‘Cocorush’ Gives Chocoholics A Reason To Celebrate

‘Cocorush’ Gives Chocoholics A Reason To Celebrate

Chocolate lovers in Bhubaneswar have a reason to cheer. With its homemade and customised chocolates, online startup ‘Cocorush’ has become a popular destination for candy cravers and those with a sweet tooth. And the best part is Cocorush products come at a reasonable price.

In an interview with My City Links, Cocorush founder Heena Harshita said her initial idea was to make chocolate gift hampers cheaper. “Every time I wanted to gift chocolates to someone, I found the hampers burning a hole in my pocket. I then decided to make chocolates and market them from home since these products attract youths, especially students,” she said.

The chocolates at Cocorush are customised as per requirements of the order. Products are available from Rs 100 and the packaging is inclusive.

Heena further informed that Cocorush is not just limited to Odisha but also delivers across the country. “Customers can come and pick up their orders from our location. We also use ‘Pickup Ninja’, a hyper-local delivery service, to deliver orders. Since Cocorush has customers from Vizag, Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi, we use speed post to deliver the orders to customers,” she said.

Being a research scholar, Heena devotes her time equally to her startup and studies. She said her mother Jayashree Prusty is the backbone of Cocorush. “I started Cocorush two years back on Valentine’s Day and the startup became an instant hit. When I discussed this idea with my mother, she happily agreed to support me and left her job to devote time to Cocorush. She experiments with ingredients to deliver the best to customers. We avoid using chemically processed ingredients with preservatives while making chocolates. Instead, my mother makes flavours at home which are used in our chocolates.”

Without preservatives, chocolates can last up to 3-4 months in the refrigerator easily. Cocorush is also planning to introduce sugar-free and keto chocolates with the help of a dietician from Diwali this year.

Heena said like other business houses, her local startup also had to bear the brunt of Covid-19 pandemic. She had to restart everything from the scratch. “During the lockdown when Covid-19 restrictions were in force, our delivery business was disrupted. However, we tried to promote the brand and keep our visibility intact through social media. After the restrictions were eased, we are doing collaborations, barters and promotions all over again. I am thankful to fashion blogger Shweta Choudhary and Oh. Delicious Cuttack for lending a helping hand to me during these difficult times,” she said.

To avoid artificial packaging, Cocorush is collaborating with tribal artisans and craftsmen of Balasore for bamboo baskets to give an authentic Odia look to the hampers. Heena said it’s a small step to empower Odisha’s indigenous communities as well as promote tourism. She is also planning to incorporate Sambalpuri Ikat, Pattachitra, Chahami, organic spices and Kandhamal turmeric into her business.

“Cocorush will continue to operate as an online business. I am currently focusing on expanding it in Eastern India through social media and influencer marketing and Google ads. I have also thought of setting up a warehouse in the Western region to make the business more flexible and reduce the shipping cost,” Heena added.