International Partners : Thimote Estampe, Grenoble INP, France
Village : Mothakara, Kerala
Project Duration : One month
Identified Challenge & Aim :
The village of Mothakara is home to the abundant and naturally available lemongrass plant. There was an age-old tradition of distilling the plant to produce a valuable multi-purpose oil and selling it as a method of generating income. However, villagers could only assist in the distillation process and were never able to own distillation units themselves due to the high cost. The main aim is to further develop the product in terms of packaging and identify potential market segments to see the produced oil.
The Study/Innovation :
This project is a continuation of Lemongrass Essentials Optimization Solar Powered Distillation Unit and Marketing. The team continued the study to identify potential market segments, existing competitors, and individual local customers. After several brainstorming sessions, the team then worked on further developing the product, price, placement, and packaging – including a pamphlet, bottles, and wooden cases to store the oil. By the end of the project, the oil was ready to be sold to a large local market.
