Twelve years after Mohammed Abdul Aleem and his brother-in-law, Mohammed Abdul Rasheed, moved their families from India to The Woodlands, the duo decided to bring a taste of home with them.

Aleem and Rasheed opened India Gourmet Spices  in 2004. The grocery store carries a wide selection of produce, spices, snacks, dairy products and frozen meals from India, Pakistan and the Middle East.

“We decided to open a store here in The Woodlands because the Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern community is growing here, and food is a necessity for everyone,” Aleem said. “So we wanted to provide them with the food they enjoy.”

The market was originally located on the west side of I-45 adjacent to the family’s restaurant, Sitar Cuisine of India; however, the owners opted in 2016 to relocate to a larger space in Oak Ridge North, in hopes of expanding their product selection.

The grocery store now carries more than 1,000 types of spices, herbs and seasonings, and offers a large variety of fresh Indian vegetables, frozen zabiha halal meat and poultry, naan and other types of bread, sweets and beverages, such as tea and lassi.

“Our most popular items are definitely our spices,” Aleem said. “People drive a long way for our spices because you can’t find them in other grocery stores, and if you order them online, they’re a lot more expensive than what we charge for them.”

In addition to food and drink products, the store also carries other items to keep shoppers in touch with home, such as Bollywood movies, international phone cards, games, festive seasonal items and religious items.

Aleem said over the past 14 years in business, he has seen the Indian population grow significantly in The Woodlands area, along with the popularity of Indian cuisine.

“Every day we get probably 10-15 new customers here,” Aleem said. “Indian food is really unique and it’s always been really popular with the British, but it’s becoming more popular among other cultures. We want to introduce more people to our food and expand their tastes.”

Keeping up with the era of InstaCart and Favor, India Gourmet Spices also began offering home delivery services in November. Aleem said orders can be placed by phone or email, and if an order is received prior to 4 p.m., the delivery can be made the same day. The service costs $10 for deliveries within a 5-mile radius and $15 for deliveries within a 10-mile radius.

“We don’t really have to compete against big chains because people who are looking for Indian food find us. Other stores only have a small selection of Indian products,” Aleem said.

In the future, Aleem said he plans to add a fresh halal meat section to the market as well as introduce fresh snacks for customers to enjoy while shopping.

“I enjoy owning my own business because even though you have to work a lot more hours, you’re able to do things on your own time,” Aleem said. “We just hope to continue growing our market’s products and clientele.”

26752 I-45 N., Oak Ridge North
281-419-3688
www.indiagourmetspices.com
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.