An idea that popped up during the post-practice chats of three friends in their college hostel has turned them into promising entrepreneurs.

Akhil G P (23), Muhammed Sahad S (23) and Anzil K A (22) have hardly joined their post-graduation. They now run a mushroom farming business that is already making steady progress within five months of its launch.

The trio met during their graduation at CMS College, Kottayam (2022–25 batch). Though they pursued different subjects — Akhil (from Neyyattinkara) History, Sahad (from Karunagappally) English, and Anzil (from Ponkunnam) Economics — their shared passion for volleyball brought them together. They represented their college and university in several state and national-level tournaments, and spent long evenings discussing ideas beyond the sport.

“Volleyball is our passion as we have played the game since childhood. But none of us wanted to pursue the sport as a career. We were always interested in starting a business. Our conversations during hostel evenings and tea breaks gradually turned serious, and we zeroed in on mushroom farming,” recounts Akhil.

Akhil brought valuable experience to the table, having practised small-scale mushroom farming for nearly six years. His background in cultivating crops like bananas and vegetables since school days gave him a strong foundation in farming. He also guided the group with technical knowledge and research on advanced cultivation methods.

“We also attended short-term courses to understand everything — from farming and seed production to culturing and marketing,” he adds.

After completing their graduation, the three set out to build their venture. With an investment of ₹50 lakh — sourced through government schemes and support from an angel investor — they established an 8,000 sq ft hi-tech farm named ‘Home Mushrooms’ at Erumapetty in Thrissur, on leased land.

The initial phase, however, was challenging. “Finding a market was the toughest part. We travelled across districts, approached vendors directly and worked through sleepless days. But we managed to build a network,” Akhil says.

And now, the unit produces 100–150 kg of mushrooms every month and has a lab dedicated to seed production and culturing. They cultivate nine varieties, including oyster mushrooms and other premium and medicinal types. The venture also employs eight staff members and has built a distribution network across Kerala. In addition, the team conducts training sessions on mushroom farming and seed production.

Looking ahead, they plan to expand into value-added products such as mushroom-based soaps, pickles, ‘pappadam’, cooking oil, toothpaste and even ice cream.

While Anzil is fully dedicated to the business, Akhil and Sahad are pursuing postgraduation — in Sociology at CMS College and English Literature at Holy Grace College, Mala, respectively. “We are not able to attend classes regularly, but the institutions have been supportive,” says Akhil.

Despite their busy schedules, the trio continues to train in volleyball and hopes to participate in tournaments in the future. “We never compromise on our fitness or workouts. Balancing our passion for sports with our growing business ambitions is our dream. Our families have been incredibly supportive all the time — they never said no or doubted us, and that means a lot,” Akhil adds.