They say where there is will, there is a way — and the story of Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, the founder of Naturals Ice Cream, is a shining example. Born in a small village in Karnataka’s Mangaluru to a fruit seller, Kamath grew up helping his father choose, clean, and sell fruits. What seemed like ordinary work at the time would later become the foundation of a multi-crore business success story.
After moving to Mumbai, Kamath worked at his brother’s South Indian restaurant. But his dream was always to create something of his own. Blending his father’s skill of selecting the finest fruits with his mother’s traditional ways of making desserts, he envisioned an ice cream brand that would reflect pure, natural flavors — without artificial colors or chemicals.
In 1984, with a small 200 sq ft shop in Juhu, just 4 staff and 10 flavors, Kamath launched Naturals Ice Cream. To attract customers, he used a smart strategy: serve pav bhaji as the main dish and ice cream as the signature side item. The unique, fresh-fruit flavors quickly won hearts — and soon, ice cream became the star of the shop.
From earning Rs 5 lakh in the first year, Naturals grew steadily. Kamath dropped pav bhaji entirely and focused on perfecting fruit-based ice creams. His philosophy was simple: Real fruits, real taste, real happiness. Today, Naturals produces over 20 tonnes of ice cream every day and offers 20+ seasonal and innovative flavors— from classic Alphonso mango to experimental favorites like Wild Mango (named based on customer suggestion!).
What started as a small shop has now become a nationwide brand with 135+ outlets across India, known as one of India’s Top 10 Customer Experience Brands.
Kamath’s family — his wife Annapurna and sons Siddhant and Srinivas — now manage the business with him. In FY 2024, the company reported revenues of Rs380 crore, standing tall as a symbol of determination, quality, and belief in one’s roots.
From a fruit cart to a Rs 400 crore brand, this journey proves:
Success doesn’t depend on where you come from, but on how far you are willing to go.
