Shubham Tiwari, a young entrepreneur from Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh, has built a thriving millet-based food enterprise called Granoxy — with units across three cities and products now reaching international markets — after overcoming a career setback caused by colour blindness. His journey, supported in part by the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, has drawn attention as a model of rural entrepreneurship powered by government-backed credit and subsidy.

From Rejection to Enterprise

Shubham's path to entrepreneurship was shaped by adversity. He was declared colour-blind in 2016 and consequently denied appointment at Coal India despite having cleared the required examinations. The setback, according to his father Santosh Kumar Tiwari, pushed Shubham to chart his own course rather than pursue conventional employment.

A subsequent meeting with the then-Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan, and a prominent businessman from the United States — who provided initial financial support — proved pivotal. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Shubham set his sights on millet processing, leveraging coarse grains such as Kodo and Kutki that are native to the tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh.

Building Granoxy: Three Units, Multiple Products

Shubham established his first millet processing unit in Shahdol, with a capacity of one ton per hour. He subsequently opened a bakery unit in Ujjain and a 'Superfood Cafe' in Jabalpur, offering millet-based pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, cookies, and other health-focused food items. Granoxy positions these products as nutritionally superior alternatives to conventional processed foods.

The organisation's Director, Sakshi Tiwari, stated that she oversees quality operations and acknowledged that government schemes have significantly aided the enterprise's growth.

PMFME Scheme: The Financial Backbone

Under the PMFME scheme, Shubham secured a bank loan of approximately ₹50 lakh — including a subsidy of ₹10 lakh. Mobilising additional resources alongside this support, he established the processing unit at a total project cost of approximately ₹2 crore. He has stated that without the scheme's assistance, his family's financial situation would have been untenable.

His mother, Usha Tiwari, highlighted the role played by both the Central and State governments in enabling the venture's growth.

International Reach and Expansion Plans

Granoxy's products are currently reaching markets in Sri Lanka, the UAE, Gulf nations, Iran, and the USA. Shubham is reportedly preparing to expand into the UK and Canada through a partnership with Walmart, and has received a pre-order for 42 tons of produce.

Local Employment Impact

The enterprise has also created local livelihoods. Workers Deepmala Saket, Durga Devi Chaudhary, and Mahak Chaudhary, employed at the unit, shared that securing jobs there has improved their financial stability and enabled them to better provide for their families. As Granoxy eyes further international markets, its trajectory will serve as a test of whether PMFME-backed micro-enterprises can scale sustainably beyond domestic boundaries.