Yoga Bar aims to change your snacking habit to a healthy one. Founded by sisters – Anindita and Suhasini – the company currently sells snack bars and protein bars that use all natural ingredients like nuts, seeds, complex carbs and whole grains and no preservatives.
The Sampath sisters, Anindita and Suhasini, have been yoga practitioners for more than 16 years now and it has become a way of life for them. “It is very fundamental to the way we do things and helps us live in the present. It is a natural form of fitness,” explains Suhasini. The sisters have extended their belief of what yoga means and have made it the very foundation of their entrepreneurial venture – to do things in its original form. In 2015, the sisters set up their own venture called Yoga Bar, an energy snack bar made from natural ingredients. The very philosophy of their brand of bars is that it is made out of natural ingredients and is very healthy.
During their travel and work stints and not to forget their daily lives, the founders observed that people don’t have healthy snacking habits. “One makes unhealthy choices when they feel hungry and snack between their meals,” says Suhasini, COO of the company. This apart, a lot of products available in the market are not very transparent when it comes to ingredients, most of which are not natural. This not only adds to the rising population of people with diseases like diabetes but also adds to lifestyle related issues like obesity.
Incorporated with angel funds and bank loans, the company has seen a steady growth in its numbers. While it started with supplying to 10 retail stores, the snack bars are now present in almost 800 stores across India. “We have seen a steady rise in the number of consumers and have observed that people are making it a habit. Those who were taking one or two bars a month are now consuming 12 to 15,” says Suhasini.
All our ingredients offer health benefits and are completely natural with no additives or preservatives, which is our main differentiator when compared to other brands in the market
Keeping It Natural
For Yoga Bar, its ingredients are its main strength. Its snack bars have whole grains and complex carbs, seeds, nuts and protein boost while its protein bars have complete protein, probiotic fiber, omega 3S and healthy fats. “All our ingredients offer health benefits and are completely natural with no additives or preservatives, which is our main differentiator when compared to other brands in the market,” stresses Anindita.
The company sources its raw materials from farmers across the country. It has worked for over a year to set up the supply chain.
Customer Conversions
“We want to change everyone’s snacking habit,” stresses Suhasini. The co-founder reckons the age group of their customers to be around 25 years to 40 years, especially those who are trying to make that switch from eating chocolates to something more healthy. The company does not spend big bucks on advertising and is largely dependent on word-of-mouth marketing. It has gradually made an entry into social media marketing over the last two to three months.
Assigning Clear Roles
The founders made a clear differentiation in their roles. Anindita setup the manufacturing plant, which has the capacity to manufacture a million bars a month and is in-charge of branding and marketing. She recalls, “Designing these machines and getting it custom made took almost six months.” And, Suhasini takes care of the finances and distribution. The snack bars are now available across 800 retail stores in the country and she expects this number to increase going forward. Currently, the products are present in stores like Food world, Spencer’s, Nilgiris and Nature’s Basket, to name a few, in addition to being available on Flipkart and Amazon.
Building The Go-To Health Brand
“We will continue to make sure that our products remain honest with high quality natural ingredients which is the crucial success factor for a company like ours,” states Suhasini. The founders believe that other factors like distribution are easy to implement once the right product is in place.
The company plans to have a whole host of product lines targeted specifically at the Indian population. “We want to be the go-to company for people wanting to snack healthy and we will have dedicated space in the retailer’s shelf for healthy food,” says Anindita, on a concluding note.
The Yoga Bar Approach
Key USP: Its ingredients are its main strength and all its ingredients offer health benefits and are completely natural with no additives or preservatives.
Target Customers: Those who are trying to make that switch from eating chocolates to something more healthy.
Marketing Strategy: The company does not spend big bucks on advertising and is largely dependent on word-of-mouth. Over the last 2 or 3 months, social media marketing has started.
