Meet the former food brand owner ‘over the moon’ to maintain connection with Northampton hospitality
Meet the former food brand founder and owner, who is “over the moon” to have maintained her connection with Northampton’s hospitality sector through her new venture.
Gita Raikundalia launched Nakasero in 2019, just months before the pandemic arrived, and it did not take long for the business to be well-established in producing authentic flavours and condiments.
“The Northampton community was really amazing,” Gita told the Chronicle & Echo. “All the food producers work together and people pointed me in the right direction for labels, testing and labs.”
Gita was supported by Rachel Mallows from Made In Northamptonshire in getting the products out there, which she continued to build on throughout the lockdowns to follow.
It began with an Italian relish and Gita became known for making products with no additives, preservatives or sugar. These were sold to and utilised by food producers and chefs as they were versatile.
The business was going from strength to strength until Gita could not find a UK manufacturer to take on the production of her products. She knocked on 42 doors and no one was willing to do it, due to the through-the-roof costs for small producers.
Gita got lucky when an international condiment company bought the recipes in 2022 and following the 18-month handover, she was able to keep the Nakasero brand she had worked hard to build. She continues to use this for speaking and coaching work.
Gita spent a year thinking long and hard about what she wanted to do next and with her experience as a sitting Magistrate, which she has now done for the past 11 years, she saw firsthand the backlog of cases.
She recognised that a lot of small businesses cannot afford to go to court to resolve any issues they may have, which led Gita to launch her mediation business The Olive Branch Company.
“There was a massive gap,” said Gita. “As time has gone on, we’ve lost the ability to communicate. This is a human-centric, affordable and fast way to resolve any conflicts and move on. I try to understand the issue and crux of the problem, as egos and a lack of communication gets in the way.”
Gita admitted that people began as dubious about exploring dispute resolution through mediation, but feedback has been fantastic from those who have used The Olive Branch Company.
“People don’t have faith that when they agree something in the boardroom, it will be seen through,” said Gita. “We reach an amicable and actionable understanding, and refer them to a local law firm if they need a legally-binding solution.”
Gita has proudly created a new initiative designed to support what she believes is the heartbeat of the local economy – the food and drink sector.
Having stood in the shoes of a producer herself, Gita understands the unique commercial pressures, thin margins and vital importance of maintaining strong industry relationships. She is using this perspective to give back.
The Olive Branch Company has partnered with Made In Northamptonshire to launch a dedicated member service, offering a funded allocation of 20 hours of specialist mediation exclusively to members. This will help producers, retailers and chefs to resolve disputes constructively and stay focused on growth.
As the court system faces significant backlogs, mediation through The Olive Branch Company offers a faster and private alternative by a team who understands the world of food manufacturing, supply chains and family business succession.
While The Olive Branch Company operates nationally and internationally, the roots are firmly in Northampton and Gita is pleased to have struck up this collaboration with Rachel.
“I’m over the moon to still be connected to my local roots in Northampton,” said Gita. “I want to help at least one business continue operating and growing. A supplier dispute can be enough to close their doors.
“Any dispute in the food and drink industry, if they feel having a conversation may be able to resolve it, they can go into mediation. I want to help people, as someone who understands the growing pains of the industry.”