Somewhere in the Blue Mountains
School kids clutch a handful of Clusters
Yet their twinkling eyes gaze at the shelves
And at the Jars of Joker candies and Marshmallows
Cacao from Mangalore
Moulds and Machines from Belgium and Italy
Rich blend of Chocolate making passion
And an all Women team
200 varieties of chocolates
50 flavours of handcrafted ice creams
The perpetual taste of the Jap Cake
And the scramble for that Hot Chocolate
Meet the Family of Chocolatiers
From home kitchen to the heritage store
Nestled amidst the Nilgiris hill station
The MODDY’S at OOTY
Ooty, a quaint, little town amidst the picturesque Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu used to be the Summer Capital of the Madras Presidency during the British period.
With their arrival, development and modernisation took place in the region leading to a sizeable British settlement in this town and then came, a proliferation of missionary educational schools. The British also started calling this town as Ootacamund.
Post independence, in 1951, Shri Janardhan Rao who hailed from Mangalore decided to set up a 40 sq ft store here with an investment of Rs. 3000 and named it – Modern Stores catering to a distinct, western clientele.
With the gradual departure of the British settlers, the local butlers and bakers who were in the service of the Bungalows, reached out to Shri Janardhan Rao to start an English Confectionary section in the store.
The idea was certainly unique and with the expertise and experience of these butlers, a mini production unit was set up behind the store which produced 12 to 13 varieties of high quality chocolates like eclairs, almond marzipan and more.
SHRI JANARDHAN RAO should be certainly counted amongst the foremost Chocolatiers of India.
As the chocolates gained huge popularity, in 1972, the store expanded to a 600 sq ft space. Here again, the team of butlers came together to add a special Bakery section. Their innovative recipe of the Japanese Cake remains one of the hot sellers even today.
In the years ahead, Ooty became one of the premier residential school destinations. School kids would flock the store and their parents would also carry back some chocolates for their relatives and friends on their return.
Soon, the Chocolates and Bakes from Modern Stores made it a MUST VISIT destination for school kids, their parents and of course, the locals.
REKINDLING THE BUSINESS
With commercialisation in 1990s and the influx of tourists, taking back ‘Ooty chocolates’ was almost like a custom for tourists.
It was also around the same time, that the old butlers who were behind the making of chocolates and bakes at Modern Stores were no more. In the absence of those magical minds and expert hands, Shri Janardhan Rao could not manage the store and the production unit singlehandedly, and chocolate making moved to the home kitchen.
Stores and his wife, Smt. Radha Rao
It was a challenging time for the family and this moment of crisis was weathered by Smt. Radha Rao, wife of Shri Janardhan Rao.
By this time, she had seen the butlers at work and had learnt the art of chocolate making. Slowly and steadily, she began making chocolates from the home kitchen, scaling up the volumes, as she stretched herself over many long hours – early mornings and late nights to deliver and keep the business running.
At 14, young Muralidhar Rao, son of Janardhan Rao, could see his mother’s determination to fight the odds and unhesitatingly, decided to help his mother in the home kitchen. He would wake up at 6 am and join his mother in the kitchen before going to school and get back home and make chocolates with her till midnight, getting the wares ready for next day.
“I helped my mother in making the traditional clusters in different flavours like fruit and nut, rum and raisins, butterscotch. That was my routine everyday till I joined college. My mother has been my inspiration for making chocolates and my father was a visionary who taught us that quality had to be on top priority. He ensured that no synthetic product or vegetable fat was ever used in our chocolates,” recalls Mr. Muralidhar.
Smt. Radha Rao’s resoluteness rekindled the business and brought back chocolates to Modern Stores.
MAKING OF THE CHOCOLATIERS
Mr. Muralidhar Rao, Managing Director, Moddy’s Confectionary Pvt. Ltd. and his wife, Ms. Swathi Rao
During his college days, Muralidhar spent more time exploring more varieties of chocolates and introduced Moulded Truffles in Ooty, way back in 1998 with the help of the chocolate moulds that his cousin brought for him from Belgium.
