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Pune Inc: How a construction engineer’s decision to walk away and sell millet snacks instead is paying off

SkyRoots Ventures launched jowar and bajra flakes as breakfast cereals in February 2019. Today, the company has added more than 40 products to its range.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Nov 25, 2025 02:04 PM IST

A construction engineer from Mumbai University, Kangralkar started a construction-related business in 2004.

Earlier this month, one of the world’s largest scientific research studies revealed the connection between ultra-processed foods and damage to all major organs of the body. For Pune-based Ajay Kangralkar, founder and chairman of SkyRoots Ventures LLP, the study was a frightening warning of a global health crisis and a validation of his unconventional decision to walk away from a stable job in the construction industry to empower farmers in Maharashtra’s drought-prone regions and promote healthy eating through millet-based snacks.

“We ensure that most of our products are baked ones, especially the breakfast cereals. We do not add preservatives or follow unhealthy processes. This has helped us in creating awareness of our brand and making end consumers trust our products,” says Kangralkar.

A construction engineer from Mumbai University, Kangralkar started a construction-related business in 2004. Till 2016, this was his career, apart from running his engineering consultancy. In 2017, it was his wife, Anagha and Jayashi Chaudhari, now partners at SkyRoots, who decided that they wanted to do something in the agriculture industry.

“I, too, wanted to enter the agriculture field. I was inspired by my father-in-law, who was an agriculturist and had been awarded the Maharashtra Krishi Vikas Award in 2009. He passed away in 2016. We wanted to see how to contribute to society as well as uplift Indian farmers,” says Kangralkar. Around this time, the United Nations declared that 2023 would be the International Year of Millets—and Kangralkar found his direction.

“Millets are grown in drought-prone regions of Maharashtra and Rajasthan and parts of South India,” he says.

In February 2019, the company launched with jowar and bajra flakes as breakfast cereals. Since then, it has added more than 40 products to its range. The company began experimenting, understanding which grains and flavours worked and “how to make millets, often seen as old-school, feel modern and convenient”.

SkyRoots focuses on sales, leaving 10 manufacturers across India to create the products for its brand. Today, it has launched more than 30 products that are available at more than 7,000 retail outlets in more than 30 cities and made inroads into corporate offices and schools, where unhealthy snacking is more rampant.

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However, it was not a smooth beginning for the company. Within a year of its launch, COVID-19 locked down the world. “Instead of getting discouraged, we said that people would be getting more interested in healthy food. We kept on adding to our products,” says Kangralkar.

Getting any product into the market is challenging for a new brand, as you need to create awareness”, and millets were not as popular as they are today. “We created awareness by doing different kinds of promotions, from on-field activities to social media marketing. We have been participating in different exhibitions. On November 14 this year, we visited schools and colleges to create awareness about millets,” says Kangralkar.

Eyeing an international market

Now, the company is spreading its wings abroad. Its present focus includes participating in international exhibitions to build awareness and a market for millets. SkyRoots is already supplying to the UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, as well as Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the US.

Since the company launched, the market has been flooded with millet snacks. Even influencers promote millets as superfoods. What does this mean for SkyRoots? “People have started accepting millets, and there is a lot of awareness. We have created our brand, and people have started trusting us, so we have loyal customers who keep on taking our products. For the last three years, we have been doing 2x sales and expect to increase this to 3x year-on-year for the next three years,” says Kangralkar.

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Having grown up around farms, Kangralkar is also glad that the venture is benefiting at least 500 farmers and changing their livelihoods, proving that healthy eating is good all around.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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