Ayush Baid's Ellementry Is Your Traditional Kitchen Planner Ellementry makes handcrafted, sustainable and eco-friendly kitchenware, serveware and tableware products.
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As the son of award-winning Indian handcraft products exporter Dileep Baid, it was only natural for Ayush Baid, Founder, Ellementry, to make a mark in the artistic space. Founded in September 2018, the brand is one of a kind that manufactures and sells handcrafted, sustainable and eco-friendly kitchenware, serveware and tableware products. Baid became an entrepreneur at a young age of 23. Reflecting on his journey, he says, "I was always receptive to new business ideas since I was brought up in a business family." His father, who invested in his venture, is also the chairman of the company.
The idea behind Ellementry struck Baid while he was pursuing undergraduation in University College London (UCL). He took a gap year to analyse his father's business data in terms of how the products he manufactures and exports would perform in India. His data analysis revealed that a market for such products exists in India.
Ayush Baid, Founder Ellementry
Ellementry Collection
Ellementry Collection
Baid started the business with baby steps. Ellementry was born as an e-commerce website selling its products directly to the customers. The spectacular reception online encouraged the ambitious entrepreneur to expand the business offline. The company now has one store each in Delhi, Bengaluru and Jaipur. It aims to open 20 physical stores across India over the next few years, while also expanding its e-commerce clientele.
Elaborating on future plans, Baid professes, "We are planning to convert Ellementry's business model into an O2O model (offline to online and online to offline) in the near future. Just like Zara, you can buy anything online but get it exchanged in any of the physical stores."
In less than a year since its inception, Ellementry has been able to do a whopping business of Rs 10 crores.
Truly Ellementry
- Bestselling product: Everything made of terracotta. Ellementry also has products made of ceramic, teakwood, mango wood, stainless steel and brass. Its wood is enamel-plated that makes products more purposeful, easier to use and simpler to clean.
- Each product serves a multiple purpose. Its coasters also serve as a lid on its mugs as they fit perfectly along with papier-mâché box for multipurpose use.
- The age-old earthen pot has been given a new avatar with its terracotta bottle. Ellementry has also brought the earthenware back in vogue for baking purposes too.
(This article was first published in the August 2019 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)