The food industry is changing, and this change was unprecedented and unexpected. Most of us agree that with the changing habits of people and the rise in income levels, the consumption patterns of the economy are also changing. People are now picking foods with less sugar, fewer preservatives and are pro-organic these days. The packaged food industry is struggling because the consumer wants everything fresh and healthy.
One such consumer was Vijaya Rajan back in 2015 when she was a simple housewife looking for healthy nutrition options for her husband, an athlete preparing to swim across the English Channel.
Who is Vijaya Rajan and why are we talking about her?
Well, from a standard housewife who was just looking for the right food in a grocery store, she went on to become an entrepreneur. Yes, she started out to combine ingredients like nuts, grains, and fruits to ensure her husband’s right diet. However, her research of around four months gave her immense knowledge and guidance to produce items that were liked by many of her friends and family.
The beginning of entrepreneurship
Hence, over the years, Vijaya realized that she could do something more. Finally, in 2017, she launched her own venture called SIRIMIRI, selling healthy and nutritious items, made right from scratch.
The name has been inspired by SIRI, the name in Kannada for Goddess Lakshmi and has been kept catchy and modern. Vijaya invested around 2.5 lakhs initially, had three options of energy bars and three of muesli, the fan favourites amongst her friends and family.
Her business has now grown to be a major success, having a 15-member team, a 5000 square feet production unit in Bengaluru and a growth of 370 percent in revenues.
What made this growth possible?
Vijaya was smart enough to decide and enroll in the Amazon Saheli programme and use the Amazon Marketplace to sell her products. This way she got Amazon’s backing, guidance, and mentorship to understand the consumer segment, packaging and marketing nuances for her business.
All thanks to Amazon marketplace
She did not have to negotiate or spend on shelf space or stocking, had her reach increased and also generated huge profits.
As a brand that started within four walls of her home, Vijaya never expected to see such success and growth. Infact, she appreciates her tie-up with Amazon, because it is only because this decision that she was able to procure revenue via which the investments for business expansions was possible.
The journey to the top
Plus, not only has she expanded her employee base and manufacturing space but has also increased her product variants to eight options of healthy bars, six options of muesli and a new healthy mix.
For Vijaya, the ride has been filled with good moments, especially once her husband decided to quit his full-time job and help her business out, showing the good work that she has done. However, she also understands that further efforts are required to increase her market share and make such a niche product more commonly liked. At the end of the day, it is the support of her family and the Amazon Saheli programme that she continues to count upon.
