The final batch · still available

Big flavor, made the slow way. One last chance to bring it home.

Q: I’m new to PODI life. Where should I start?

Welcome! If you’re new to PODIs, our Discovery Set is an easy place to begin. Or pick a PODI, one-pot meal, or muruku snack mix that sounds delicious and start there. You don’t need to know anything about South Indian cooking. Our food is made to fit easily into the way you already eat.

Q: Is PODI life closing?

We’re closing this chapter of PODI life because we’re losing the kitchen where we make our food. Our final orders close on 25th October, after which food manufacturing will pause. We don’t yet know if or when these products will return, but we’re exploring what PODI life could become next.

Q: I just placed an order. Is everything still being made fresh?

Yes! Throughout this final run, we’ll keep making our food the way we always have — fresh, in small weekly batches, in our own kitchen.

Q: Can I stock up? How should I store everything?

Absolutely. Keep your pantry staples sealed in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. PODIs also freeze beautifully, so freezing well-sealed refills is a great way to keep your favorites fresh for longer.

Q: Can you customize PODI to my taste?

Sorry, we can't. Not at this time. PODI customizations (like no garlic, or a different texture etc) are simply too complex for our kitchen ops/manufacturing team to handle.

Q: Are you shipping outside the US?

So sorry! We are only shipping across the US at this time.

Q: Will there be any shipping delays?

We’ll do our best to ship orders within a week. Because we may see unusually high order volumes during the final run, some orders could take a little longer, we are currently expecting orders to take up to 2 weeks to ship. We’ll share production and fulfillment news in the Updates section above so you always know where things stand.

Q: I love PODI life. How can I help?

Firstly, thank you so much for being here! You can help us by ordering, leaving us a little love note (in the Notes section of this page), and share this page widely with your friends, family and community. A personal recommendation goes a long way :)

Q: What happens to my subscription?

Subscriptions will pause on 25th October, so you won’t be billed for a future batch we can’t make. If you’d like to stock up before then, you can place a separate final-run order anytime.

Q: I love what you’re doing. How else can I help?

Firstly, thank you. 💛 Order if there’s something you’d love to try or keep around, leave us a note on the community wall, or share this page with someone who might love PODI life too. For a small business like ours, a personal recommendation goes a very long way. And if you have ideas for what PODI life could become next, we’d genuinely love to hear them. Write to alaknanda@podilife.com — I personally read every email.

PODIs are deeply savory, aromatic lentil-and-spice seasonings from South India, made to bring extraordinary flavor to everyday food. Sprinkle them over rice, vegetables, eggs, yogurt, popcorn, and just about anything that needs a little magic.

For five years, we’ve roasted, ground, and tempered our ingredients in small batches, making every jar ourselves. On October 25, our kitchen closed, and we made our very last batch.

The good news? There’s still some left.

Thanks to the extraordinary support of our community, we’ve come a long way toward our goal of 1,500 final orders. We’re keeping our shop open for the remaining inventory, and every order helps us close this chapter responsibly.

Our products won’t be restocked, but the ones still here are ready to find a home in your pantry.

Shop the Final Batch Read Full Story

The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦ The final batch, still available while supplies last ✦ No more restocks ✦ Shipping orders until mid-December! ✦

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One last batch, made with love and care. Everything still available is fresh, full of flavor, and ready to find a home in your pantry!

SEE WHAT’S LEFT

Shop Remaining Stock

Lentil Seasonings

Shop now

Heirloom Kitchenware

Shop now

One Pot Comfort Meals

Shop now

The Bestsellers

Shop now

The bad news

We lost our kitchen

For more than five years, we made our food ourselves, in our own kitchen. Roasting, grinding, tempering, and fussing over every little detail, from how each ingredient is handled to how every batch tastes. That hands-on approach wasn’t just how we operated. It was at the heart of what made PODI life, well, PODI life.

Losing access to that kitchen was a big blow. Recreating the same kind of small-batch manufacturing elsewhere isn’t as simple as finding another stove. It means rebuilding the people, processes, and care behind every product, and we aren’t in a position to do that right now.

So, on October 25, we closed our kitchen and stopped production. We made one last batch of our beloved PODIs, one-pot meals, and snacks before we closed, and we’re still finding homes for what’s left.

We don’t yet know if or when these products will return.

The good news

We got to make one final run of everything

You gave an audacious dream a very real life.

This past year, PODI life grew almost 3x. For a tiny mother-daughter business that was once told PODIs were too unfamiliar to succeed, that means more than you know.

And what a life you’ve given our products! You put PODIs on eggs, rice, vegetables, and popcorn. You packed them into school lunches and took them on your travels. You reached for our one-pot meals on busy nights. You brought our cookware, playing cards, recipes, and stories into your homes. You made our food your own, in ways we couldn’t have dreamed up ourselves.

And when we told you we had to close our kitchen, you showed up all over again. You ordered your favorites, stocked up for friends and family, shared our story, and sent us the kindest notes of encouragement. You’ve helped us give this little kitchen a send-off filled with far more love than we could ever have imagined.

