Pema Lhadon
Shaoulee Food Products
In Bhutan, imported food and low market prices for traditional grains are putting pressure on smallholder farmers, local food security, and the future of indigenous crops.
A more self-reliant food future, one grain at a time
Shaoulee Food Products is a Bhutanese food-processing enterprise working to revitalise local agriculture and strengthen national food security. Pema Lhadon founded the company in 2013, in response to Bhutan’s growing reliance on imported grains and the declining viability of rural farming.
What began as a modest processing unit has grown into a socially driven enterprise. Today, Shaoulee supports more than 4,500 farmers across the country, creating opportunities for vulnerable women, and providing Bhutanese consumers with locally produced food.
Reviving indigenous cereals for stronger rural economies
Shaoulee sources indigenous grains such as millet, buckwheat, amaranth, barley, and maize from smallholder farmers, paying up to 40% above market rates for crops that are often undervalued. The company processes these climate-resilient grains into clean, nutritious food products using low-impact methods that preserve their nutritional value, while employing women who are widows, single mothers, or recovering from psychosocial hardship.
Shaoulee transforms traditional Bhutanese crops into accessible food products that strengthen farmer incomes, create dignified work, and offer a local alternative to imported processed foods.
Key enterprise results
farmers supported with increased income
above the market rate paid to farmers
Shaoulee Food Products is a Bhutanese food-processing enterprise dedicated to revitalizing local agriculture and strengthening Bhutan’s food security.
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