scientific studies.
Since 2015, Dr. Prashanth has focused on creating nutraceutical products and building market demand for cardamom-based nutraceuticals. He quickly recognized cardamom’s powerful potential in dental care, particularly for treating periodontitis—one of the most prevalent diseases in humans. However, his vision goes far beyond product development. Dr. Prashanth is deeply committed to involving local farmers in the value addition chain, empowering them to benefit from every stage of cardamom’s transformation from field to market.
Understanding the interconnectedness of health, Dr. Prashanth expanded his research into animal care, beginning with poultry. He later collaborated with academic partners to develop cardamom-based solutions for the marine industry and plant health. By integrating farmers into this One Health approach, he aims not only to elevate the value of cardamom but also to uplift the communities that cultivate it, ensuring they share in its success at every step.
Rahul, a well-traveled individual with deep knowledge of Idukki’s terrain, owing to his established transportation and hospitality ventures across the district, has elevated Kondody Group to prominence in Idukki. Through his network of resorts, he enhances the scientific foundation of the company, bringing it to commercial fruition by providing a platform and ecosystem to showcase cardamom’s potential to global visitors. The passion of the team is evident in their vision for inclusive growth, benefiting numerous cardamom growers through fair practices and integrating them into the value chain.
Inspired by Prashanth and his team’s innovations, Rahul saw an opportunity to merge their expertise and his commitment, transforming their scientific endeavors into a unique business model. Together, they expanded into animal, poultry, marine, and plant domains, steering ZUM HEILEN towards “One Health One Spice.”
