Shaista Kausari: The Culinary Visionary Turning Passion into a Food Empire, Honoured as TheGlitz 2025 Catalyst

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Shaista

Shaista Kausari – Founder of Shaista’s – Mommylicious

Shaista Kausari, the trailblazing founder of Shaista’s, has turned a deeply personal journey into a dynamic, multi-faceted food empire that redefines healthy living. Her entrepreneurial path began in 2018, soon after the passing of her mother, sparking her passion for crafting wholesome, nutrient-rich meals tailored to diverse dietary needs. From her home kitchen in Noida, she quickly identified the rising demand for nutritious, customized meals, especially among seniors and busy professionals. This vision led to the creation of Shaista’s Food and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., where home-style, additive-free dishes are artfully combined with unparalleled nutritional value.

A woman of indomitable spirit, Shaista’s journey goes beyond business success—it’s a testament to resilience. Her commitment to feeding the underprivileged during the pandemic only fueled her passion to blend purpose with entrepreneurship. Through her NGO, JHOLA MAKER, she empowers women, fostering self-reliance and creating meaningful opportunities for growth. In 2024, her vision expanded with the launch of two sub-brands: Mommylicious by Shaista’s, a family-friendly line focused on wholesome meals, and Zaika-e-khas by Shaista’s, a gourmet offering that brings exquisite delicacies to the table.

Shaista’s story is one of innovation, resilience, and unwavering dedication. As she continues to evolve her brand to meet the diverse needs of her clientele, she remains a force of inspiration in the culinary world. Now honored as one of TheGlitz 2025 Catalysts, Shaista stands as a shining example of how passion, purpose, and determination can transform a vision into a flourishing enterprise.

Over To Shaista Kausari

Starting Shaista’s from your home kitchen in Noida in 2018 must have been a huge step. What inspired you to take this leap, and how did your personal experiences shape the business model of Shaista’s Food and Hospitality?

Starting Shaista’s from my home kitchen in Noida in 2018 was driven by a deep desire to earn money with purpose and create something meaningful while maintaining financial independence—a value ingrained in me by the strong, hardworking women in my family. My grandmother, mother, aunts, and cousins shaped my beliefs and gave me the resilience to pursue my ambitions.

In 2018, as I explored returning to the corporate world, I found that most jobs demanded 14-16 hours a day, including travel. This clashed with my priority of being present for my children during their formative years. One day, while cooking in my kitchen, it struck me: I could turn my passion for cooking into a source of income. I started small, using WhatsApp and word-of-mouth to offer hygienic, home-cooked food to people around me.

Food has always been central to my life. All my connections and relationships seem to revolve around it. People say, “Dil ka raasta pet se ho kar jaata hai”—and I’ve experienced that firsthand. Initially, I thought it was normal for family members to love a mother’s cooking, but when friends started praising my food and forming bonds with me because of it, it gave me the confidence to take this leap.

Another defining moment came in 2015 when my mother fell ill. Caring for her and managing her diet made me realize how important food is for well-being. This experience strengthened my resolve to create a business rooted in love, care, and quality. That’s how Shaista’s Food and Hospitality was born—a blend of passion, purpose, and personal connections.

You’ve grown your brand from a home-style meal service to now include sub-brands like Mommylicious Mealbox by Shaista’s and Zaika-e-khas by Shaista’s. Could you share your thought process behind launching these sub-brands, and how they complement your core vision?



The journey from a home-style meal service to launching sub-brands like Mommylicious Mealbox by Shaista’s and Zaika-e-Khas by Shaista’s stemmed from a desire to cater to diverse food needs while staying true to the essence of quality, home-cooked meals.

In 2022, after starting my cloud kitchen, I ventured into casual dining by renting a fully equipped setup. While this allowed for growth, I soon realized that the format limited the variety of servings and menu options, leaving me feeling that something was missing. This prompted me to take a step back, reflect, and conduct thorough market research to understand how I could elevate the business while retaining its core values.

The research revealed a clear insight: different people have different food preferences and requirements. This inspired me to create sub-brands that cater to specific needs. Mommylicious Mealbox focuses on wholesome, comforting meals for families, especially mothers who seek home-style cooking for their loved ones. On the other hand, Zaika-e-Khas offers a premium dining experience, showcasing rich, indulgent flavors for special occasions.

These sub-brands complement my core vision by broadening the spectrum of offerings, ensuring everyone—from those craving simple, comforting meals to those seeking a luxurious culinary experience—can find something they love under the Shaista’s umbrella. This approach allows me to stay innovative and expand while keeping the heart of Shaista’s alive: providing food made with love and care.

During the pandemic, your efforts to feed the underprivileged showcased your deep sense of purpose. How did this experience shape the direction of your business, and how does your NGO, JHOLA MAKER, tie into your overall entrepreneurial journey?

