New Delhi, 12 February 2026: ITC Limited, through its Sunfeast YiPPee! Better World Program, has extended structured livelihood and entrepreneurship support to women beneficiaries in Uttarakhand, focusing on enabling them to operate food-cart enterprises in a sustainable and compliant manner.
The initiative was implemented in partnership with Prayatna and is designed to provide end-to-end support to aspiring women micro-entrepreneurs. A structured screening process was conducted to identify eligible candidates, assessing motivation, readiness, and long-term suitability for running food-cart businesses. Following interviews and evaluations, ten women were selected for this phase of the programme.
The selected beneficiaries underwent a focused training programme covering food hygiene and safety, basic financial management, customer engagement, and day-to-day business operations. On completion, participants received FoSTaC Basic Catering Course and NSDC dual certification in collaboration with the Food Industry Capacity & Skill Initiative (FICSI). Assistance was also provided to obtain FSSAI registration to ensure regulatory compliance.
In January 2026, branded YiPPee! food carts along with necessary accessories were distributed to the beneficiaries, enabling them to begin operations.
Ali Harris Shere, BU Chief Executive, Snack Foods & Beverages, Foods Division, ITC Ltd., said, “We believe that sustainable livelihoods are created when skill development, entrepreneurship, and dignity of work come together. Through the YiPPee! Better World Program, we are focused on enabling women to achieve economic independence by equipping them with the capabilities, confidence, and resources needed to build resilient micro-enterprises. The expansion of this initiative to Uttarakhand reinforces our commitment to creating inclusive growth opportunities across communities.”
Smt. Kusum Kandwal, Hon’ble President, Uttarakhand State Commission for Women (State Mahila Ayog), said, “I congratulate ITC for empowering women through food carts, food safety training, and skill development. Such efforts by corporates and their NGO partners complement government initiatives and strengthen our shared mission of empowering women through entrepreneurship.”
Over the past two years, the YiPPee! The Better World Program has also supported migrant women in Delhi NCR by providing food carts, training, and entrepreneurship assistance. ITC’s broader social investment initiatives have reached over six million women across the country, focusing on education, employability, enterprise development, and livelihood enhancement.
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