Manna Foods
Natural Millet Based Health Foods.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
INR1.5b | Growth Equity VC | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Southern Health Foods Pvt. Ltd., operating under the brand name Manna Foods, is a health food company based in Chennai, India, focused on the production and distribution of millet-based and multi-grain products. The company was founded in 2000 by I.S.A.K. Nazar, who leveraged his background in the pharmaceutical industry to enter the health foods market. Starting his career as a medical representative, Nazar identified a growing consumer trend towards natural and traditional foods, leading him to establish the company with an initial investment of about one crore INR, funded through personal savings and loans.
The business model is centered on manufacturing and selling a wide range of branded health food products directly to consumers (B2C) through an extensive distribution network and online channels. Manna Foods generates revenue by selling its products through more than 67,250 retail outlets across 350 towns in India, supplemented by sales on major e-commerce platforms. The company targets health-conscious consumers of all ages, offering products that are natural and free from preservatives. Its distribution is particularly strong in South India, with expansion efforts in other regions like Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal.
The product portfolio is diverse, featuring over 60 items. The flagship product is the Manna Health Mix, a ready-to-cook mixture of cereals, millets, and pulses based on the traditional 'sathumaavu' recipe. Other significant offerings include ready-to-cook millet-based infant foods, breakfast cereals, instant drink mixes, soya nuggets, dried fruits, and products for diabetic-friendly diets. The company emphasizes the use of natural ingredients like home-grown grains and millets, positioning its products as affordable 'superfoods'. Since its inception, Manna has grown significantly, achieving a turnover of Rs 48 crore by 2016 and securing substantial funding for expansion, including a notable Rs 152 crore from Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia in 2018.
Keywords: health food, millet products, multi-grain foods, Indian FMCG, ready-to-cook meals, traditional recipes, natural ingredients, infant nutrition, breakfast cereals, diabetic-friendly foods, Chennai startup, I.S.A.K. Nazar, Southern Health Foods, sathumaavu, nutrition products, food manufacturing, consumer health, e-commerce food sales, retail food distribution, packaged foods