“Graduation was on one side, I spent most of my time in the home kitchen, introducing new flavours and attending to customers in the store. And in 2000, we set up our first 1000 sq ft production centre with an all women team who worked with my mother,” mentions Muralidhar.
About 6 years back, Ms.Swathi Rao, wife of Muralidhar Rao imbibed the family passion and today manages the production centre, while Muralidhar manages the store.
Their yearning to experiment new recipes has led to the creation of 200 varieties of chocolates, 150 varieties of bakery products and 50 flavours of handcrafted premium ice creams.
BEING MODDY’S
Moddy’s Ooty store is a Must Visit destination
“I thank all the school and college kids to give us the name, MODDY’S. They lovingly called out Modern Stores as MODDY’S as their favourite hangout place.
We were looking out for a brand name for the kind of chocolates that we were making in Ooty and for India. And in 2006, we registered Moddy’s Confectionary Pvt. Ltd. as our chocolate label.
At Moddy’s, our principle is to make only Pure chocolate, we will not allow vegetable fat to enter into our factory. Our products are 100 % vegetarian and we have been maintaining our taste and flavour for over 60 years now. This is our culture of making chocolates, and everybody follows it very strictly,” says Muralidhar.
THE BEAN TO BAR JOURNEY
Ms. Swathi Rao undergoing training in Belgium
Both Muralidhar and Swathi had travelled to Italy and were trained by 3 Master chefs with a lot of moulds and machinery as real time experiences.
They met a host of chocolatiers and chefs in Italy, Belgium and France to understand the setting up of Bean to Bar unit and create the finest chocolates in India.
On the sourcing front, Muralidhar shares, “We have a fantastic cocoa range in India. Most of our cocoa comes from our hometown, Mangalore – from Puttur, a city in Karnataka, and it is one of the best cocoa in the country. It brings a distinct aroma from the soil.
We have also started focussing on organically grown cocoa from Idukki and Mallapuram districts of Kerala, the Godavari belt in Andhra Pradesh and Pollachi district in Tamil Nadu.
We are also supporting cooperative farming societies, thereby encouraging small cocoa farmers. We need to educate the farmers as the entire quality of chocolates comes from the beans itself.
We are now processing and drying our cocoa in Mangalore and our finished products are done in Ooty. In a few years, we will manage the entire set up here, we are already sourcing the beans and doing a proper Bean to Bar facility in Ooty.”
ABOUT ARTISANAL CHOCOLATES
Mr. Muralidhar Rao making Fudges with Master Chef from Belgium at the training centre in Italy.
The Art of making Artisanal Chocolates is slowly gaining momentum in India. The process comprises of the right selection of beans, fermentation in a particular way, sun dried and then roasted in a very careful manner to bring out the chocolate with great aroma.
“We are working hard to make our chocolates, an artisanal product, just like wine, where each chocolate made from a specific origin of beans will give an unique aroma and taste, with no additives – just Pure chocolate with natural sugar like palm sugar or cane sugar which people will enjoy.
We want to bring forth the true quality of chocolates which the world appreciates. My aim is to take Moddy’s and Ooty chocolates all over the world and we are working towards it,” says Muralidhar outlining his vision for Moddy’s.
In real terms, Pure chocolates mean retaining the natural aroma of cocoa without refining it. The blend of cocoa butter is significantly higher with little sugar and no vegetable fat or synthetic additives. This is how chocolates are made and consumed in the world, primarily in Europe and South America. And, this discerning taste is slowly evolving in India and the liking for Dark chocolate recipes is growing.
DID YOU KNOW?
Cocoa beans grown in different soils bring out a distinct flavour.
The beans from Idukki district in Kerala bear a Berry taste, and surprisingly Berry is not grown anywhere near Idukki. It is simply the aroma of the soil !
Similarly, beans from Pollachi in Tamil Nadu bear the aroma of tobacco whereas Pollachi does not grow tobacco, and beans from Mallapuram district in Kerala bear Mango and Pineapple flavour.