Thank you for helping us close this chapter with the same love and care with which it began.

With enormous gratitude,
Alak

What happens next

I don’t know what the next version of PODI life will look like yet.

I wish I could tell you we had a shiny new plan tucked away somewhere, ready to unveil. The truth is, we’re still figuring it out. Our kitchen has closed, and we don’t yet know if or when our physical products will return.

But here’s what I do know: the curiosity, food, culture, ingredients, stories, and spirit of play at the heart of PODI life aren’t going anywhere.

For now, we’re focused on getting every last order safely into your hands, honoring our commitments, and giving this chapter the ending it deserves.

And then? There are so many things we’d still love to explore, stories we’d love to tell, and ideas we’d love to play with. We’re giving ourselves a little room to imagine what comes next, even if it looks quite different from what came before.

If you’ve enjoyed being part of this little adventure, I hope you’ll stick around. Whatever PODI life becomes next, we’d love to have you along for the ride. 🤎

Updates

As this final run unfolds.

#7 - Nov 3rd, 2026:

I'm back with another shipping update!

While our kitchen has officially closed for manufacturing, we've still been busy packing and shipping all the goodies you ordered during our Final Run. And we're getting closer to sending the last of them on their way!

Here's the latest shipping timeline:

Orders placed on or before October 15th: Will ship by this Sunday, November 8th.
Orders placed October 15–31: Will ship by November 20th at the latest, though we're working hard to get most orders out much sooner!

While our kitchen has closed, we're not going anywhere just yet! We'll be around through mid-December to answer your questions, help with shipping concerns, and troubleshoot any issues with your orders.

#6 - Oct 22nd, 2026:

Your response to our Final Run has been extraordinary, our kitchen has been busier than ever, and while most orders are moving along as planned, some are taking a little longer than we anticipated.

Here’s our updated shipping schedule:

Orders placed on or before October 8: Will ship by this Sunday, October 25.
Orders placed October 9–15: Will ship by November 8 at the latest, though we’re hoping to get most of them out much sooner!

And one more reassurance: You’ll receive tracking information as soon as your order is on its way. Just a heads-up: it can take a day or two after we drop off your package for the tracking information to update and show movement.

With immense gratitude,
Alak

PS: A quick clarification about our kitchen closing on October 25: Don't worry, we're not disappearing! October 25 is our last day of manufacturing, not our last day of shipping. We'll continue packing and fulfilling orders after the kitchen closes, and we'll be around through mid-December to answer questions and help resolve any issues with your orders. Every order will be taken care of!

#5 - Oct 12th, 2026:

If you placed your order on or before October 1st: we expect it to ship latest by the end of this week, before Sunday, October 18th
If you placed your order after October 1st and before October 8th: we expect it to ship by Sunday, October 25th.

As always, you’ll receive tracking information as soon as your order leaves our kitchen.

We know waiting for an order is never fun, especially when you’ve trusted us with one of these last batches. We’re incredibly grateful for both your patience and the extraordinary response to our Final Run. Freshly made PODIs and other goodies coming your way very soon. ❤️

With immense gratitude,
Alak

#4 - Sept 28th, 2026:

Due to loss of some team members, we are very delayed in shipping out orders, but are working through them as fast as we can. We expect to ship out many of them this week. Thank you so much for your patience. We're so grateful for all the lovely notes you've shared, and for supporting us in this last stretch!

#3 - Sept 18th, 2026:

So grateful for all the support we've received! So many new folks found us through our instagram posts (welcome to your PODI life! find us @podi.life). Thank you for your continued patience as we work as fast as we can to fulfill these orders.

#2 - Sept 13th, 2026:

90+ wonderful people came through this weekend! Many placed multiple orders, for themselves, their friends and family 🎁 Our team is so touched 🥹

#1 - Sept 10th, 2026:

60+ wonderful people who have been ordering from us over the years, not only placed their orders, but also sent us the warmest, sweetest notes of encouragement and support by email, so we decided to create this community notes board. Please leave a comment below, these notes from you have kept me and our team going in these trying times! The team and I are so grateful for you!

The community wall

Notes from all of you 💗

18 so far — I read every one.

Leave a note

Podilife has been my life! I use podis almost every day: on my eggs for breakfast, on my veggies for lunch, with tofu, chicken, fish, everything! I even carry a bottle of the chili salt in my briefcase when travelling. Thank you for being a big part of my life. I’m sorry to see you go, but hope to see your reincarnation sometime in the future!

Karen V.B.

15 September

PODIs have saved me from too many bland meals and are so much a mainstay in my pantry that I’ll be sorry to see them go :‘(
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you guys and hoping you can make a return before my freezer stash runs out. I’m also looking forward to all the cool things you will do next and wish you all the best for the next chapter!

Manisha S

16 September

Alak, I don’t even know who you are, but I know you love a good rasam and rejecting false dualities, so I’m PODILife for Life <3

Aarthi B.

