At an age when most people step back from work to embrace the comforts of retirement, 58-year-old P Jaya of Alappuzha in Kerala chose a different path. After completing decades of government service, Jaya decided that her second innings would be dedicated not to leisure, but to entrepreneurship. Today, she proudly runs a dehydrating unit at her home in Kalavoor that transforms farm-fresh vegetables into value-added products with long shelf life and sells them under the brand name “Vital Bytes”.
Her decision came as a surprise to many of her former colleagues, most of whom are now enjoying a relaxed life with pensions and family time. But for Jaya, idleness was never an option. “I wanted to stay active and contribute to society even after retirement. That is how the idea of a dehydration unit took shape,” she told “Open Digest“.
The unit processes vegetables such as beans, drumsticks, carrots, bitter gourd, and okra, dehydrating them into lightweight, preservable forms without losing their nutritional value. These products, which can be stored for up to a year, are now finding increasing demand among working families, hostels, and even travellers who need quick and easy cooking options.
What makes Jaya’s venture truly inspiring is her vision of empowering other women. The unit currently employs several local women who are trained in the dehydration process and packaging. For many, this has become an additional source of income and financial independence. “I wanted my business to be more than just personal success. It had to be meaningful by creating opportunities for other women,” she explains.
Setting up the unit was no small feat. Jaya learned modern dehydration techniques, and ensured her products met quality standards. The journey was filled with challenges, from navigating licenses to building a market. But her determination paid off, as her products are now reaching hotels, and local households.
“By processing surplus vegetables that would otherwise go unsold, we not only create value but also contribute to sustainable food practices,” she added.
For Jaya, this is just the beginning. With plans to expand her product line to dehydrated fruit and ready-to-cook mixes, she hopes her initiative will inspire other retirees—especially women—to see retirement not as an end, but as an opportunity for new beginnings.
P Jaya can be contacted at 8921234643.
