The name Kapiva comes from the three doshas of Ayurveda – Kapha, Pitta, Vata -which, when balanced, means holistic health for an individual. Kapiva’s endeavour is also to create balance into consumer lives through great products.
A nutrition brand focused on bringing selectively sourced, Ayurveda-inspired, natural foods to modern-day consumers, Kapiva was founded in January 2016 by Ameve Sharma and Shrey Badhani. Backed by the iconic Baidyanath group, Kapiva combines Ayurveda with latest technology to create a quality product range that is both convenient and healthy.
The brand has a portfolio of 40-plus Ayurvedic food products. The main product lines at Kapiva include Ayurvedic Nutrition (e.g. herbal juices), Functional Nutrition (e.g. ayurvedic gummies, nutrition powders), and Everyday Nutrition (e.g. A2 ghee, virgin coconut oil). All of these products address various lifestyle problems faced by the modern Indian consumer such as immunity, skin & hair health, weight management, digestion or even chronic issues like diabetes or hypertension.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the brand, Ameve says, “Changes in the health needs of the global population has changed the world of Ayurveda. Earlier, it was seen as a curative solution but in reality, Ayurveda is more about keeping the body in balance. It is everything from a proper lifestyle to an appropriate routine, the right food and ultimately, the perfect remedy, too. The name Kapiva comes from the three doshas of Ayurveda – Kapha, Pitta, Vata -which, when balanced, means holistic health for an individual. Kapiva’s endeavour is also to create balance into consumer lives through great products.”
The sourcing story
There is a unique sourcing and manufacturing story for each of Kapiva’s products. For example, for the Amla juice, the amlas are sourced when it is fresh and ripe-yellow, instead of raw-green (which has less nutritional value). It is cold-pressed to ensure that nutrients are retained (heat causes the nutrients to be destroyed). These efforts lead to Kapiva Wild Amla Juice having more Vitamin C than other brands. Other Kapiva products also have similar stories. Take, for instance, the Kapiva Thar Aloe Vera juice, where the time taken from leaf harvesting to juicing is just 4 hours because the nutritional profile of aloe vera reduces with time after harvesting.
Shrey explains, “There are several other factors which contribute to the excellent quality. Kapiva manufactures small batches. The benefit of this is two-fold-smaller batches allow for more effective quality control. This strategy also allows for sustainable sourcing and manufacturing. For example, while procuring wild honey from dense forests, only up to 30% of the honeycomb is taken at a time. This ensures that that the bee-hive can easily grow back to its original size, with no permanent impact. Finally, a sample from every batch of products is tested to ensure that the product features are in line with the expected quality.”
For modern-day Indians with developed outlooks, food is no longer just for satiating hunger. It is an opportunity to enhance their wellness. This has set the trend of functional foods for wellness to become a potent growth driver for the US$ 4.2 trillion global wellness market.
Ameve adds, “To ensure healthier digestive systems, bones, muscles, eyes and more, Indians are now counting on these functional foods which have the goodness of the Ayurvedic ingredients that have been a part of the Indian legacy for years untold, like garcinia, tulsi, giloy, ashwagandha, etc. At Kapiva, we have made these herbs accessible and a joy to consume, keeping the millennials in hindsight. For example, we have apple cider vinegar in a yummy gummy format, which is as tasty as it is healthy. Burgers and fries are now being junked for vegan protein powders, dietary fibres, nutrient fortified cold-pressed juices, etc. “
India, with a 26% vegetarian population, is deemed to represent the world’s largest vegetable-eating consumer group. The eating habits of Indians have witnessed a sea-change in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. “There is a rising concern over building stronger immunity to combat the ill-effects of the virus. People are now open to consuming supplements for general wellness rather than seeking medicinal solutions to illnesses. The Indian Government has also been promoting plant-based food options and the power of Ayurveda by setting up the AYUSH Ministry and releasing timely guidelines for consumers. Plant-based nutrition is one of the major changes we face today, and that is the new normal. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates the global plant-based and herbal products market to reach a jaw-dropping $13 trillion by 2025,” informs Shrey.
Distribution channels
In line with most new-age businesses, Kapiva follows an omni-channel model of FMCG sales. Digital sales is one of the key channels, with the company having presence across the top online marketplaces including Amazon, Big Basket, Flipkart, PharmEasy, etc. to name a few. Kapiva also has its website as a channel for sales (direct-to-consumer business model) which has grown over 20x in a year. The products are also available across 6000+ General Trade and Modern Trade outlets (Godrej Nature’s Basket, Reliance Retail, etc.) in the top cities of India. Ameve says, “Kapiva has enjoyed a natural product-market fit, especially leading in certain categories such as Herbal Juices. The current strategy is to expand the footprint across channels through marketing and new product development, both of which are being undertaken with a keen eye on consumer preferences. Customer focus determines the way forward for Kapiva.”
In a brief span of fewer than three years, Kapiva has become India’s fastest-growing Ayurvedic food start-up, going from 0 to Rs 50 crore in annual revenue run rate; having scaled rapidly with over 3x increase in monthly revenue from March 2019 to March 2020. Since its launch, Kapiva is proud to have served more than a million customers and is seeing good traction in both Indian and international markets.
All this growth has fructified while building a sustainable long-term business. Given the strong growth trajectory since its inception, the company is all set to deliver profitability in the next 2 years and cross Rs 300 crore in revenue by 2025.
Future roadmap
Kapiva’s key market lies in India, with a wide reach. However, the developing economic conditions of various nations are escalating the demand for Ayurvedic products globally. Kapiva is available in the USA and planning to expand to Canada and European markets in the coming months. Kapiva works with importers in overseas markets to distribute products in offline stores. Shrey affirms, “The response of other countries has been very encouraging. Awareness about alternate ways of leading a balanced lifestyle is exploding and Ayurveda/Indian traditional foods have been featuring more in overseas media and stores, especially the United States. Products like Ghee or those made with Indian herbs are gaining popularity. Kapiva products can be found in most ethnic stores, and the process of nationwide distribution is ongoing.”
To enable continued rapid growth, Kapiva is focussing on certain key strategies like innovation through new product development. The range of immunity products is expected to expand soon, followed by products such as Ayurvedic breakfast and Ayurvedic effervescent drinks, which will cater to customers’ taste preferences, while being healthy.
Ameve reveals, “We are also planning on expanding the distribution network offline and scaling up the direct-to-consumer channel. Kapiva is present in 6,000+ general trade outlets across 12 cities. The company will expand its footprint to 10,000+ outlets and cover more cities by the end of this financial year. The direct-to-consumer channel has had a great growth story too – it grew about 20x in revenue in less than a year. This strategic channel is expected to grow another 5x this year.”
Shrey adds that building brand communication to share Kapiva’s story of modern Ayurvedic nutrition is also one of the major focus areas for the next financial year.
Kapiva had raised Series A funding of close to US$ 2.5 million in early 2019 led by Fireside Ventures with participation from Mohandas Pai’s Family Office, Madhu Kela, and GITS Foods. The company had also raised Rs 4.5 crore in Angel funding and Rs 13.5 crore in a bridge round.
