Thiruvananthapuram: PocketMart App is set to rewrite the history of online marketing, with Kudumbashree—the world’s largest network of women—standing as an exemplar of community-based poverty eradication and women’s empowerment at the grassroots level in Kerala.
Kudumbashree has developed PocketMart, a pioneering e-commerce application aimed at delivering its wide range of products and services to a broader market. The app is now available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
With over 46 lakh members across 3.09 lakh neighbourhood groups, Kudumbashree—Kerala’s flagship poverty eradication and women’s empowerment programme—remains one of the largest women’s collectives in the world.
Kerala Local Self-Government Minister M.B. Rajesh will inaugurate the state-level Kudumbashree Home Shop meet and officially launch the PocketMart app on August 4 at 10 am at the Samr Convention Centre, Kalamassery, Ernakulam.
Home Shop is a unique Kudumbashree initiative in which products made by Kudumbashree entrepreneurs are directly delivered to customers’ homes by fellow members, known as Home Shop Owners. These women collect, market, and deliver the products, creating a decentralised sales and distribution system.
To streamline this operation and strengthen entrepreneur-consumer linkages, Home Shop Management Teams have been formed. Currently, 51 management teams are active across all districts, involving over 7,000 Home Shop Owners and more than 1,000 entrepreneurs.
During the last financial year, the Home Shop system recorded sales worth ₹18.66 crore.
Model Home Shops generating substantial income for Kudumbashree members will be showcased at the event, with plans to replicate these successful models in other districts.
Coinciding with the Onam season, specially curated Onam gift hampers featuring Kudumbashree products will also be launched through the PocketMart platform. The hampers will include food products, snacks, textiles, cosmetics, and various services such as maternity care, counselling, and event management—offered by different Kudumbashree units.
Consumers can place orders through the app and have their purchases delivered to their homes. The system also supports nationwide courier delivery, enabling Kudumbashree products to reach customers across India.
Kudumbashree is also preparing 50,000 festive kits for Onam, each valued at approximately ₹1,000.
These kits will include traditional items produced by Kudumbashree women entrepreneurs—such as Palada mix, payasam mix, banana chips, sharkaravaratti, and essential spices like chilli powder and garam masala.
