“Pour your passion to what you are doing”
Baking was a hobby from an early age for sisters Lovey and Puja Kapoor. They would surprise friends with cakes, cookies and muffins on their birthdays and anniversaries. What started as a homebakery in a garage in Rawsom Street in south Kolkata with an investment of `10 lakh borrowed from a family friend, to deliver small orders on requests is now one of Kolkata’s longest standing confectioneries. Apart from holding on to the items that were Kookie Jar trademarks, Lovey and Puja constantly sprung surprises in terms of taste and flavour. Salted caramel pastry, toffee pastry, red velvet cake have been introductions that have kept the establishment relevant. “A customer who relished our chocolate pyramids 20 years back would ask for the same for her daughter because the little girl had grown up hearing about it,” says Lovey. In existence for over three decades, with one four-storied factory and a central kitchen, employing 180 people, Kookie Jar has opened a fifth outlet at Hindustan Park in south Kolkata and a sixth one, a cafe—with an esoteric combination of coffee and beverages—is all set to open. “We have also opened an ice cream joint in the corner which has Belgian chocolate, fresh orange and fresh strawberry flavours. The best thing about this confectionery is that all their items come in small batches,” says Lovey. She adds, “Our products in the morning are all sold by afternoon. ” This explains the brand’s impressive 150 per cent year-on-year growth rate. This growth comes with ladles of love in every product. SUBIR HALDER