India Hemp And Co. Hemp
Shalini Bhattacharya was crippled by chronic back pain in 2017 when she was working in Spain. Round after round of MRIs and different painkiller regimens failed to bring her any long-term relief, and she found herself forced to slow down.
A problem-solver, Shalini researched various alternative pain management therapies, and that’s when she stumbled upon CBD (cannabidiol) — a compound found in the cannabis plant — and life, as they say, changed for the better.
CBD is the better-behaved cousin of THC, the psychoactive compound found in marijuana responsible for the ‘high.’ Used in as many as 191 formulations in Ayurveda, the Vedic-age herb is known to cure a variety of ailments such as pain, muscle spasms, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Recently, CBD has been showing up in cancer treatments to alleviate nausea and pain associated with chemotherapy and radiation, as well as provide relief in people with advanced arthritis and chronic pain.
Shalini began reading about other plant uses after finding a natural, harmless way to manage her pain. She realised that she had seen it grow freely in the Himalayas and found that the locals use it widely as part of their daily meals and make chutneys and pickles.
Having grown up in a home nestled in nature and a childhood that was spent trying to spot elusive wildlife, Shalini, and her sister Jayanti Bhattacharya, decided to entrench themselves in the world and the wonders of hemp — a superhero plant if there ever was one.
The duo set up India Hemp & Co. in 2019 to bring hemp products from the foothills of the Himalayas to the rest of the country. With a laser-sharp focus on sustainability from sourcing to packaging, the startup sells four simple, clean products on its website: hemp hearts, protein powder, seed trail mix, and hemp oil.
The duo set up India Hemp & Co. in 2019 to bring hemp products from the foothills of the Himalayas to the rest of the country. With a laser-sharp focus on sustainability from sourcing to packaging, the startup sells four simple, clean products on its website: hemp hearts, protein powder, seed trail mix, and hemp oil.
Ratan Tata-backed BOHECO is undertaking cannabis research for medical and industrial use.
It also retails in six online stores and 14 physical stores, including Organic World and Go Native. In fact, it is inactively discussing with Big Basket to stock its products on the platform.
(The world we come from is one) where we don’t just coexist peacefully but also respect that we are intrinsically connected to the natural ecosystem. Now is our time to redesign our relationship with nature and our lifestyles to live more sustainably with the planet’s limited resources. Our role as a business is to help inspire those changes,” Shalini tells YourStory.
The startup also sells to several cafes, restaurants, and independent food brands that are experimenting with healthier menus and products.
The Genesis
After completing her Master’s in Advertising and Marketing from the University of Leeds, Jayanti started working with Ogilvy and Mather and then went on to work with and run several food and beverage-related businesses in Bengaluru.
On the other hand, Shalini started her career as an operational consultant at KPMG and moved to Barcelona, Spain, to pursue an MBA.
Sustainable micro nutrition was a logical step for both of them, given their love for nature and its bounty.
We’re working towards building a more sustainable future where all food and drink are sustainable. We’re driving that change by using hemp as our vehicle,” Jayanti says.
Hemp is among a handful of plants on earth that benefit its consumers and ecosystem. Classified as a ‘superfood,’ hemp helps protect the heart, brain, and skin.
Its carbon-negative nature absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it takes to grow – one tonne of hemp absorbs over 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The crop also requires nearly 40 per cent less water than cotton; unlike cotton, all plant parts are usable. Its nutrient-dense seeds can be consumed directly or made into oil, and the plant fibre can be used to make paper, cloth, animal food, bedding, and more.
In 2019, the sisters started the venture by using personal wealth and raising funds from family members. It is now exploring opportunities with potential investors. Jayanti says finding the right investor fit is essential for the startup.
Benefits of Hemp
Why India Hemp & Co Works
Quality products and a customer-centric approach are some of the many things that have immensely helped India Hemp & Co, especially in building trust with ‘hemp-skeptic’ buyers. Through continuous research and community education on the benefits of hemp, the startup has been able to cater to users’ needs.
To those looking for sustainable lifestyle brands, India Hemp & Co is a spot of sunlight in a plastic-filled darkness. Everything from the food-grade tin it uses to the craft paper that covers the canister is reusable and plastic-free.
The startup has received considerable acclaim for its visual storytelling and information dissemination on its Instagram handle, which has quickly become a repository of must-know facts and uses of hemp.
We use science and research to build a case for hemp; thankfully, that’s readily available. We’re having a continuous conversation with our community. We’re constantly adapting our communication to the pulse of the community, and we use visual storytelling and science-backed research to address questions,” Shalini quips.
It is researching and studying other hemp products that can benefit Indian and international markets. CBD-related products are on the co-founders’ radars, but regulatory processes are ill-defined and cumbersome to navigate since the market is still embryonic in India.
The startup rakes in most of its revenue through online sales. Its biggest markets include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Pune. It also services several lower-tier cities and seeks to expand to international markets.
Building a ‘Hempire’ in the time
The startup’s sales and operations took a beating during the nationwide lockdown at the end of March. Many of the events the startup was part of were cancelled and its supply chain was briefly disrupted.
But that didn’t perturb Shalini and Jayanti.
“We took it (the lockdown) as an opportunity to build a stronger connection. We’ve had some fascinating discussions with nutritionists, environmentalists, and industry experts, and we realised that we are the generation that needs to take responsibility for the world we live in today, our home. It has helped solidify our purpose and why we started India Hemp & Co,” Jayanti says.
It is looking to hire and collaborate with people who lost their jobs during the lockdown.
Next for India Hemp & Co
The global hemp market was worth $4.71 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.8 per cent by 2027.
Having grown 2.5x in the lockdown (April-June) quarter and seeing increased B2B demand, India Hemp & Co is in a prime position to capture some of that market share, especially in India, where it is among a handful of first movers in the hemp space.
Its main competitors include other protein powder brands, such as Whey Protein and My Protein, and other superfood seed brands.
The startup said it also sees increased demand coming from the change in perception about weight loss, where the conversation is shifting more towards sustainable health management through micro-nutrient-rich foods and clean eating.
