A career-ending cricket injury, two unsuccessful attempts at the civil services examination and an entrepreneurial journey from technology and fitness preceded Sandeep Jangala's entry into the food business. His latest venture, Hyderabad-based Yummy Bee, has grown from a small cloud kitchen into a multi-city café and food brand focused on sugar-free and gluten-free products.
For Jangala, the transition into food was not an obvious career move. It followed several professional setbacks and a personal effort to find healthier desserts for his family.
Jangala's first ambition was to play international cricket. He began pursuing the sport at the age of eight and went on to represent Andhra Pradesh across the Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19 levels. He also represented India Under-19 and the South Zone, sharing dressing rooms with players including Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik.
However, a thumb fracture during a college-level match changed the course of his career. According to his account in Humans of Hyderabad, he had removed his plaster cast ahead of an important selection match and played despite the injury. His thumb never recovered completely, affecting his grip and batting ability.
With a professional cricket career no longer a realistic prospect, Jangala turned towards the civil services. He moved to Hyderabad to prepare for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, clearing it twice with ranks within the top 1,000. However, neither attempt secured him the rank he needed to become an IAS officer.