Each origin therefore gives a different flavour to the cocoa beans.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
which is close to 50 years old
“Since 1951, our place has been the school kids’ paradise. Since childhood, we have been a big part of their lives. My father loved the kids and made joker candies, jujubes, marshmallows, Jap cake and many goodies which they loved. Every school in Ooty knows us and we have a great relationship with the schools and the kids.
Even today, school kids who used to buy from our stores, have visited Moddy’s after 30 and 40 years, with their children. They are filled with nostalgia remembering their school days and friends, while tasting their favourite goodies which are intact in look and taste,” shares Muralidhar, clearly proud of maintaining the heritage that his father had envisioned.
With a 100% vegetarian line up and a rare creation of eggless macarons, mendiants and plum cakes, Moddy’s has a loyal following built over seven decades and loved by all communities, kids and their parents, tourists, expats and more.
It has also gained a special place amidst the corporate world and hoteliers with premium clientele across the country.
Moddy’s online store is equally popular and customers who have been buying from their stores from over 15 years, have latched onto buying online. With close to 50 shipments daily, Moddy’s deliver everywhere in India.
“People who have been buying chocolates from our store for many years, have now gone back and started buying online. So, the relationship continues. We have a special 5 layer packing box so that the chocolates reach our customers safely. People love our products and vouch by our online store,” mentions Muralidhar.
Moddy’s is a different breed of chocolatiers and bakers, with a balance of British culture and local tastes, everything is mixed here.
From sourdough bread to traditional loafs, Moddy’s brings together the International feel with the Local touch.
For online orders : moddys.in
From a 40 sq ft store in 1951, Moddy’s stands tall with a sprawling 7500 sq ft area, housed in a 140 year old British heritage building. They have just launched a new Café serving European Hot chocolate, waffles, crepes and the list is endless.
As Muralidhar gets ready for the big season ahead, he believes, “We are here to encourage people to eat more chocolates, because we want to promote it as a health product, more of a value to every customer who visits our store.”
Don’t miss MODDY’S Favourite Recipes for Hot Chocolate and Eggless Brownie, towards the end of the blog.
THE WOMEN CHOCOLATE MAKERS AT MODDY’S
a recent family function
From a humble beginning at Udupi, a city in Karnataka, little Swathi’s passion for dancing began at the age of 4. An accomplished dancer, she completed her Vidwat in Bharat Natyam and gave over 732 stage performances during her 20 years of learning the dance form.
After marriage, when she moved to Ooty, she faced the language barrier of not understanding the local language, Tamil. She hailed from a different State, with Kannada being her mother tongue. It took her close to two years to get accustomed to the local language, and thereafter, she set up her dance class for young girls.
In the next few years, she was drawn towards the family’s immense passion of chocolate making and was mentored by her mother in law, Smt.Radha Rao.
With the support and guidance of her husband, Muralidhar Rao, she started helping him in the factory and at the store, and learnt about the recipes, flavours and hand tempering method.
Today, Swathi Rao is also an accomplished Chocolatier, has mastered the craft of making chocolates, and also manages the factory and production lines.
She supervises the process end to end – from making of chocolates to packaging, with a daily delivery schedule for 2 stores in Ooty and Coonoor with approx.72-100 kilos of hand cut chocolates, 40-50 kilos each of Truffles and Fudges, and 10-15 kilos of Sugar free chocolates.
Ms. Swathi Rao leading the all women team at Moddy’s production centre.
The Chocolate Makers at Moddy’s are all local women, a team of 15, with 7 specialising in making chocolates. It was Smt.Radha Rao who had inducted women staff in the factory and believed in giving housewives the opportunity to learn the craft and make them self sufficient.
In the beginning, these women were trained in making chocolates manually, hand tempering method and today, they make Couvertures, Truffles and other chocolates in Italian and Belgium machines. All 7 Chocolate Makers are trained in the 5 lines of specialisation – Making of Truffles, Fudges, Hand cut chocolates, Sugar free chocolates and Squares (Thins).
Chocolate maker with the SELMI Dropshot Machine from Belgium
“This helps us to leverage the strength of the team, in case, there is a large order of any variety of chocolate, all can work together and deliver. Also, if a staff is unable to make it to work, it does not hamper the production given that everyone is skilled in all the production lines,” shares Swathi.