The pandemic was a deeply personal and transformative time for me and my business. In 2020, through our association with the Robin Hood Army, we organized food drives within our community to support migrants and others struggling with food shortages. It was a collective effort, and it reinforced my belief in contributing to society through purposeful actions.

In 2021, after launching our cloud kitchen during the second wave of COVID, we provided customized tiffin services for COVID patients. This felt like a purification of the business, aligning our services with care and empathy during a critical time.

My NGO, JHOLA MAKER – Wings of Freedom, grew naturally from this sense of purpose. It’s close to my heart because it empowers underprivileged women who face restrictions or domestic challenges. We provide them with opportunities to earn from home by sponsoring stitching materials for bag-making, and the revenue goes directly to them. Beyond financial independence, we focus on building their confidence through training and reading sessions, helping them find their voice.

These experiences have shaped my entrepreneurial journey by grounding it in social impact, ensuring that as we grow, we uplift others along the way.

With the increasing demand for healthy and tailored meal options, how do you ensure Shaista’s continues to innovate while staying true to its values of providing wholesome, additive-free meals?

At Shaista’s, we ensure innovation while staying true to our core values of providing wholesome, additive-free meals by focusing on four key pillars:

  1. Customer-Centric Development
    We actively listen to our customers’ feedback and tailor meals to meet their needs, whether it’s allergen-free options, high-protein diets, or other preferences. This customer-first approach ensures we align with their lifestyles while maintaining our commitment to healthful, additive-free food.
  2. Ingredient Integrity
    Quality begins with fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients. Every dish we create reflects our promise to serve food that I’d confidently give to my own children. This ensures we can explore innovative recipes without compromising on wholesomeness.
  3. Sustainability
    Innovation extends beyond recipes to include sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly packaging and reducing food waste. These efforts reflect our commitment to contributing to a better future, resonating with our customers’ values.
  4. Education and Transparency
    We prioritize transparency in sourcing and cooking while engaging our community through educational content on the benefits of additive-free meals. This fosters trust and empowers our customers to make informed, healthier choices.

By combining creativity with uncompromising standards, Shaista’s continues to evolve as a trusted source of nutritious meals while adapting to the growing demand for healthy, tailored options.

Empowering women through your NGO is clearly close to your heart. Could you share a bit more about the impact JHOLA MAKER has made, and how you envision growing the initiative in the future?

JHOLA MAKER has been a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering women by providing them with the skills, resources, and confidence needed to create sustainable livelihoods. Our impact has been extensive:

Economic Empowerment: Through JHOLA MAKER, we’ve enabled many women to achieve financial independence by teaching them the art of crafting eco-friendly, handmade bags. These products not only serve as a source of income but also instill a sense of pride and ownership in their work.

Environmental Contribution: The initiative promotes sustainability by using recycled and biodegradable materials, helping raise awareness about eco-conscious practices within our communities.

Community Building: Beyond individual empowerment, JHOLA MAKER has fostered strong networks of women who support each other, creating a ripple effect of positive change across families and neighborhoods.

Looking ahead, we envision expanding the initiative through several key strategies:

Scaling Operations: We aim to set up additional training hubs in rural and underserved areas, extending our reach to more women who currently lack access to economic opportunities.

Market Expansion: Partnering with online marketplaces and retail brands will help showcase these women’s products on a global scale, ensuring steady demand for their craftsmanship.

Skill Diversification: While we currently focus on bag-making, we plan to incorporate other sustainable crafts, offering women a broader range of skills and products to create.

Mentorship Programs: By pairing experienced artisans with newcomers, we’ll enhance peer learning and strengthen community bonds.

Advocacy and Awareness: We intend to launch campaigns that highlight the stories of these women, inspiring others to support and replicate similar models of empowerment.

At its heart, JHOLA MAKER is about more than just creating bags—it’s about providing opportunities, fostering dignity, and building a brighter, more inclusive future for women everywhere.

Looking ahead, what are your plans for expanding Shaista’s Food and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., and how do you see the business evolving to meet the needs of a diverse, health-conscious customer base?

Looking ahead, the plans for expanding Shaista’s Food and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. are focused on strategic, step-by-step growth. As a friend once said, “A plan without execution is nothing,” and I deeply resonate with this philosophy, which is why I focus on executing each plan carefully and thoughtfully. Shaista’s is more than just a business to me—it is a dream and a purpose.

My primary goal is to create more employment opportunities and grow the business to its fullest potential. We are already a multi-brand kitchen, and we aim to bring in even more diverse cuisines, keeping in mind the dietary needs of a wide range of customers. To ensure our offerings meet the needs of a health-conscious customer base, we have some incredible dieticians onboard who help curate a menu that balances delicious flavors with nutritional value.

In the near future, we will be franchising our sub-brands, allowing us to reach a wider audience and expand as much as possible.

Above all, I truly believe that the success and growth of my business come from the intentions behind it. Despite financial turbulence, Shaista’s has thrived because we approach it with purpose and dedication, and that is what will continue to guide us as we evolve.

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