E182 - This woman is taking on India’s Junk Food Empire: Suhasini Sampath, Yoga Bar

Indian Silicon Valley with Jivraj Singh Sachar

In this episode, we dive deep into the journey of Suhasini Sampath, Co-Founder of Yoga Bar, a trailblazing health food brand that has disrupted India's junk food landscape. Yoga Bar has revolutionized the way Indians snack, offering healthy alternatives in a market dominated by less nutritious options. From its humble beginnings in 2015 to its recent ₹500 crore acquisition by ITC, Yoga Bar's story is one of perseverance, innovation, and a commitment to improving India's eating habits. Suhasini shares invaluable insights on building a brand in the challenging food industry, the evolution of consumer behavior, and the intricacies of navigating an acquisition by a major conglomerate. She discusses the importance of product quality, brand consistency, and the power of founder-led marketing in creating a successful health food empire. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, from the challenges of creating a new category in the Indian market to balancing entrepreneurship with personal life. Suhasini's perspective on company culture, investor relationships, and the future of health food in India offers a comprehensive look at what it takes to build a disruptive brand in today's competitive landscape. Timestamps: 0:00 - Preview 0:53 - Introduction 2:45 - Building a Brand: 2015 vs. 2024 7:20 - Challenges in Building a Food Brand 11:55 - The Importance of Category Share 12:46 - Day 0 Learnings 15:48 - Key Lessons from Childhood and Family 23:55 - Passing Wisdom to the Next Generation 25:54 - Can Entrepreneurs Have It All? 28:12 - Great Product, No Market: What Next? 30:53 - Consumer Evolution: 2015 to 2024 33:58 - Thoughts on Founder-Led Marketing 37:20 - Performance Marketing for New Brands 38:34 - Building Company Culture 40:41 - Navigating Acquisition by ITC 46:25 - Distribution Strategies: Pre vs. Post ITC 47:14 - Lessons from Deal Negotiation 51:34 - What Makes ITC Stand Out? 53:30 - Founder's Vision vs. Consumer Needs 57:15 - Suhasini’s Next Journey 58:17 - Traits of an Exceptional Founder 1:00:11 - Intuition vs. Data 1:03:16 - Insights on Investors and Exits 1:06:17 - Investor Experiences 1:08:50 - New Age Brands That Fascinate Her 1:10:18 - Core Personal Values 1:13:43 - Relationship with Money 1:17:19 - Importance of Personal Relationships 1:19:02 - How Friends Describe Her 1:20:37 - Thoughts on Overcoming Challenges 1:21:30 - Message to Her Younger Self 1:22:29 - Outro Instagram of Jivraj - https://www.instagram.com/jivrajsinghsachar/ #indiansiliconvalley #isv #indiansiliconvalleypodcast #isvpodcast #jivrajsinghsachar