Man who turned discarded banana peels, nutmeg shells into culinary gold
From nutmeg shells to pumpkins, plantains and jackfruit, Sujimon has pushed boundaries to create even from banana peels, selling them under his brand Ikthus.
From nutmeg shells to pumpkins, plantains and jackfruit, Sujimon has pushed boundaries to create even from banana peels, selling them under his brand Ikthus.
From nutmeg shells to pumpkins, plantains and jackfruit, Sujimon has pushed boundaries to create even from banana peels, selling them under his brand Ikthus.
It was the thought of giving new life to banana peels and nutmeg shells, usually tossed away as waste, that transformed KT Sujimon, an electrical engineer from Arthunkal, Alappuzha, into an agricultural entrepreneur. Today, Sujimon manufactures around 60 value-added products from crops that many consider unusable.
From nutmeg shells to pumpkins, plantains and jackfruit, Sujimon has pushed boundaries to create even from banana peels, selling them under his brand Ikthus. His range includes nutmeg-and-honey candies, nutmeg cookies, probiotic drinks, banana protein bars, pumpkin treats and more. Each product reflects his passion for experimenting with taste and texture.
Sujimon worked 15 years at C-DAC before leaving to become an entrepreneur. He began by distributing fish stock to Kerala’s eastern districts and learned to prepare value-added fish products like pickles, chammanthi podi, papads and mixtures.
It was during this phase that the discarded nutmeg shells around his home inspired a new idea. His search for ways to use them led him to the Kayamkulam Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), where training in fruit and vegetable processing opened the doors of agri-entrepreneurship.
Innovations from nutmeg and beyond
From nutmeg alone, Sujimon now produces squash, jam, pickle, cookies, candy and probiotic drinks. Many are made through fermentation with kefir bacteria.
Using bananas, he makes ripe banana powder, banana fig, banana protein bars with millets and seeds, and raw banana puttu podi. Even dried banana peels are powdered and suggested as a tea substitute.
Pumpkins are turned into halwa, jam, candy and powder. His dehydrator machine also helps make powders of green chilli, curry leaves and jackfruit, while ripe jackfruit is processed into flour.
Sujimon dries medicinal herbs as well, supplying powders to Ayurvedic units. His portfolio even includes a fruit- and vegetable-pulp-based soap under the brand Cocoons.
Rooted in family and local produce
Sujimon’s unit and sales outlet function near his home at Arthunkal ITC Junction. Many of the recipes are developed by his wife, Dr Ancy Joseph of Alappuzha General Hospital. Fresh produce is sourced from local farmers, while nutmeg shells come directly from his own backyard.
What others threw away, Sujimon saw as an opportunity. From banana peels and nutmeg shells to pumpkins and jackfruit, he has turned forgotten scraps into culinary gold.