<p>A pickle business in Shivamogga’s Rippanpete area sells around 500 to 600 kg of pickles daily and records an annual turnover of Rs 3 crore to Rs 4 crore. The family-run unit employs 12 women and makes 16 varieties of pickles.</p><img><p>A serving of pickle on the plate can enhance the taste of a meal. While a wide variety of pickles from different brands are available in the market today, pickles made in the Rippanpete area of Shivamogga district are giving established brands a run for their money.</p><p>These locally made pickles have gained popularity beyond the region and are now available in several parts of Karnataka, including Bengaluru. Here’s a look at what makes Rippanpete’s pickles popular.</p><img><p>Most people are familiar with Hebbar Pickles, known for its delicious and traditionally prepared pickles. The pickles are made in Baruve village in the Rippanpete area of Shivamogga district.</p><p>Sudhindra Hebbar, the owner of Hebbar Pickles, spoke about how the business began and the quantity of pickle it sells each day in an interview with a YouTube channel.</p><img><p>Sudhindra, who studied up to PUC, took over the responsibility of running the family hotel after the death of his father, Satyanarayana. Around this time, his mother, Revathi, decided to expand the pickle-making business she had started.</p><p>Following his mother’s initiative, Sudhindra’s wife also began supporting him in the business. Today, the husband-and-wife duo run the pickle business alongside the family hotel.</p><img><p>According to Sudhindra Hebbar, around 500 to 600 kg of pickles are sold each day. The business requires an annual investment of around Rs 1.5 crore, including nearly Rs 1 crore to purchase mangoes during the mango season.</p><p>Since fresh mangoes are available for only about three months a year, the business purchases the maximum quantity during this period to meet its requirements throughout the year.</p><p>Sudhindra Hebbar said the pickle business records an annual turnover of around Rs 3 crore to Rs 4 crore.</p><img><p>At present, 12 women workers are employed at the Hebbar Pickles manufacturing unit. The workers are provided with free lunch and snacks as part of their employment.</p><p>According to Sudhindra Hebbar, the workers are engaged throughout the year, with the unit operating 365 days a year. He added that the business sometimes employs additional workers depending on production requirements.</p><p>The pickles are mainly supplied to Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Mangaluru.</p><p>“We have not even carried out any promotion to sell our products,” said Sudhindra Hebbar.</p><img><p>The ingredients required to make the pickles, including lemons, mangoes, Gandhari chillies, gooseberries and pepper, are sourced from various places, including Vijayapura, Andhra Pradesh, Byadgi and Kodagu.</p><p>The unit prepares a total of 16 varieties of pickles, along with three types of chutney made from gooseberry, mango and tamarind. It also produces a range of chutney powders.</p><p>“Only my wife and I know how much of each ingredient needs to be added and how the pickles are prepared. I have not revealed the secret to anyone,” Sudhindra Hebbar said with a laugh.</p>
