Sahil Jain, a chartered accountant with a profitable profession in a Mumbai-based multinational firm, discovered himself trapped in a company routine he couldn’t stand. As quickly because the workplace clock struck 6, he would pack his luggage to depart for house. Even working an additional minute on the firm felt insufferable to him.
“As soon as, I completed all my work by 3, however I nonetheless waited until 6. After I began packing my bag, my senior requested me the place I used to be going. He instructed me to sit down and depart solely after the director. That’s precisely what I didn’t need,” he recollects.
“After a year-and-a-half, I realised that company tradition was not my cup of tea. It grew to become clear to me that day: I wished to interrupt free from the company surroundings and pursue my ardour for constructing my very own model,” he provides.
Drawing inspiration from his mom Meena, a seasoned nutritionist, Sahil launched into a journey to create nutritious and modern meals merchandise. Collectively, the mother-son duo experimented with numerous health-conscious recipes, comparable to laddu bars, vegetable chips, and millet-based merchandise.
With their firm, Mighty Millets, they constructed a worthwhile enterprise, growing a buyer base with over 50 resorts, comparable to the distinguished Taj Group and JW Marriott in Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. Final 12 months, they clocked an annual income of Rs 50 lakh and intention to double their gross sales for the 2024-2025 monetary 12 months.
In a dialog with The Higher India, the co-founders unveiled the exceptional journey of nurturing their meals startup from inception to hovering heights.
From kitchen to commerce: The delivery of a model
Sahil’s mom, Meena, has a aptitude for creating scrumptious but health-conscious recipes. As a nutritionist, she had lengthy been serving to purchasers in India and overseas obtain their wellness objectives. Sahil, a self-proclaimed foodie with an entrepreneurial spirit, noticed a possibility to mix their strengths and create one thing distinctive within the meals sector.
The inception of Mighty Millets was not an in a single day resolution however a results of cautious consideration and experimentation, Sahil informs. Each weekend, he, together with a couple of associates, would be a part of Meena in her kitchen for meals trials.
“From conventional favourites like vada pav to regional specialties like Hyderabadi toast, I might cook dinner a various vary of meals gadgets for them. We experimented to search out distinctive meals gadgets we might promote, nevertheless it was all unhealthy. As a nutritionist, I didn’t wish to promote junk meals,” Meena says.
“That’s after I remembered how my purchasers would counsel I commercialise the well being aware recipes I really useful to them,” she provides.
With Meena stepping in, Sahil shifted their focus to wholesome meals. Initially, they began with a small vary of merchandise, together with laddu bars. In 2018, they launched Mighty Millets, and in the present day they provide greater than 50 styles of preservative-free merchandise, comparable to diet bars, granolas, millet-based cookies, sevai, noodles, pasta, pancake mixes, and vegetable chips.
The balancing act: Sustaining diet and high quality
Meena’s experience in diet and high quality management, mixed with Sahil’s enterprise acumen, laid a powerful basis for Mighty Millets’ success. Nonetheless, constructing a enterprise from scratch was not simple.
Reflecting on their expertise of constructing a meals startup, Sahil says, “Aside from our information in diet and finance, all the pieces was new to us. The preliminary 12 months was very tough and sluggish. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which made it tougher. It took us a few 12 months and a half to determine ourselves. Solely after two years did we start to develop exponentially. Only in the near past, I began drawing a wage out of my enterprise; previous to that, we reinvested no matter we earned.”
“An important factor in operating a enterprise is having persistence. It’s difficult, requiring sacrifices and important effort. Moreover, any meals startup wants to stick to legal guidelines and rules, demanding meticulous consideration to element in product growth and manufacturing,” he provides.
Sahil stresses that each single packet entails a better threat; there can’t be any errors. “If a criticism is raised, your complete status can go for a toss,” he explains. To stop such a scenario, from cleansing uncooked supplies to manufacturing finish merchandise, Meena ensures strict high quality management.
“If you’re promoting snacking options, that are packed and have a shelf life, it must be accompanied by correct procedural documentation, certifications, and lab exams. Meals startups require a licence from FSSAI,” he clarifies.
Ranging from their house kitchen, the duo collaborated with three contract producers for manufacturing in devoted amenities. Over time, their enterprise gained momentum, increasing its product line and reaching high resorts in main cities like Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai by means of its B2B phase.
The bond between Sahil and Meena not solely fuels their entrepreneurial spirit but additionally displays a deep connection rooted in mutual respect and shared values. Their journey highlights the rewards of working collectively as a household, the fun of constructing one thing significant, and the satisfaction of making a profitable enterprise from scratch.
Meena is overjoyed to run a enterprise alongside her son. “Each time he would depart for work in Mumbai, I might fear about how he would dwell and what he would eat. I’ve been very protecting of him. Now, it’s a pleasure working with my son; we get to spend high quality time collectively,” she says.
In the meantime, Sahil, who manages manufacturing and operations, factors out that originally, there have been a whole lot of clashes of their concepts. “We additionally labored day and night time in the identical house. So, when manufacturing shifted to contract producers, issues grew to become a lot smoother, and now we have now clear obligations,” he says.
“It’s a pleasure to work now. It’s rewarding and a unique expertise of making one thing of our personal. At the moment, when I’m at my firm, I don’t stare on the clock anymore,” he smiles.
Edited by Arunava Banerjee. All images: Sahil Jain.
