Success Story: Who is Krishna Yadav? Meet Delhi woman who turned agricultural produce into a ₹5-crore pickle business

Krishna Yadav moved to Delhi with her family and just ₹500 after financial setbacks. A training course at Krishi Vigyan Kendra helped her learn the science of pickle-making. She went on to build Shree Krishna Pickles, a brand with more than 250 products and reported annual earnings of over ₹5 crore.

Krishna Yadav moved to Delhi with her husband and three children, carrying just ₹500. After struggling to find work, she began selling pickles on the roadside. Her venture eventually grew into a brand offering more than 250 varieties of pickles, chutneys, marmalades and syrups.

Building a business does not necessarily require substantial initial capital. Krishna Yadav’s entrepreneurial journey illustrates how a small beginning, technical training and an understanding of customers can help turn a roadside venture into an established food business, Economic Times reported.

Yadav, who moved to Delhi from a village in Uttar Pradesh, started selling pickles on the roadside before establishing Shri Krishna Pickles. The business has since expanded its product range to more than 250 varieties and reportedly earns over ₹5 crore annually.

Born in Daulatpur, a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Yadav did not have the opportunity to receive formal education. After marriage, she moved to Bulandshahr. However, the family's financial circumstances deteriorated after her husband, who worked as a traffic police officer, lost his job.

The family faced further setbacks when her husband's business ventures failed, forcing them to sell their homes and struggle to meet basic expenses, Economic Times reported.

“He tried to start a vehicle trading business, but we incurred huge losses. We had to sell our two houses, each spread across 150 gaj (approximately 1,300 sq ft). It became increasingly difficult for us to survive. We couldn’t afford to eat vegetables anymore and survived on namak roti,” she recalled.

Moving to Delhi with ₹500

Looking for a fresh start, Yadav moved to Delhi and began living at her father's house. She arrived with her husband and their three young children, carrying just ₹500.

The couple initially struggled to find employment. Yadav's lack of formal education made securing a job difficult, while her husband also faced challenges in finding work. After two months of unsuccessful attempts, they turned to sharecropping and began farming.

A turning point came when Yadav watched a television programme about a training initiative aimed at reducing post-harvest losses through value addition. She subsequently enrolled in a course at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), where she learnt how to prepare pickles and murabba.

Although she had grown up watching her mother make pickles, the training helped her understand how to improve their taste and extend their shelf life.

How free water helped her find customers

In 2002, the family began selling pickles along busy roadsides. Their initial marketing strategy was simple: set up a small stall, offer free drinking water and introduce passers-by to their products through samples.

“We set up a small table on the roadside and put our products on display. It was not a very busy road but we wanted to attract people to our stall. So, we placed two large earthen pots of water along with the pickles. I offered pickles as samples to those who stopped to drink free water,” she said.

The approach helped Yadav build an initial customer base. She also took her products to local fairs to reach more buyers.

She initially sold karonda (black currant) pickle before expanding the range to include mango, chilli and lemon varieties. The venture eventually developed into Shree Krishna Pickles.

From one pickle variety to more than 250 products

The business has expanded considerably since its roadside beginnings. Today, the brand offers more than 250 varieties of pickles, chutneys, marmalades and syrups. It reportedly earns over ₹5 crore annually.

Yadav has also received recognition for her entrepreneurial journey and contribution to business. She was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2016 and the NG Ranga Award in 2014, among other honours.

Her journey traces the growth of a small food venture that began with limited resources and a roadside sales strategy into a business with a wide product portfolio.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.