16 September

Your hard work and delicious food are a staple when I make any South Indian food! I need a giant serving of the peanut podi with my upma! I hope you are able to come back and I can’t wait to order more!

Rini

16 September

I have purchased your podi for my restaurant and pop ups and I love it so much. You guys are just the best!

Keith

16 September

Alak – the community you created and the joy and pride you instilled in us South Indians will never go forgotten. Thank you for being amazing — your food is fantastic, and I am sending you wishes for a great come back. xo

Ammu

16 September

We have really enjoyed your podis and the stories behind each of them! We learned a lot from your regular, beautifully produced, and informative newsletters – in fact, we bought moringa leaves from the farmer’s market for the first time a couple of weeks ago, after learning about them from your email, and made a great sambar with it. I especially like the sambhar powder its aroma while cooking  can be smelled a block away!  Other than podis, I have used the heirloom Dosa pan so often now and really love making dosas on it. Some of the other podis I have really enjoyed using with dosas are crunchy peanut, flaky garlic, gun powder and more. Murali and I are really sorry to see you go and hope that you will come back soon in some form or other. Best wishes to you for your continued adventures.❤️

Sadhana

17 September

Love love the peanut podi. Nostalgia and memories of childhood in every bite!

Krishna Somandepalli

18 September

I am so grateful for everything I learned from PODI Life! Your emails and products, recipes and tutorials expanded my understanding of Southern Indian ingredients and techniques. Thank you, most of all, for the love you and your team put into your work! It was obvious, from the packaging to the design to the food itself, that this was you sharing your heart with us. May your company soon have a new home and a fresh start!

Chrissie Rizzo

20 September

Your family and your contributions to our community will be remembered for generations to come! My kitchen is going to feel bare again without the podis I had on subscription, always refilling my jars and making sure I never ran out.
But I also want to believe that your journey has inspired more people out there to take that leap and think about starting something of their own. Wishing you all the very best in whatever you have planned for the future. Here’s to new beginnings and exciting adventures ahead!
With love and lots of Podi gratitude to your family,
Sweta

Sweta

21 September

Wonderful podis—hope you find a way to return!

Boston

22 September

Absolutely delicious murukkus! They’re perfectly crunchy, fresh, and full of flavor. They have that wonderful authentic homemade taste that makes it hard to stop at just one. Really enjoyed them and would definitely order again from PODI Life!

Usha Vempati

23 September

Alak and Vasavi — the mother-daughter team behind PODI life

A mother-daughter labor of love

PODI life is led by Alak Nanda and Vasavi, a mom-daughter duo making small-batch South Indian pantry staples with fresh ingredients and a kind of care that is hard to outsource.

OUR STORY PODI 101 MAKER PHILOSOPHY

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome! If you’re new to PODIs, our Discovery Set is an easy place to begin. Or pick a PODI, one-pot meal, or muruku snack mix that sounds delicious and start there.

You don’t need to know anything about South Indian cooking. Our food is made to fit easily into the way you already eat.

We’re closing this chapter of PODI life because we’re losing the kitchen where we make our food.

Our final orders close on 25th October, after which food manufacturing will pause. We don’t yet know if or when these products will return, but we’re exploring what PODI life could become next.

Yes! Throughout this final run, we’ll keep making our food the way we always have — fresh, in small weekly batches, in our own kitchen.

Absolutely. Keep your pantry staples sealed in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.

PODIs also freeze beautifully, so freezing well-sealed refills is a great way to keep your favorites fresh for longer.

Sorry, we can't. Not at this time. PODI customizations (like no garlic, or a different texture etc) are simply too complex for our kitchen ops/manufacturing team to handle.

So sorry! We are only shipping across the US at this time.

We’ll do our best to ship orders within a week. Because we may see unusually high order volumes during the final run, some orders could take a little longer, we are currently expecting orders to take up to 2 weeks to ship.

We’ll share production and fulfillment news in the Updates section above so you always know where things stand.

Firstly, thank you so much for being here! You can help us by ordering, leaving us a little love note (in the Notes section of this page), and share this page widely with your friends, family and community. A personal recommendation goes a long way :)

Subscriptions will pause on 25th October, so you won’t be billed for a future batch we can’t make.

If you’d like to stock up before then, you can place a separate final-run order anytime.

Firstly, thank you. 💛

Order if there’s something you’d love to try or keep around, leave us a note on the community wall, or share this page with someone who might love PODI life too. For a small business like ours, a personal recommendation goes a very long way.

And if you have ideas for what PODI life could become next, we’d genuinely love to hear them. Write to alaknanda@podilife.com — I personally read every email.

A WALK DOWN THE MEMORY LANE

5 years of PODI life

we've bootstrapped this little business with a whole of love and gumption, read all about it here.

JOURNEY SO FAR

Awards / Featured in

Stay close

This chapter is closing. The story isn’t.

Leave your email and you’ll be the first to hear what comes next — new ideas, new experiments, and, if our physical products return, first word on those too.