Let's Have A Yogic Affair

After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease- lupus, Pallavi Gupta was in a bad phase of health as multiple visits to doctor, steroids and the modern medicine weren't helping her. At the suggestion of a friend, she went gluten free and turned vegan. Soon after, at the age of 42, she decided to go full board with the concept of Nutty Yogi and fill the gap between medicinal food and snacking with healthy munchies. She digged her grandmother's old 'nuskhe' and made them relevant in today's world by using organic certified ingredients.

Nutty Yogi

She realized it was difficult and expensive to find organic products such as cold-pressed oils or Himalayan pink salt. Thus, she spent nine months travelling across the country to build a network of organic food suppliers and made Nutty Yogi a successful venture in 2017. She received initial funding from friends and family and then an undisclosed amount from angel investor, Sudhir Nagaraj, ex-CEO, Vodafone.

From sourcing raw products such as amaranth and buckwheat from Rajasthan, cold-pressed coconut oil from Kerala, pink salt from Amritsar, oats from Sri Lanka, and the pickles and apples from Shimla - the company made healthy nutty bars. The message was clear: one can beat snack cravings with fibrous munchies.

5 THINGS SHE FOCUSED ON :

1. PACKAGING - 90 per cent of products are packed in glass bottles, rest in biodegradable plastics. Colours used on the packaged product are earthly, highlighting the connect with farms and farmers.
2. LOGO - Stands true to the spirit of the product – a contemporary yogi with twisted legs jumping on a halo light with energy. It is a quirky way of telling "I will get what I want".
3. PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE - Connected with holistic wellness expert, Luke Coutinho, who uses and recommends Nutty Yogi products.
4. PRODUCT RANGE – 250+ products ranging from diabetic-friendly bars to ayurvedic spices. The best selling products are gluten-free flour, fitness protein muesli, caramel makhana, antioxidant berry mix and digestive drinks.
5. PRICING – Products range from Rs 69 for roasted chana jor to Rs 389 for vanila espresso almond butter. The affordable products cater to a wide segment of customers.

Along the way, Gupta discovered traditional roasting methods from Thar desert region and rolled in roasted channa, peas, mung beans. She says, "In the initial days of business, I realized consumers like handcrafted and natural products." Gupta, who used to run a restaurant with her husband before launching Nutty Yogi, adds, "For food start-ups, the biggest challenge is retaining the consumer's
attention and reach. Most retail chains do not extend shelf space for new brands. Thus, the struggle is to ensure product visibility and garner revenues efficiently." Nutty Yogi has plans to expand to metro cities and fill its products in retail outlets of Nature's Basket and Big Bazaar.

(This article was first published in the July 2019 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. To subscribe, click here)