Mumbai: Piyush Jain (37), like most people, kept irregular hours that were filled with unhealthy snacking. The habit took a toll on his weight and health. Healthier alternatives were either too expensive or had additives.
A frequent traveller, Mr. Jain came across non-fried pop up snacks from South Korea that are popular the world over. Even though these were not available in India, it was enough to trigger a business idea: non-fried, trans-fat-free and calorically smart multigrain pops called Grainito’s.
Initial hurdles
In September 2013, he came across pop snack machines at a trade fair. He was instantly attracted to them, and decided to buy four. However, he had to arrange for finances in five days, as they would be available only for the duration of the fair. “Since I believed in the concept I made every effort possible, yet most of my friends were reluctant to offer loans,” he says. After a great deal of convincing, two of his friends agreed to lend him ₹4 lakh and ₹2 lakh respectively, and Mr. Jain pumped in his own savings of ₹10 lakh.
He began experimenting with the ingredients. “We tried almost 50 combinations for a whole year and even partnered with industry stalwarts in food and snacks, but were not successful,” says Mr. Jain, who had already spent another ₹4 lakh towards research and development.
With help from a friend who ran a health food kiosk, Mr. Jain arrived at a combination that matched Indian taste buds. Grainito’s was unveiled in September 2014 with the tagline, ‘No oil, only grain; let your calories drain.’ The product was displayed in partnership with an existing kiosk at Inorbit mall, Malad.
An automated machine popping healthy grains into a dish in front of consumers and allowing them to choose their flavours became an instant hit, says Mr. Jain. For a whole month, he distributed free samples. Within three months, the product received a good response.
Grainito’s has two variants: the multigrain Maxi Pop which is made with six grains and costs ₹60 for 55 gms, and the Nutrie Pop Mini with seven grains and five seeds, oats and soya, which costs ₹100 for 85 gms. Grainito’s now has seven machines to produce the snacks.
Business expansion
Grainito’s soon had its own kiosks at Hypercity outlets at Ghodbunder Road and Malad and appointed its first franchisee in 2015. Every kiosk is run by a manager and a sales promoter, generally a student who works part-time or full time.
The company plans to appoint 200 more franchisees in two to three years across India. It will soon launch a healthy and nutritious fast food chain, besides Tinis, or small snacks in various shapes and the Nutrie Pop Mini, in the retail segment. Grainito’s has tied up with The Soup Bowl, a food chain that serves its snack along with every soup serving in place of bread sticks or bread.
Grainito’s is a constant companion to Prachi Thakker, a TV star. “As we have erratic work schedules, planning a diet is difficult, and we end up munching on snacks. The healthy chilli garlic nutrie pops are my favourites,” she says.
Amandeep Singh Thind, a London-based personal trainer who travels the world, is also impressed with the product. “The baked snacks became part of my diet during my recent stay in Mumbai. The ingredients are healthy, it tastes good, and is easy to digest and carry. For a person like me who counts the calories before eating, it was a perfect fit.”
