An interview with the co-founder of Munchilicious Granola
What's the story
Don't we all want to snack in between meals, without having to worry about those added calories?
To fulfill that crave for healthy snacking of ours, Purvi Pugalia, the co-founder of Munchilicious Granola, devised a healthy mid-day snacking option, while also translating her passion for healthy baking into a fast-growing entrepreneurial venture.
In her interview with NewsBytes, she talks about her journey and achievements.
About
Took less than 3 years for Munchilicious Granola to click
Munchilicious Granola was founded by Ms Purvi Rohit Pugalia and Mr Rohit Pugalia, with the aim of creating a healthy snacking option to satisfy mid-meal cravings.
The brand offers signature home-made granola recipes by Purvi, which is both wholesome and lip-smacking.
In less than three years, this self-funded food start-up has grown exponentially, and has a strong presence on-ground an in leading online marketplaces.
Academics
Purvi is a successful handwriting analyst, business logo consultant
Purvi has a curious career graph and she believes that "the human mind is capable of achieving wonders."
"As someone who was naturally inclined toward English Literature," she decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in this field.
She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Education and is a successful handwriting analyst, signature expert and business logo consultant, having done a course in Graphology.
Details
In 2015, the idea of Munchilicious Granola was born
Purvi's switch to her current business engagement comes from a personal experience.
In 2015, she realized that there aren't many healthy options for those mid-meal cravings, and she "would go to great lengths" to ensure her family didn't turn to damaging options.
She experimented with various recipes and eventually, along with Rohit (her husband), they made their version of home-grown granola.
Information
Currently, Munchilicious Granola's products are available in 15 cities
Initially, Purvi-Rohit's venture was made available across Mumbai. They eventually "identified a huge gap in the market for healthy snacks," and planned to expand, thus giving birth to Munchilicious Granola. With time, the business grew and now, their product is available in 15 cities.
Challenges
Streamlining work across various functions can be quite challenging
Purvi says that moving from "innovation" to "scalability" is a challenge for both established businesses and agile start-ups, and the same was the case with Munchilicious Granola.
As an entrepreneur who is heading a self-funded venture, streamlining work across various functions was the first of many such challenges she faced.
Making the product available throughout the country was an equally challenging step.
Unknown path
Big leap: Turning home-made product into large-scale retail business
Turning a home-made product into a large-scale retail business was a rather big leap for Purvi and as an individual embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, she faced countless questions even before the venture began.
She adds that dealing with this volatility was "one of the hardest parts of being a new entrepreneur," who had set out on a self-funded company.
FSSC 22000
The brand has been accredited with the FSSC 22000
The product is manufactured and packaged in a state-of-the-art-facility that maintains the highest food-safety standards and is accredited with the FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification).
It is also one of the seven brands in India under the breakfast cereal category and the only start-up brand to be awarded this distinguished certification.
Munchilicious Granola is now available in 450 retail outlets in India.
Variety
Product range: Fruit-based granola pack, chocolate variant, nut-filled, desi twist
Munchilicious Granola was conceptualized with the aim of creating a healthy, home-made, snacking option.
Taste and variety were not compromised in this process, and the brand has a lot to offer in terms of flavors and dietary requirements.
The products range from fruit-based granola pack to chocolate variants to ones packed with nuts and another that has an Indian twist to it.
Pandemic
Healthy snacking is a lifestyle change in the right direction
Purvi feels that healthy snacking in India has just begun and it is a lifestyle change in the right direction.
The pandemic has made people health conscious and the consumers are now keen on making healthier choices.
This is where Munchilicious Granola is bridging the gap by catering to this evolving demand of consumers and helping them make the shift toward conscious munching.