Uttarakhand: The 5th board meeting of the House of Himalayas was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, strategy for global expansion was decided

The 5th board meeting of the House of Himalayas was held at the Secretariat on Monday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan. The meeting reviewed the new products of the House of Himalayas and decided the strategy for global expansion.

The Chief Secretary said that the quality of the House of Himalayas should be ensured. He said that while focusing on organic products, it should be ensured that certification of organic products is compulsorily obtained. Special attention should be paid to publicity so that the general public is aware of this.

The Chief Secretary described the quality of products, traceability and brand storytelling as important for the creation of Brand Uttarakhand at the global level. He said that the House of Himalayas will have to include traceability along with QR code in its products.

The meeting began with the brand concept of the company — “Empowering Brand Uttarakhand through premium positioning of Himalayan agricultural and non-agricultural products on the global platform.” Launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023, House of Himalayas has established itself as an inspirational brand with sales of ₹2.1 crore in a short span of time. It has also provided direct livelihood to more than 3,000 women.

On this occasion, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Secretary Mrs. Radhika Jha, Dilip Jawalkar, Dr. B V R C Purushottam, Dr. V Shanmugam, Dheeraj Singh Garbyal, former Chief Secretary Indu Kumar Pandey, former Director LBSNA Sanjeev Chopra, Vice Chancellor UPSE Ram K Sharma and MD House of Himalayas Jharna Kamthan along with other senior officials were present.

🔹 Key achievements:

• Total sales: ₹2.1 crore (since inception), e-commerce (Amazon, Blinkit, JioMart), modern trade (Nature’s Basket) and physical presence at 26 premium locations.
• Product Portfolio: 50+ Stock Keeping Units comprising of Natural, Herbal and Organic products.
• Women Empowerment: Collection from 40+ community organizations, directly benefiting 3,000+ women.

🔹 Key Milestones:

• Exclusive Brand Outlet at Jollygrant Airport inaugurated in May 2025 by Hon’ble Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
• Retail carts set up at 11 premium hotels and travel destinations.
• 13 FSUs (Floor Standing Units) operational at Chardham Yatra route, airports and major institutions like LBSNAA.

🔹 Board Meeting Discussions:

• Special focus on New Product Development (NPD) which includes the following 15+ innovative products:
• Essential Oils: Lemongrass, Rosemary, Mint, Lavender
• Herbal Infusions: Chamomile, Badri Tulsi, Sea-buckthorn
• Himalayan Specialty Products: Kanaar Ghee, Woolen Stole prepared with natural dyes, Singhada Cookies, Basmati Rice, Pahari Anjeer Jam etc.

🔹 Future Plans:

• Domestic Expansion: Through Reliance Freshpik, Le Marche, Food Square in states like Delhi-NCR, Maharashtra, Karnataka.
• Online Platforms: Onboarding on BigBasket and Zepto.

Global strategy:

• Launch in the US through Apna Bazaar
• Presence on Amazon Global (UAE, USA)
• Collaboration with Embassies and High Commissions through MEA
• Entry into Australia and New Zealand through Box of India
• Target: Sales of ₹10 crore by FY 2025–26 and ₹25 crore by FY 2026–27.

🔹 Governance and organizational strength:

• Company formed in April 2024 and capital raised of ₹10 crore.
• Financial and administrative rules approved by the State Cabinet.
• Structure ready for recruitment of 22 key positions, process in progress.
• Registration done for 22 trademarks, of which 11 have been approved.

House of Himalayas is emerging as a unique model in the country in state-led product branding through its strong governance, consultation with industry experts (McKinsey, Fab India, Organic India, APEDA) and multi-channel sales strategy.