Colorful logo with the text 'Urban Thela' on a yellow background, featuring a striped canopy and a cart with wheels.
A hand holding a white coconut-covered candy in a brown paper cup, with a large mural of a woman's face with turquoise hair in the background.

Where It All Began…

With No Chillers, Just Chutzpah.

You didn’t ask for our origin story. But hey, we made snacks - you’re staying for the plot.

Early mornings. Slow days. Markets that surprised us.
We winged the flavours, the packaging — even the playlist.
Urban Thela became our crash course in hustle, hope and figuring it out on the go.
And honestly? We wouldn’t change a thing.

A wildly optimistic duo & one tiny kitchen.

A man and a woman standing behind a table with Indian baked goods and treats at a market stall called 'Urban Thela'. The stall features a bright yellow sign with red and purple text advertising their snacks and treats available anytime and anywhere. The stall is indoors with other market vendors visible in the background.

Zero gear, zero budget — just two stubborn dreamers with a soft spot for sweets & snacks, and a serious case of “let’s just try it.”

We showed up to markets with containers full of hope (and snacks), home-printed labels, and a fold-up trestle table. Then we crossed our fingers… and smiled broadly.

Within six months, we’d done 150 markets, tested 60+ ideas, and learnt more about Melbourne’s tastebuds than we ever did working in restaurants.

This is the story of how Urban Thela became our test kitchen, our playground, and our proudest mess.

Wait… What’s a Thela?

Great question!

In India, a thela is a hand-pulled or pushcart used by street vendors to sell everything from chaat to chai. It’s mobile, humble, and full of flavour — just like our beginnings.

We borrowed the spirit of the thela — scrappy, community-driven, always ready to roll — and brought it to Melbourne’s market scene.

Markets, Mithais & Mayhem.

A year’s worth of highs, lows, flaky pastry, and proud smiles.
Swipe through our little scrapbook of stall stories:

  • A woman smiling and talking to a customer at a stall selling Indian baked goods. The stall is decorated with traditional ornaments and has signs for free samples and prices.
  • Two people working at a food booth, with a yellow background and sign that reads 'Urban Thela Confectionery'. The woman on the left is wearing a yellow top and jeans, and the man on the right is wearing a dark shirt and grey pants, arranging items on the table.
  • A light blue plate with bite-sized samosas on it, on a white table. In the background, a wooden tray, part of a sign with handwritten text, and tongs are visible.
  • A tray with four coconut truffles topped with a small gold dot, displayed on a table at a food market. A sign behind the tray advertises a tropical punch with dairy, priced for three pieces.
  • Sign listing different types of Indian snacks, including Samosas and Bhakharwadi, with prices, placed on a table at a market or food stall. There is also a pink tray with food items underneath a glass cover in the background.
  • A man cooking in a professional kitchen with various ingredients and utensils on the counter, including a green cutting board, colorful vegetables, and a stove with pots.
  • Person wearing a beige hoodie with cartoon graphics, stirring a bowl in a kitchen, using a piping bag.
  • Assorted Indian sweets and snacks displayed on a woven mat, including chocolate fudge, white coconut balls, green and pink powdered treats, rolled nut sweets, and crispy snack bars.
  • Colorful chalkboard menu listing vegan and gluten-free snacks at a market, including burfi fudge, pina colada ladoos, spiced pumpkin rusk, trail mix, filo samosa, green pea kachori, and Indian glazed donuts, with prices ranging from $5 to $15.
  • Tray of raw, handmade dumplings with pinched edges, arranged in rows on parchment paper in a kitchen.
  • Assorted donuts on wire racks, including ones topped with crushed nuts, in baker's trays.
  • A clear plastic display case with multicolored assorted bites and treats, including pistachio raspberry burfi, almond chocolate cherry burfi, cashew mango and rose burfi, lemon poppy seed rusk, cardamom cookies, tropical punch ladoos, and samosas.
  • A bag of Urban Thela Rusk Bites Spiced Pumpkin, a container of white coconut-covered desserts, and a container of yellow snack bites on a table.
  • Multiple cups filled with green square-shaped candies or chocolates with red sprinkles or toppings on top.
  • Display case with various cakes and baked goods, three packets of misht burfi flavors (Pistachio Raspberry, Cashew Mango Rose, Almond Chocolate Cherry), and containers of different types of fudge, including green pistachio, light beige, and dark chocolate.
Click to See the Transformation

From One Thela, Two Tales.

That little yellow stall? The one powered by chutzpah, carbs, and zero chillers?

It’s officially birthed two brand babies:

Misht – our sweet studio for modern mithai. Luxe, bold, and a little cheeky.


Munch Club – Bold healthy snacks. Aussie ingredients, Indian techniques, Melbourne attitude.

A yellow tent at an outdoor market with signs and a table of baked goods. The signs advertise Indian bakery, snacks, free samples, and treats from Urban Thela.
A man in a dark polo shirt leaning over and unrolling a large yellow banner with red and purple text inside a yellow tent.

But the Thela’s Still Rolling!

Markets are where we found our feet (and flavour).
And honestly, nothing beats the joy of dishing out fresh mithai and snacks IRL.

Want in on where we’ll pop up next (and what’s in the boxes)?

Did We Mention What a Mithai Is?

Fair point. Mithai is the Hindi word for sweets — but not just any sweets.

We’re talking bite-sized flavour bombs. Syrup-soaked, spice-laced, nut-studded treats that celebrate everything from weddings to Wednesdays.

Misht reimagines these classics with bold flavours, modern twists, and just the right amount of indulgence.

Turns out, we don’t do “just one thing”.
Meet the full fam — from comforting curries to luxe mithais to cheeky snacks.