Cooking involves both instinct and technique. You may meticulously follow a recipe and still not achieve the desired outcome, but trusting your instincts will enable you to infuse food with enchantment. Apeksha Jain has achieved this through The Gourmet Jar. The 35-year-old claims that because she comes from a large family of foodies, her culinary adventure began when she was just 15 years old. I genuinely enjoyed cooking for them all and felt accomplished when they took pleasure in my creations. 

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Interview With Apeksha Jain ~ 

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Apeksha Jain is a graduate of Lady Shriram College, Delhi, with a degree in Economics. Despite having no formal background in cooking or canning, she is a self-taught confiturier. Her passion for cooking is fueled by her instincts and her husband's love of food. A year-long stay in Paris introduced her to the world of artisanal preserves and condiments, which ultimately inspired her to start her own business.

We sat up with Apeksha to discuss inspiration, recipes, and any significant future ambitions she may have. Whether it's with investors or customers, Apeksha has let her products do the talking.  Jain had no grand strategy when she went from being a French teacher to become the CEO of a gourmet brand. She described herself as a "accidental entrepreneur" in a special interview with The Brighter World. She fell in love with artisanal condiments when she returned to India from France and started experimenting in her own kitchen, making jams that were not found in India.

Taking The UnCalculated Risk ~

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People talk about starting a business, writing a book, or operating a hostel for a purpose, but they never actually do it. It's unsettling to veer from what is known and comfortable. But occasionally, you reach a point where it's easier to take the risk and live with unanswered regret or "what if?" thoughts than it is to ignore the risk and do the easy thing.

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By 2011, Apeksha Jain had gained confidence in her culinary abilities. One day, she decided to try making banana jam, convinced it couldn’t be too difficult. After learning the basics, her first batch turned out beautifully. As she experimented with new flavors, her passion grew, and her friends and relatives responded positively to her creations. Recognizing a gap in the Indian market for fresh, artisanal-style preserves, she made the decision to fill that void.

Women's Empowerment in the Workplace

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Beyond its range of goods, The Gourmet Jar is notable for its dedication to the advancement of women's emancipation. Jain takes great pride in the fact that women make up 65% of her team, many of whom have worked for the company for almost ten years. Jain revealed that their production crew is made up entirely of women. Many of these women now lead production divisions, having grown alongside the business. Empowering women has become a cornerstone of Jain's business strategy. She emphasized, "It's not just about creating a product; it's about providing these women with opportunities and supporting them in building meaningful careers."

Growing: From few hundred to several Lakhs of bottles ~

The Gourmet Jar's major turning point occurred in 2015–16 when Jain established a small unit with a few hired workers and shifted manufacturing out of her house. She was able to expand the company and reach more people because of this change. It became popular in 2015, she claimed. At that point, she established a production unit, moved out of her house, and began conducting business as a legitimate enterprise.  Ever since, Jain's brand has experienced exponential growth. Today, The Gourmet Jar offers a wide variety of condiments, such as jams, mustards, salad dressings, pasta sauces, dips, and spreads, and produces lakhs of bottles each year. "Since the beginning, we've increased our output by 20 times, and now we sell lakhs of bottles annually," she stated. Jain also envisions expanding internationally. “We’ve done a little bit of exporting, but I believe The Gourmet Jar has the potential to be an international brand,” she said. “In the next few years, I’d like to see us take on the world.”

‘’Sometimes, those who tell you that you're lucky are right. Sometimes, though, they genuinely do indicate that you're fearless.  You took a chance, and it paid off. The people around you want to be where you've arrived, but they're afraid to move forward. Even in the event that you failed a hundred times before succeeding. However, you dared to attempt, and to be honest, that's more than most people would not do.'' ~ Apeksha Jain