Moddy’s Rani
Rani, the oldest and the most experienced woman today in the factory, was a construction worker. Abandoned by her husband, Rani was struggling with her four kids, when she joined the factory. She used to bring along her 5 month old infant to work.
In a few weeks, she steadily learnt the way of making chocolates from Smt. Radha Rao.
Her struggle and hard work has indeed given her children a better life today. All four children are well qualified and pursuing professional careers in Healthcare, IT and Audit firms.
As Swathi mentions,“The women here have a deep sense of belonging and it is like family for them and not like any other job. We work with them and stand by them always.”
It is certainly a matter of pride for the Moddy’s family to have enabled these women to sustain and build their own lives.
And between her 7 day schedule of managing home, kids and family, making chocolates and attending to production schedule, does Swathi get time to pursue her childhood passion ?
She smiles and says, “Yes, very much. I have been teaching Bharat Natyam in my Dance Studio every Saturday and Sunday from 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm. And have 14 beautiful students, the youngest being just 5.”
Mastering any art form requires Dedication and Discipline and Swathi Rao learnt this early in life. She has embodied these qualities and finds no task difficult, and leaves behind a smile for everyone.
Moddy’s Women at Work
MODDY’S NEXT GEN
Kishan Rao, barely 10 years now, son of Swathi and Muralidhar Rao spends a lot of time watching Master Chef shows and loves to make mini doughnuts in the home kitchen.
His mother is very proud of his keen interest in baking and is amused with his skill and shares, “ When Kishan made his mini doughnuts in the home kitchen, it turned out very well, however, when he shared his recipe with the Chefs in the factory, they could not deliver the same results ! ”
For certain, Kishan will imbibe the passion and pedigree of making chocolates and bakes with the blessings and love of his grandparents and parents, and lead Moddy’s to a bigger world canvas where the goodness of Pure chocolates is relished and enjoyed.
Little Kishan making sugar and cinnamon coated mini doughnuts, while his sister Kruthi watches him attentively
MODDY’S FAVOURITE RECIPES
MODDY’S HOT CHOCOLATE
Ingredients
4 cups milk
1/4 cup unsweetened Moddy’s cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Moddy’s chocolate bar 45% dark
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan.
Heat over medium/medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until warm (but not boiling). Add chocolate and whisk constantly until the chocolate melts and distributes evenly into the milk. Whisk in vanilla extract, serve immediately.
EGGLESS BROWNIE
Ingredients
100 gms Milkmaid
100 gms Yogurt
120 gms Castor Sugar
220 gms Butter
160 gms Moddy’s Dark Chocolate 45%
120 gms Flour
40 gms Corn Flour
5 gms Baking Powder
Put condensed milk, castor sugar and yogurt together and whisk. Melt Moddy’s Chocolate & Butter together. Then, mix both Milkmaid & chocolate mix slowly. Finally add sieved flour, corn flour & baking powder together. Bake at 150°C for 25-30 mins.
HOW TO GET THERE :
OOTY or Udhagamandalam is connected by road to several cities.
The nearest airport is Coimbatore which is about 104 kms.
MODDY’S CONFECTIONERY PVT. LTD.
OOTY
144, Garden Road
Ooty – 643 001
Phone : + 91 9894042678
COONOOR
12&13, Sriram Building,
Church Road,Bedford,
Coonoor – 643 101
Phone : + 91 9842137656
For online orders : moddys.in
Email : moddysconfectionery@gmail.com
Hello Anusha,
I read your article on Moddys chocolates and find it well researched and nicely presented. Congratulations. While doing this I was able to visit your blog and see the reviews of other places seen by you. Nice work. Please keep up the good work. Everyone cherishes a dream to travel all places in India and abroad and be there at the best times. But it always remains a dream. We can look around only a few places in a lifetime. You are completing that dream with your exhaustive narrative and pictures. Thanks.
Hello Anusuya
Sorry I made a typo error of your name. Please bear with me.