True Elements

True Elements, operating under its parent company HW Wellness Solutions Private Limited, is a prominent player in India's healthy food sector. The company was founded in Pune in 2013 by brothers-in-law Puru Gupta, who serves as CEO, and Sreejith Moolayil, the COO. Their journey began after personal family health challenges highlighted the importance of preventative healthcare, leading them to first establish 'Healthy World', an aggregator for healthy food brands. Frustrated by building brand equity for others, they pivoted to create their own private label, which evolved into True Elements.

The founders brought complementary expertise to the venture; Gupta leveraged his background from Procter & Gamble for distribution, while Moolayil applied his HR experience from Cognizant to forge corporate partnerships. The business manufactures and markets a wide array of health foods, positioning itself as a digital-first, clean-label brand that provides whole-food, plant-based options. Its core business model revolves around producing breakfast and snack items that are free from preservatives, chemicals, and added sugars. The product portfolio is extensive, featuring over 70 items across more than 13 categories. These include Western breakfast choices like oats, muesli, and granola, Indian staples such as poha and upma, and a variety of snacks including roasted seeds, seed mixes, and trail mixes.

True Elements operates on an omnichannel sales strategy, generating the majority of its business through online marketplaces while also maintaining a significant physical retail presence. The products are available on over 90 online platforms and in more than 12,000 retail outlets across India. A significant milestone occurred in May 2022 when FMCG major Marico Limited acquired a 54% majority stake in the company. This strategic partnership was designed to expand True Elements' offline footprint by leveraging Marico's extensive distribution network, while allowing the existing leadership team to continue managing the brand independently. Prior to the acquisition, the company had raised $3.38 million over several funding rounds from investors including SIDBI Venture Capital and the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group.

Keywords: healthy snacks, breakfast cereal, clean label food, whole grains, plant-based diet, D2C food brand, omnichannel retail, ready-to-eat breakfast, health food products, muesli, granola, oats, roasted seeds, seed mixes, Indian breakfast, preventative healthcare, FMCG, food manufacturing, Pune startup, Marico, Puru Gupta, Sreejith Moolayil, healthy eating, natural ingredients, no added sugar.