What make us different

Girija is an authentic Maharashtrian spices and food products brand, born from a deep love for traditional flavours and the memories they carry. We manufacture masale, snacks, papad, and other Maharashtrian sun dried munchings that preserve the traditional taste, aroma, and preparation methods passed down through generations. 

Our joy is bringing Maharashtra’s authentic, timeless flavours back to your plate. We ship the products directly from our manufacturing units in Nashik and Thane, Maharashtra, India.

How it started

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After moving to Thane post-marriage, I realised just how much I missed my food. I could cook, but the flavours, the spices, the little ingredients that felt so natural back home suddenly felt miles away. Life got busy, and without noticing, I slowly replaced my homemade masalas, pickles, and kitchen essentials with readymade packets from the supermarket. Everything began to taste the same—flat, predictable, disconnected. Soon I developed a kind of aversion to those branded, uniform flavours as they reminded me more of what I was missing.

That’s when it struck me—how easily we take our native flavours for granted, and how their true value is felt only when they quietly disappear from our food and our lives.

I decided to take control and return to my gharcha masala and gharche papad. Going back was never difficult—both my in-laws and my family continued making everything at home, just like before.

The moment I returned to homemade flavours, the idea was born. That became the spark behind Girija.  Deep down, I knew many were searching for the taste of their gharche masala, papad, etc (homemade spices, papads) and not the bland, uniform flavours of supermarkets.

Early days

Our very first attempt at selling homemade products newly married, a handful of items, and hearts full of excitement.

Back then, it wasn’t a business it was just a hobby, a happy experiment.

We had no plans, no strategy, just a dream in our hearts and the courage (and a lot of silent hesitation) to begin. A simple beginning, experimental hobby slowly grew into what Girija is today. Initially, the business had a different name—chosen quickly, without much thought or direction.

It was never “Authentic Maharashtrian Taste” from day one

This clarity didn’t come overnight. In fact, the name Girija and the philosophy of authentic, traditionally made Maharashtrian food emerged much later in the journey. When we first decided to turn this idea into a real business, I found myself stuck on one deeply unsettling question: What does my business truly stand for?

People around us tasted our samples and responded with warmth. They appreciated the flavours, encouraged us to go ahead, and their validation gave us confidence that we were doing something right. Yet, despite all that positivity, there was a constant restlessness within me. I wasn’t worried about whether people liked the food—I was worried about the purpose. About the larger picture. About whether this would just become another food brand, or something more meaningful.

What followed was a long phase of thinking, discussions, self-doubt, and a lot of procrastination. I questioned everything—why we were doing this, what made us different, and whether we even deserved a place in an already crowded space. It was only after sitting with these doubts for a long time that the answer finally revealed itself, almost quietly but with absolute clarity.

I realized that what I truly wanted to offer was the authentic Maharashtrian taste—the kind that carries memories of home, kitchens run by our mothers and ajjis, recipes passed down without measurements, and food made with honesty rather than shortcuts. That moment was my epiphany. Once that purpose became clear, everything else simply aligned. The name, the branding, the design—they didn’t need force or overthinking anymore. They flowed naturally, guided by that single, honest intention: to preserve and serve the true soul of Maharashtrian food.