Kudumbi is a farming community that has its roots in Goa. They share a common history with the other Konkani speaking communities in Kochi that they fled from Goa when the Portuguese tired to forcefully convert their religion. However, they are different from the other communities that they are the only non-vegetarian Konkani community in Kochi.
Upon reaching Kochi, the Konkani communities implanted their hierarchical caste structure wherein the Kudumbis belonged to the lower strata. They began eking out a living for them through farming and other manual labours. It is believed that it was the community that introduced Pokkali cultivation, a unique saline tolerant rice that it cultivated widely now in the water-logged coastal areas of Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts. It is also believed that they also introduced fish farming, which later on went on to become a thriving industry that generates export revenue.