It is in a world of great understanding for sustainability that Maria Kuriakose has turned what many may assume is waste into a full-blown business. This led to the formation of Thenga Coco, established in 2019, which turns used coconut shells into handmade eco-friendly products ranging from bowls, cups, lamps, and decorative items.
Sustainable Business Model
The initiative led by Maria is sustainable and extends opportunities to local artisans, especially women, in Kerala. Thenga Coco being run by women is in a way meant to empower artisans with assured incomes and work toward ecological conservation. The business gets ₹8 lakh in a month and hence claims steady growth and increasing demand for eco-friendly products. For the fiscal year 2022–23, the turnover was ₹1 crore, with business booming for handmade products domestically and internationally.
The Idea Takes Off
Maria’s beginning was in 2019 when she started collecting discarded coconut shells in Thrissur, Kerala. Cleaning them patiently and with sandpaper, bringing them to shine, made her have some very stylish, eco-friendly bowls. A small experiment hit its potential, and it became the seed for the development of Thenga Coco, which is today a fully-fledged business.
Education and Corporate Experience.
Maria understands the significance of the coconut tree as that which has multiple uses and is often referred to as the Kalpavriksha. She graduated in economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, in 2016 and thereafter took up further education in Spain.
In 2017, she joined Aon Hewitt in Mumbai as an HR consultant. Even then, she dreamed of doing something better for the environment and society. So in 2018, Maria quit her well-deserving, paying job and joined the Maina Mahila Foundation, which contributed to menstrual hygiene awareness and provided affordable sanitary pads in the slums of Mumbai.
Expanding to International Markets
With Maria at the helm, Thenga Coco has established a robust network of farmers and artisans in Kottayam, Kodungallur, Mettupalayam, and Alleppey in Kerala. The business employs over 30 artisans, 80% of whom are women. These talented craftswomen are paid between ₹20,000-₹25,000 per month, which is a significant enhancement to their livelihoods.
Besides retailing in large Indian cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Delhi-NCR, Thenga Coco products are also exported to Denmark, Spain, Australia, and the UK. Domestic demand is still robust, but international orders have continued to dominate sales.
A Vision for the Future
Maria Kuriakose’s Thenga Coco is a brilliant instance of green entrepreneurship, where waste materials are being transformed into high-value outputs. Through an integration of ecologically oriented and socially empowering motivations, her company is proving to be a major force in impacting local communities as well as worldwide markets. With increasing demand for green products on the horizon, Maria’s venture is leading the way towards a greener, more sustainable tomorrow.
