A TASTE OF KERALA IN HYDERABAD: STORES THAT BRING HOME CLOSER

Over 80 Kerala stores dot Hyderabad, selling the quintessential Kerala products to a community five lakh strong. For Malayalis, they are more than a place to buy groceries, for in the din of the big city, these shops offer them moments of home, connecting them with traditions and bringing back memories

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In different corners of Hyderabad, about 80 Kerala stores are doing something special: helping over five lakh Malayalis in the city feel a little closer to home. For them, these shops don't just sell groceries; they bring back memories, traditions and the warmth of home.

Walk into one, and you'll likely find banana chips, tapioca, coconut oil and pappadam. For many Malayalis residing in Hyderabad, these simple items are deeply personal—reminders of family, festivals and meals from childhood.

“People come in and smile when they see the tapioca or smell the chips. It’s not just food, its an emotion,” says Raghunathan, who runs ‘New Kerala Stores’ in Uppal. He came to Hyderabad from Thiruvananthapuram in 1985, looking for a job. He worked as an engineer and is now active in social work. The store is a side business that he runs with his wife. “We’ve been doing this for five years now,” he says. “We make the banana chips ourselves; Malayalis say they taste just like the ones back home.”

Wholesale of Kerala products