Start-up Stars: The inspiring journey of Dr Archana Gupta and her Purna Gummies

Adgully has been turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series – START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the ‘Vocal for Local’ movement and have been featuring numerous local/ homegrown businesses, brands, and Apps in the country launched in the last few years.

Purna Gummies is the only vertically integrated brand in India’s nutraceutical gummies market. Founded in 2021 by Dr Archana Gupta, a retired gynaecologist, and her family, Purna Gummies has rapidly become a household name in Delhi and beyond. Their mission is simple yet powerful: to make healthcare accessible, enjoyable, and adorable through their delicious jelly-shaped bear candies infused with essential vitamins, herbs, and minerals.

In an interaction with Adgully, Dr Archana Gupta, Founder, Purna Gummies, talks about how the company is acquiring the target market along with the inspirational journey of Purna Gummies, ambitious plans to grow 15x by March 2024, besides embarking on a significant venture into the world of exports, and more.

What inspired the founding of your startup, and what problem did you set out to solve?

The inspiration behind starting Purna Gummies was my passion for healthcare and wellness. After serving as a gynaecologist in the government sector for over 35 years, I began to envision a way to make healthcare not only more accessible but also enjoyable for everyone. I wanted to offer an attractive and great-tasting package of essential vitamins and minerals at an affordable price. I plan to spread gummy consumption as a standard format of healthcare, replacing the habit of popping pills. I believe that by making essential nutrients readily available in the form of these delightful gummies, we can revolutionize the way people approach their well-being and encourage a healthier lifestyle.

Could you provide an overview of your product/service and its unique features or benefits?

After practicing as a gynaecologist for more than three decades. I couldn’t ignore the challenges my patients faced with traditional supplements. Many found the supplements unappealing and eventually stopped using them, leading to prolonged deficiencies. This realization gave birth to our clear mission: to create supplements that are not only highly effective, but also a pleasure to consume. We aim to help make everyone feel ‘Purna’ or complete in their journey towards better health and well-being.

We offer a comprehensive range of nutritional products that combine essential vitamins and herbs, cleverly presented in adorable bear-shaped jelly format. What sets us apart is our commitment to catering to diverse dietary needs, as we provide nearly all our product variants in sugar-free formulations. Our production facility proudly holds multiple certifications, including US FDA, FSSAI, GMP, ISO, HACCP, Organic, Gluten-free, Vegan, non-GMO, Halal, and Kosher certifications. These credentials reflect our dedication to manufacturing world-class products in every single production batch. To ensure the utmost quality and safety, all of our products are tested at third-party NABL-accredited labs in addition to our in-house testing facilities.

How does your startup differentiate itself from competitors in the market?

Tight control on costs and vertical integration permits us to launch the best products in the market at 20% of the price points of our competitors. For example, if our competitors sell at Rs 500-Rs 700, we try to sell at Rs 100-Rs 200, and hence we move volume.

There are a few USPs of our new manufacturing technology which set us apart:

• Our new technology of oil coating the gummies gives the product a smooth texture, without any rough coating of starch, sugar, or sour acid.
• The gummies are manufactured using the Delayed Heating Method which ensures that the gummies have uniform moisture chewiness and softness throughout.
• Our core competency is taste and presentation. We're able to achieve bright lively colours and gummies without any bitterness.
• Our price points are the most attractive across the entire segment.

What milestones has your company achieved so far, and what are your future growth plans?

A significant part of our brand’s success is highly dedicated to our loyal customers. They play a crucial role by providing valuable feedback, which in turn, helps shape the brand’s product launches. Despite the complexities of managing loans and resources, Purna managed to secure and repay bank loans rapidly while keeping a consistent focus on optimizing profits.

Our ambition is to grow 15x by March 2024, and we also have further plans to grow 5-7x in FY2025. As part of this expansion, we are also embarking on a significant venture into the world of exports.

Additionally, we aim to transform the way people think about healthcare by making gummy consumption a standard format, thereby replacing the traditional habit of taking pills.

How has the startup evolved since its inception, and what challenges have you overcome along the way?

We’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in the business. After successfully navigating the tumultuous landscape of the Covid pandemic, we initially relied on third-party manufacturers for our products. But sadly this led to delay in deliveries and created hindrance to our growth. As our brand's popularity surged, we recognized the need for more control over our production process. This realization led us to establish our very own manufacturing facility. But this too came with its own set of hurdles, we faced numerous issues with faulty machinery. This led to my husband’s involvement as a co-founder who dedicated two months to rectifying and retrofitting the equipment, ensuring our production was back on track.

Another bottleneck we faced was in the packaging process and to overcome that my husband custom-designed a packaging machine which became operational by the end of August 2023. Our commitment to growth and profitability remains unwavering. We continue to optimize various aspects of our business daily, enabling us to sustain our profitable expansion.

How does your startup contribute to the industry or community you operate in?

We consider ourselves responsible for leading the Nutra gummies category in India. The market is still at a nascent stage, and we feel we’re at the forefront and are constantly creating new products and innovating to introduce new variants with active ingredients.

What problem does your startup solve?

Amidst the fast-paced lives and ever-increasing demands of our modern world, we observed a rising and concerning trend – a pervasive yet silent struggle with nutritional deficiencies. Symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, and sleep disturbances have become increasingly prevalent, impacting the well-being of countless individuals.

How much funding has the company raised, and from which investors?

The brand and company are completely bootstrapped. We have relied on our own resources and determination to build and grow. In our earlier stages, we were supported by bank loans, which have since been successfully repaid. In a unique sense, you could say that institutions like SBI and HDFC have been integral partners in our journey.

Who are your target customers, and how are you acquiring them?

Millennial females, between the age of 16 and 40 years are our target customers. Our primary acquisition is happening via word-of-mouth right now. Consumers are loving the products and are telling more people about them.

What are the major challenges the company faces currently?

Production and Quality Control stand as two of our most significant challenges. Consistently crafting exceptional products every day is no small feat, particularly when the product is at the core of our company’s mission and identity.

What is the background and expertise of the founding team?

I have been a medical doctor, and a gynaecologist, in the government sector for over 35 years. Rakesh Gupta, my husband, is an electrical engineer from IIT Roorkee and has 35+ years of experience. As co-founder, he helps with all the machinery setup and factory expansion. My son is a Chemical Engineer from IIT Bombay and he manages the formulations and quality control.

What is the company’s growth plan and vision for the future?

The company aims to become among the largest nutraceutical companies in the country by 2027. We’re looking to grow 15x by March 2024, and we plan to grow another 5-7x in FY2025. We’re looking to start exports in a major way, and also plan to spread gummy consumption as a standard format of healthcare, replacing the habit of popping pills.

How does the company measure success, and what are its key performance indicators (KPIs)?

We closely monitor a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) to gauge our progress. These include the steady growth of our customer base month by month, the introduction of innovative and novel product formats, enhanced distribution strategies, and increased customer reach. Additionally, we diligently track our market share across various customer platforms. Our strategy here is twofold: first, we aim to secure a leading position, and then we strive to progressively expand and strengthen our market share over time.

What are the exit strategies for investors?

Purna Gummies is a bootstrapped enterprise and we currently plan to keep it that way. We’re looking to expand first with whatever means we can, but we might seek equity investment later on in our lifecycle.