Meet this Mom whose challenge of finding healthy snacking options made her launch India’s premium guilt-free snacking brand
It is important to understand your market before you execute a business plan- Purvi Pugalia, Co-founder, Munchilicious Granola
How you began your entrepreneurial journey?
It was my husband Rohit and I founded Munchilicious Granola, India’s premium guilt-free snacking brand in 2018. Started in our very own home kitchen with the single aim of creating a healthy, home-made, snacking option to satisfy mid-meal cravings, Munchilicious Granola has now grown exponentially.
The real inspiration behind starting Munchilicious Granola stems from within my family. Back in 2015, nutritious snacking options were not widely available in India.
I would go to great lengths to ensure we did not turn to unhealthy options to curb hunger pangs, especially in between meals. This would often see me preparing extensive varieties of wholesome snacks that we would consume mid-meals on a busy working day.
Soon we realized that our challenge of finding healthy snacking options was shared by numerous others and it was then that the idea of launching a healthy food brand struck us.
Just before Munchilicious Granola, we started a small business that focused on delivering fresh food to patrons across Mumbai.
What are the challenges you faced when you initially started your venture?
When we started Munchilicious Granola, our team was faced with a myriad of challenges. Much like any new entrepreneur, I too encountered countless questions while working on launching my brand.
One of the earliest challenges was dealing with uncertainty – I was taking a huge risk attempting to make my home-made products available to consumers across the country.
Our initial days saw my husband and me managing every function within our start-up. Right from product development to finance and marketing, Rohit and I ensured that each task was carefully dealt with, thus helping us improve our ability to use our time efficiently and maximise each day.
Further, moving from ‘innovation’ to ‘scalability’ was one of the toughest challenges we encountered.
Describe some of the products under your brand Munchilicious Granola?
Built on our three key pillars of health, taste and quality, we believe that Munchilicious Granola is the perfect choice for those embarking on a journey of conscious eating and healthy living.
Our baked mix of nuts, dried fruits and seeds showcases a variety of flavours and makes for the perfect breakfast cereal or mid-meal snacking option. With five signature granola variants, we encourage conscious munching with a variant for ‘every mood’.
With guilt-free, wholesome, and nutrient-rich ingredients, this granola range has variants with no added sugar or oil.
Over the past year, we have made Munchilicious Granola available on shelves of over 450 stores, fitness centres, corporate institutes, hotels and online marketplaces across the country.
How was the support from family and your partner when you started your journey?
It has been incredible. My partner and I have been unquestionably supportive of each other’s dreams, goals, and career ambitions. What makes my venture all the more special is that the inspiration for it has stemmed from my family and our quest to create healthy snacking options that could be readily available in India.
As a mother what are your secrets of balancing work, family and your me time?
- STAY ORGANISED: I enjoy being a mother – being there for my daughter and watching her grow is a wonderful experience and one that I do not plan to miss out on. Workdays can be unpredictable and overly demanding at times.
- SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH THE FAMILY: Irrespective of how our day at work has been, we make it a point to spend time together as a family every evening. Rohit and I plan activities with our daughter to ensure that we spend some quality time together and take that much-needed time off from discussing work.
- MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF: I make it a point to dedicate a few hours every week for some “me-time”. I usually start my days very early and spend some time meditating, it allows me to focus on the present and even manage stress better.
What are your future plans in next 5 years in terms of expansion of your business?
We are on a tremendous expansion drive within the country and the focus is to establish Munchilicious Granola as a household name in India. Driven by passion and inspired by excellence, our vision is to change the perception of healthy eating in the country, and we aim to extend the brand’s presence and expand its offerings through FY21-22.
Currently, we are present in about 21 cities but over the next five years, we’re aiming at a pan-India presence.
What are your tips for the fellow Moms in Business or those moms who want to start their own business?
- BRIDGE A GAP: It is important to understand your market before you execute a business plan.
- BE OPEN-MINDED: While starting a business is no easy task, it is imperative to stay open-minded to trying new things and understanding different methods to execute processes. Everyone learns on the job, especially those starting out on their entrepreneurial journey.
- STREAMLINE YOUR FINANCES: One of the key things to remember while starting a business is to understand your finances and keep them in order. It’s critical to have sound knowledge about managing every financial aspect of a potential business opportunity and prepare for every possibility in order to keep it afloat.
- BE THERE FOR YOUR KIDS: However demanding your new venture may be, make it a point to schedule some time every day to bond with your children.
