The life-changing moment that led to a bold new spice brand

A former Ministry of Defence analyst launched his spice business Tuk Tuk Spices after a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis made him rethink his career.

Paul Bird, 27, was working as a management consultant at Accenture following roles at the MOD, when his health began deteriorating rapidly in 2023.

"I started losing my memory and my eyesight was getting really blurry," he says.

After months of declining performance at work, a rushed trip to A&E revealed Type 1 diabetes and a need to inject himself with insulin every day for the rest of his life.

"In a weird way, there was a sense of relief because then I had an understanding as to what was wrong."

The diagnosis forced Paul to take a three-month break from work. That became a period of deep reflection.

"It did press pause on my life's trajectory and made me reflect on what I really wanted out of life. I'd always wanted from a young age to start a business."

Finding a business niche

Drawing on his mixed heritage – his mother is Punjabi Indian and his father Anglo-Indian – Paul identified a gap in the spice market.

"Having these two insights really made me realise that I've had access to two very different consumer groups," he says, referring to both traditional Indian consumers and those less familiar with authentic Indian cooking.

Tuk Tuk Spices creates meal-specific spice blends designed to make Indian cooking accessible to everyone.

Each product includes QR codes that link to recipe videos of Paul demonstrating cooking techniques.

The company's sleek, book-like packaging deliberately moves away from the traditional motifs of Indian food branding.

Customer demand

The key consumers of Indian spices are countries such as the United States, the UAE, the UK, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada.

Paul hopes to capitalise on this trend, with the market size for seasoning and spices estimated at $21.7 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $34.3 billion by 2030.

At the same time, the soaring demand for blended spices is set to propel the growth of the spices industry.

Having secured his first Ocado sampling session, and with discussions ongoing with major venture capital firms, Paul recognises that branding and design will be crucial to his success.

"I knew what my packaging concept was going to be, and that I wanted to create a brand that goes slightly against the grain."

The company has already gained attention from food influencers, with a combined following well into the billions.

The future

Looking ahead, Paul plans to target the UK's 27 million consumers of Indian food while eventually expanding to the US market.

With his Type 1 diabetes now well managed through daily insulin injections, he's focused on building Tuk Tuk Spices into a household name that helps "everyone become the head chef of their kitchen".

The company represents a new wave of Indian food brands moving away from traditional approaches to marketing and offering authentic flavours for modern consumers who want restaurant-quality results at home.

Explore Paul's range of Indian spices at the Tuk Tuk Spices website.