&ME

andMe, operating under its parent company Merhaki Foods and Nutrition, is a direct-to-consumer brand focused on the women's health and wellness sector in India. The company was founded in September 2017 by Ankur Goyal, a graduate of IIT Delhi and Stanford Business School. Goyal's background includes experience in the food industry with companies like Nestle and Hector Beverages (Paper Boat), which informed his venture into creating a specialized food brand. The inspiration for andMe stemmed from Goyal's observation of the widespread nutritional deficiencies among women in India, a realization that was personalized when his mother experienced health issues related to osteoporosis. This led him to identify a gap in the market for nutritional products specifically formulated for women's biological needs, as most existing products were designed with men in mind.

The business operates within the Femtech market, offering a portfolio of products designed to address various life stages and health concerns for women, from puberty to menopause. Its product line is a fusion of Ayurvedic herbs and modern science, developed after extensive research with gynecologists and nutritionists. The offerings include bioactive lifestyle beverages, teas, fortified chocolates, and powders aimed at managing conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), and supporting general beauty, fitness, and hormonal health. The company's business model is direct-to-consumer, selling its products through its own website and major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and BigBasket, as well as in physical retail stores. A significant portion of its sales, around 70%, comes from outside the top five metropolitan cities, indicating a broad demand across tier 2 and tier 3 towns.

In October 2021, andMe was acquired by GlobalBees, a direct-to-consumer brand aggregator. The acquisition marked GlobalBees' entry into the growing Femtech sector. As part of the deal, founder Ankur Goyal and the andMe team joined GlobalBees to continue developing the product portfolio and expand its reach to women in India and globally. Prior to the acquisition, the company had secured funding from investors including Matrix Partners India and Sauce.vc. Since its inception, the brand has served over 200,000 women and has developed more than 20 distinct products.

Keywords: women's health, nutritional products, direct-to-consumer, Femtech, Ayurveda, PCOS management, hormonal health, bioactive beverages, food and beverage, e-commerce