OUR STORY
GENESIS
Our heritage in the cashew industry is wholeheartedly rooted in a long-standing tradition of trust, the cornerstone of our existence. A provenance built on faith and trust.
Our story begins in the year 1916 when 15-year-old young Geevarghese Oommen was starting in the business of spices trading. His forefathers had been merchants of spices, and this entrepreneurial spirit was passed down to the descendants as well. After being in the spices business for close to two decades, he had made his mark in his chosen field and was determined to diversify his business interests and desired to build a small cashew processing factory in his hometown, Puthoor, a quaint town few miles away from Kollam, then known as Quilon the Cashew Capital of the world.
The preparation for construction of his first factory had begun when he met his untimely demise in 1934 forcing his young widow Aleamma, fondly called Ale, to fend for herself and their four young children, of whom Ommen Geevarghese was the eldest son. Ale raised her children in a Godly way, teaching moral values and instilling in them a profound sense of humility.
The young 15-year-old Oommen had in himself his forefather’s entrepreneurial spirit. Like his father, he started in the spices trading later specialising in raw cashew trading. This enabled him to learn and understand the basics of the cashew business, a knowledge his descendants still count on as their most precious asset. His heart yearned for fulfilling his father’s unfilled wish of instituting a cashew business house. His tireless efforts and pains endured finally paid off in 1958 when he built a small cashew processing factory in Puthoor. For Oommen, this establishment was gratitude to this father for instilling in him the entrepreneurial spirit and a revered tribute to his mother Ale, who as a young widow, suffered tremendously to bring up her children through difficult times. For Ale, it was destiny being fulfilled through her dearest son by her beloved husband from the heavens.
“What started as a single company has today grown to 12 independent companies, each lead by a descendant of the founding family, that is collectively one of the largest business group in the cashew industry.”
The story of Alphonsa Cashew Industries.
In the year 1958, a family business sparked into life when Oommen Geevarghese, our founding father, after being a small-time cashew merchant for almost a decade, audaciously started a cashew processing business in Puthoor in tribute to this late father, Geevarghese Oommen.
Discover more about us
