Star Natural Foods

Our shop is number 213 inside the Mattuthavani Central Market. If you’ve been to Madurai, you know this is the heart of where everything happens. It’s a big, sprawling place, and finding us can be a bit of a challenge if you aren't familiar with the layout. We deal with natural foods, mostly things we source from farmers and dealers who come through the gates every day. The market never really sleeps. There is always someone unloading a truck or shouting about prices. It gets very hot in the afternoon under the metal roofs, so we try to get the heavy lifting done early in the morning. We have a few regular guys who help us with the loading and unloading. Our space is packed with bags and containers, leaving just enough room for us to move around and talk to customers. We don't spend money on fancy signs or decorations because the people who come here care more about what’s inside the bag than how the shop looks. We’ve seen the market grow and change quite a bit, but the way we do things stays pretty much the same. It’s about being here every day, making sure the stock is fresh, and dealing with people fairly. Sometimes we share a tea with the vendor next door when things quiet down for a few minutes. It’s a busy, sweaty, loud life, but it’s what we know and what we do best here in the market. We take things one day at a time and keep our scales balanced.