Kozhikode's South Beach hosts a lively Kudumbashree food festival near Lions Park. The event celebrates Malabar’s rich food heritage with stalls selling traditional dishes, snacks, combo meals, cakes, desserts, and more. Various Kudumbashree units across the district prepare these ethnic delights. "Kudumbashree offers a vital marketing platform for grassroots entrepreneurs like us who lack access to mainstream retail spaces," said Thesleena, a home baker at the festival. The festival aims to financially empower small sellers by providing dedicated stalls promoting micro-enterprise products. A star attraction is the wide range of cakes and desserts made by the Kudumbashree Cafe training group. Alongside food, the fair also features trade hubs selling organic and natural items such as forest honey, red sanders, ginger coffee, true indigo, and palm candy. "The unique flavours have drawn visitors not only from across the district but from neighbouring districts as well. Despite the slow start, we are hoping to host more customers in the coming days," said Neethu A., district programme manager, Kudumbashree. The Kudumbashree Mission focuses on microfinance and livelihood development to boost local economic growth of women entrepreneurs. It gives small-scale units a space to showcase their skills, helping them achieve financial independence and sustainable livelihoods. "Kudumbashree offers products with no added preservatives, ensuring purity and natural quality," said Kavitha P.C., district mission coordinator. The festival runs daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Sunday, December 21.