Everyday Pioneers: Ujjwal Rai ’20

As Ujjwal Rai G’20 prepares to become a member of the Harvard Kennedy School, his heart remains with the community he has helped to foster and create within the Mohawk Valley, pulled together from all parts of the world, much like the foods he has brought to the shelves at Muju International Groceries.

The sign out front says it all: “You are Home.”

Muju International Groceries strives to bring together food items from around the world in one central location - opening up minds and taste buds to flavors that may be unfamiliar, as well as bringing a taste of comfort and home to those in a new land.

Started by Ujjwal and his wife Grace, Muju International Groceries not only sells groceries from numerous countries under one roof, but with the help of friend Ayushi Batra uses the latest technology and Ujjwal’s business acumen honed during his time at Utica to provide a simple and user-friendly website and app that allows customers to have items delivered right to their door, so they can spend less time shopping and more time with their family, friends, and pets.

“The MBA program at Utica University has taught me to have ethics as a top priority and foundation for every business decision and strategy I make,” Ujjwal says. “This very lesson has changed everything for the better as l have been working on a couple of start-ups since my graduation.”

Director of MBA Programs and Assistant Professor of Management at Utica University Dr. Matthew Marmet describes Ujjwal as an integral part in the development of Muju.

“Utica is a very diverse city and Ujjwal sought to open a venue that seeks to represent who and what that city is,”

Dr. Marmet says. “Developing the app to facilitate free delivery within the local area to their customers, Ujjwal and his colleagues are catering to individuals and families regardless of their means. I know he will be an extremely valuable asset to Harvard Kennedy School with much to offer.”

Harvard Kennedy School, officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government at Harvard University.

Partnering with area Amish farmers to grow locally as many vegetables from other countries as they can, the couple has found a sustainable way of supporting local producers while still making their buyers from around the world feel at home.

“It all began when Grace arrived in Utica as a refugee. We grew up with rice in the Nepali culture but when she came to America, for months, it didn’t feel like home because she didn’t get rice and other food that she’s used to,” Ujjwal explained in an interview with YouTuber San Kyi. “She had someone come over with Nepali food, and that was the first time she felt home because she got to eat food she grew up with.”

In time, that longing for the food and cultures of home evolved into what would become the idea of an actual store that allows its customers to shop online and save one of the most precious commodities of all - their time.

“We realized if we bring different cultures together, knowing that a lot of immigrants work 15 to 16 hours a day on average, we could help cut their errand time so they can spend time with their family and do other things,” Ujjwal says in his video tour with San Kyi. “We have products from Jamaica, Japan, Thailand, India, Nepal. Going from culture, to culture, we’re just trying to be very intentional about small details. That detail goes into building the community together. That’s a vision we have. It’s not going to be easy, but the challenges make everything exciting.”

As he and Grace turn their vision into reality, Ujjwal says the support he had during his time as a student at Utica has continued well beyond and into all his efforts and ventures to this day, something he remains incredibly thankful for.

“The professors and student body have always been supportive even today,” he says. “The university atmosphere made me feel comfortable from the very first day. As an international student, it is affordable and living expenses are reasonably lower compared to many other cities. I am grateful for everything l learned and the community that l got to be part of."