For centuries, halwa has been a beloved part of India’s food culture, yet it has remained largely unbranded and fragmented across regions. Fulva, founded by four college friends from Kerala, is working to change that by building the country’s first dedicated halwa brand starting with the 500-year-old Calicut halwa and expanding to regional and modern varieties. Founded by Sanu Muhammed, Shabas NC, Thasreef Ali P K and Irfan Safar S during their third year of B.Tech in Computer Science, Fulva aims to preserve traditional recipes while introducing innovation, standardisation, and modern packaging. The company has already attracted investment from Aman Gupta, co-founder of boAt and a Shark Tank India judge, and is positioning halwa as a gifting option, everyday indulgence, and premium dessert.

From Coding to Confectionery

Sanu began programming and coding after his 12th standard, working with startups and freelancing during his college years. Fulva emerged not from a food background, but from a simple observation: Calicut halwa, despite its long history, had no recognised brand. The idea took shape when Sanu’s co-founder Shabas carried Calicut halwa to Kashmir, where friends and acquaintances loved the sweet but noted that it lacked proper branding, shelf life, and consistent quality. “We started discussing whether we could create a brand for Calicut halwa and eventually for other regional halwas as well.” Fulva was founded by Sanu and three childhood friends, all of whom became co-founders, and their lifelong friendship became the bedrock of the venture. “We grew up together, learned together, and now we’re building together,” Sanu says. That deep bond allowed them to navigate early uncertainties with honesty and resilience, turning late-night debates into clear decisions and disagreements into stronger ideas. The team began with limited knowledge of food production but a clear belief that halwa deserved a modern, scalable brand and a shared conviction that their friendship could carry them through the challenges of building a food business from scratch.

Launching with a Gifting Focus

Fulva’s first product was a box containing 24 different varieties of Calicut halwa, designed primarily for the gifting segment. The response was encouraging, prompting the team to expand into additional flavours and regional varieties. Today, Fulva offers more than five regional halwas, including:

• Tirunelveli halwa
• Kurnool/Kirnalbedi halwa
• Bombay halwa
• Other traditional varieties

The company has also introduced modern innovations such as chocolate halwa and fruit-based halwas, aiming to appeal to younger consumers while preserving traditional recipes. “Our mission is to create a food brand focused on halwas preserving traditional varieties while introducing modern options.” Sanu compares halwa’s potential evolution to that of chocolate. While chocolate has undergone significant innovation and global branding, halwa has remained largely unchanged due to its unorganised market. Fulva’s ambition is to make halwa as popular and recognisable as other traditional sweets and eventually as globally familiar as chocolate.

Standardising a Traditional Sweet

One of Fulva’s earliest challenges was maintaining consistent taste, texture, and quality. Local manufacturers often lacked standard operating procedures, hygienic practices, and documented processes. To address this, Fulva collaborated with a production unit to develop SOPs for halwa manufacturing. The company documented every step of the process, from raw-material selection to cooking, cooling, packaging, and storage. “We had to create our own systems because nobody else had done it before.” These SOPs allowed Fulva to scale production while maintaining consistency across batches. Over time, the company established its own manufacturing facility to ensure greater control over quality and hygiene.

Technology as a Growth Enabler

As a computer-science student, Sanu recognised early that technology would be essential for scaling a traditional food brand. Fulva uses digital platforms to reach customers across India and internationally. The company leverages technology for:

• Inventory tracking
• Raw-material monitoring
• Demand forecasting using AI and historical data
• Operational alerts and decision-making support
• E-commerce presence across Amazon, Flipkart, and its own website
  “Technology helps us manage business operations efficiently and provides insights we wouldn’t have otherwise.”

This tech-led approach has allowed a small team to manage complex production, distribution, and customer-service requirements.

From ₹1.2 Lakh to Angel Investment

Fulva began with an initial investment of approximately ₹1.2 lakh, pooled by the four co-founders. The first office and production unit were set up in a small room above a family restaurant owned by one of the founders. The early days involved frequent challenges: limited knowledge of halwa production, reluctance from local manufacturers to collaborate, capital constraints, and the need to build systems from scratch. “Challenges are part of the startup journey. Finding solutions is what matters.” As the brand gained traction, Fulva attracted external investment. The turning point came when a customer—a distributor of earphones across Kerala and South India—gifted Fulva’s products to officials at boAt. The team at boAt, including Aman Gupta, enjoyed the halwa and expressed interest in investing. Although Fulva had previously participated in Shark Tank India, it did not reach the final round due to language barriers. However, Aman Gupta’s interest in the brand led to a direct investment, along with support from other angel investors. “We were not actively seeking investments, but the positive feedback from Aman Gupta was a pleasant surprise.” The investment brought not only capital but also mentorship and strategic guidance, helping the team navigate scaling, operations, and market expansion.

Building a Global Halwa Brand

Sanu’s long-term vision is to make Fulva a global halwa brand and a one-stop destination for different types of halwa worldwide. The company wants halwa to achieve the same level of popularity and recognition as chocolates. Fulva’s products are already served in five-star hotels and offered as premium corporate and festive gifts. The founders aim to elevate halwa’s status further and position it as a modern, versatile, and globally appealing dessert. The company has set an ambitious target of building a ₹100-crore business within the next two years. Sanu believes branding traditional foods can also contribute to India’s economy by boosting exports and bringing foreign revenue back to the country. “We want to contribute to India’s economy by branding traditional foods and making them globally recognised.”

Preserving Tradition While Innovating

Fulva’s approach balances respect for tradition with the need for innovation. The company preserves authentic recipes while experimenting with flavours, formats, and packaging that appeal to contemporary consumers. By standardising production, investing in hygiene, and adopting technology, Fulva is attempting to transform a centuries-old sweet into a modern, scalable brand. For Sanu and his co-founders, the journey from a college project to an investment-backed food startup reflects a larger belief: that India’s traditional foods can be reimagined for a global audience without losing their cultural identity.

“Halwa has not undergone significant innovation because the market has remained unorganised. We want to change that.”

With a growing product portfolio, expanding distribution, and strategic investor support, Fulva is working to turn a regional specialty into a category-defining brand—one box of halwa at a time.

Interview By : Sejal Thakur