Gaurav Arora | Entrepreneur
When Gaurav Arora arrived in Australia in 2004, he found there was a lot the country offered him—lovely people, great weather, and a good lifestyle. What it didn’t offer at the time was a good and consistent supply of Indian food staples, which would allow him to recreate the cuisine he grew up on in India. And it was that missing ingredient that inspired him to set up Usha Food Imports, a supplier of Indian food staples.
“The entrepreneurial spirit runs in my family and that was what helped me establish myself in a business in Australia,” says Gaurav.
“When I came here to do my masters, a lot of Indian migrants were moving into South Australia because of the job opportunities. As a result there was lot of demand of Indian and Asian food staples and groceries in this region, but the local market could never see consistent supply of these items compared to popular cities of Sydney and Melbourne,” he says.
Gaurav, then a student of Manufacturing Management, hit the ground running to research the market for Indian food staples. “Local storekeepers told me that they were having difficulties with storage facilities and transportation costs involved in procuring products from either Melbourne or Sydney,” he says. Gaurav decided that unlike his classmates who were set on pursuing high paying jobs, he would settle in Adelaide start a business.
Usha Imports was thus born in the garage of Gaurav’s home. “I started with frozen food signing on with the Indian company Vadilal for the South Australia region,” he says. His first weekly order was for just five cartons of vegetables.
Since then, the business has prospered with its growing product portfolio and sole distributorships for well-known ethnic food and non-food brands from India, Pakistan, Canada, and Malaysia.
The way I see it
The single most important moment in my career… When I started operating the business from my own custom built commercial warehouse in 2012 after years of renting warehouses
Growth is… Finding newer opportunities to add to our business product portfolio and widen our reach to customers both horizontally and vertically
Advice to budding entrepreneurs… Ignore the naysayers!
Who’s Who of Adelaide’s & Melbourne’s Indian Community 2018 magazine now online! Click here.
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
