5 hours Ago By Mid-day
When Neysha Pereira`s husband got sick, he lost his job on the cruise liner in 2018 because he couldn`t go back. It made the Malad-based mother step up to become the sole earning member of her family in 2019. She shares, "My kids were young in the fourth and fifth grade, and I couldn`t leave them at home.
"It was then that the Mumbaikar decided to start her food business. She narrates, "I started getting regular food orders through word of mouth and the church." Only a year later, Covid hit the entire world, and everything came to a standstill, but Pereira thinking on her feet, started a WhatsApp group with a few clients and friends, and that worked for her.
"People trusted home cooked food. However, delivery was a problem, but we managed and did very well. At the time, my husband and I would go and deliver the food.
"Braving challengesUnfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when her husband passed away in 2021. The last six years have tested the 50-year-old`s resilience in more ways than one. However, every time the Malad-based mother has come out stronger than ever, and so she continued to take orders for food even after that.
Even though delivering food was and is still a big challenge, she decided to deal with it head on and found a solution. She explains, "I turned it around by hiring a delivery man through WeFast (Now Borzo), and I do the deliveries myself too."Today, she not only does cook and delivery, but also handles planning her food, packing, deliveries, and marketing too.
"I do all this by myself. It is exhausting yet satisfying," adds Pereira.All this while dealing with local competition in Orlem and delivering the food on time at a reasonable cost.
"The cost of ingredients is continuously rising. Being a home chef, people expect good quality and low prices. We cannot even charge more.
Being a home cook, they think expenses are reduced," Pereira highlights the never-ending problem.However, the Mumbaikar deals with these problems effectively, and continues to do so only because of her children. "My two boys have been my biggest support.
They are understanding kids and prioritise my work before themselves." At the same time, Pereira says her children are her priority, and the business must go on for financial support. "This entire system would not be possible without my kids, extended family, friends and clients.
Praise God we have come so far," concludes Pereira, who has just delivered Easter goodies across the city this weekend..
