Raghunandan Srinivas Kamath, the founder of Natural Ice Cream, a prominent ice cream brand in India, passed away at the age of 70. His demise occurred on the evening of May 17 at Mumbai’s H N Reliance Foundation Hospital following a brief illness.
His journey from humble beginnings to creating a Rs 400 crore empire with Naturals Ice-Cream is a source of inspiration for many. Born into a family of six siblings, Kamath grew up assisting his father, a fruit vendor, gaining valuable knowledge about fruits and business.
At the age of 14, Kamath left his village in Mangalore and moved to Mumbai. He started working at his brother’s South Indian restaurant, where he gained experience and earned a modest income.
On February 14, 1984, Kamath ventured into the ice cream business with Naturals Ice-Creams, starting with 12 flavours developed from his fruit business experiences. He adopted a clever strategy of selling ice cream as a side dish with pav bhaji, which became a huge success and attracted large crowds.
In just the first year, his small shop in Juhu generated a revenue of Rs 5 lakh. By 2020, Naturals Ice-Cream had expanded to 135 outlets nationwide, showcasing Kamath's entrepreneurial acumen and determination. He is survived by his wife and two sons.