Tribalveda: How a Humble Jamun is the Source of Employment for 5000+ Tribal Women!

Did you know that many people call Jamun the ‘Fruit of Gods’? Yes, it is said that Lord Ram resided on Jamun trees for years after his return to Ayodhya from exile. Other than that, all of us in our lives definitely must’ve seen street vendors selling fresh and juicy Jamun at places like toll booths while travelling intercity or interstate. Jamun is more than a fruit. For most Indian kids, it’s an integral part of their childhood and has a certain emotion attached to it. Jamun marks the beginning of summer. This versatile fruit is perfect to beat the summer heat, from a glass of Jamun juice and Jamun ice cream to Jamun jam, one can find a variety of dishes.

Just like that, Rajesh Oza, belonging to a small village in Rajasthan, decided to start a business that solely makes products out of one thing - the mighty Jamun! ‘Tribalveda’ founded by Rajesh Oza, is a brand that specialises in Jamun-based products. He started this business in 2016 after returning to his native place. Through this business, he has so far empowered and generated employment for more than 5000+ tribal women! 

Tribalveda recently appeared on an episode of Shark Tank season 4, this article unfolds the secret sauce behind the brand's success story and its journey so far. 

A Jamun Story

Rajesh Oza the founder of Tribalveda, grew up in a small village in Udaipur and set sail for Mumbai at the age of 16 in search of a better life and opportunities. Over the years, he had various jobs as a delivery man, helper, and salesman before eventually launching his commodity broking firm in 2011. However, years later, he realised that the real treasure was back home, so he shut down his company and moved to his village in Rajasthan.

His village had an abundance of Jamun trees. After the fruit was ripened entirely, it was collected by women of the local tribal community and sold at a very low price. As Jamun has a very small shelf-life, a lot of the harvested produce went down the trash. As these local tribal communities were not aware of the demand for the fruit or had adequate knowledge of how to preserve it, they were often exploited by paying them negligible prices. This situation caught Rajesh’s eye, and that’s how the brand, ‘Tribalveda’ came into existence.

About the Brand

Rajesh Oza founded Tribalveda in 2016. What started as an amateur effort soon grew into a brand that generated Rs. 1.67 crores in revenue. The main aim of the brand was to start a business that would empower women in the tribal community. The brand specialises in organically processed food items made by Jamun. The brand began by selling Jamun Strips and today has expanded its product range to Jamun Seed Powder, Jamun Jam, Jamun Vinegar, Jamun Cubes, Jamun Flakes and much more.

What makes the brand so special is that its products are organically sourced, vegan and have zero added sugar. Tribalveda has generated employment for more than 5000 women from the tribal communities of Rajasthan. The cherry on top is that Jamun has several health benefits, such as being good for diabetics, improving digestion and building immunity. 

What about the Sharks?

While the rest of the Sharks did not seem pleased by the founder's offer, Shark Ritesh was the only one interested. He, too, has his concerns thus, his initial offer was Rs. 50 lakh for 7.5% equity. To which the founders countered with Rs. 1 crore for 5% equity. However, after many negotiations, Shark Ritesh agreed to 50 lakh for 5% equity (2.8% equity + 2.2% advisory equity). 

Tribalveda is more than a brand, it’s core aim is empowering tribal women while delivering high-quality organic products.