Upon completing his studies, Ravalomanana returned to Manjakandriana District, where he and his family began making and selling homemade yogurts, a common artisanal product in the highlands region. On his bicycle, he collected milk from farmers in neighboring towns, gradually increasing his production and clientele. He opened his first yogurt and cheese production center in 1977 in Sambaina on land he named "Rova-Tiko" ("Tiko Palace"), where he would build the first Tiko factory several years later. His wife handled the administrative and accounting side of the business from Ankadivato, where the storage facility for finished products was located. By the end of the 1970s, Ravalomanana's dairy business employed five salaried staff members and was distributing its products in stores across Antananarivo.