Rajasthan Entrepreneur Drops Out of US Studies and Build ₹2.6 Crore Turnover Healthy Oil & Spice Brand with His Health-Conscious Cousin

Imagine walking into a grocery store and picking up a bottle of edible oil. How often do we stop to question whether it's truly healthy? Is it as pure as it appears, or could it be harming us instead? What if the very products marketed as 'healthy' are, in reality, poisoning us?

This was the concern of two Rajasthan-based cousins, Kabir Sihag and Chetan Sihag, who refused to accept this broken food system.

When Kabir left India for the U.S. to study physics, he was struck by the difference in food quality. 

"Over there (U.S.), organic food was the norm. Here (India), you have to search for it, and even then, you don’t know if it’s truly pure," recalled Kabir, co-founder of Vedika Organics, in an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia.

Back home, his cousin Chetan was already very careful about the quality and hygiene of his food. He would travel 100 kilometers once or twice a month just to get fresh and pure oil extracted from a trusted source.

In 2017, they both realized that if they had to go to such great lengths for pure food, millions of others must be facing the same struggle.

Moreover, the Rajasthan-based entrepreneurs had seen a few relatives succumb to diseases such as cancer and diabetes— lifestyle-related illnesses.

That’s when the idea of Vedika Organics was born, with the aim of providing healthy oil and spices to consumers.

In 2019, Kabir left his Masters in the U.S., which he had secured through a scholarship, and returned to India to launch Vedika Organics with his health-conscious cousin, Chetan.

Also Read: Entrepreneur trio triples sheep herders’ incomes by reviving desi wool market for construction industry. Eyes 1 CR revenue.

The Fight Against Adulteration

"We wanted to create a brand where people could close their eyes and trust what they’re buying," said the co-founder during the interview with Startup Pedia.

But this was easier said than done. The food industry is riddled with shortcuts and harmful practices. Oils are extracted using high heat, often reaching 200 degrees Celsius, which destroys their natural nutrients.

Worse, chemicals like hexane—normally used in industrial cleaning—are used to extract more oil from seeds.

The Rajasthan-based healthy oil and spices brand Vedika Organics adopted a traditional wooden churner method, ensuring the oil is extracted below 50 degrees Celsius. 

"This process retains essential fatty acids like Omega-3, which most oils lack today," explained the Rajasthan-based entrepreneur. 

To put things in perspective, their mustard oil contains 17.3 grams of Omega-3 per 100 grams—nearly twice the amount offered by leading brands.

"You’ve seen 'Kacchi Ghani' written on oil bottles, right? It means the oil wasn’t heated during extraction but was cold-pressed. But here’s the catch—many big brands have trademarked the term rather than following the actual process. If you check the ingredients on most of those bottles, you’ll find they contain trans fats," explained the co-founder of Vedika Organics.

Trans fats are produced when oil is heated beyond 200°C, altering it at a molecular level. And that’s bad. These fats clog arteries, increase bad cholesterol, and are a major cause of heart disease. The worst part? They’re banned in many countries, but in India, they’re still present in most of the oils people use daily.

Also Read: Meet Husband-Wife Duo Who Quit Textile Scientist Jobs in the US to Launch a 100% Plant-Based Luxury Fashion Brand in India

Vedika Organics: A Journey from Seed to Bottle

The Rajasthan-based healthy oil and spices brand sources seeds and other ingredients directly from 3,000 farmers across 25+ villages in Rajasthan. By paying the farmers more, the Rajasthan-based entrepreneurs ensure that raw materials for oils and spices are grown healthily and organically. From the moment seeds are harvested, they go through rigorous testing by Vedika Organics. 

The Rajasthan-based entrepreneur continued explaining during the Startup Pedia interview, “We use both non-GMO and GMO mustard seeds, but we’re constantly testing for the best nutritional value."

After harvesting, the seeds go through a grading station, where impurities like dust and leaves are removed. The brand uses a wooden press churner, which gently extracts the oil at a much lower temperature, never exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.

This ensures that the oil remains pure and untainted by harmful chemicals. It’s a slow, natural process, drop by drop. Finally, the oil is packaged in glass bottles instead of plastic to prevent contamination.

Also Read: Hyderabad-based Startup Fracspace Launches Business Boutique Hotels Under Fractional Ownership

Vedika Organics' Products and Pricing

The Rajasthan-based healthy oil and spices brand offers about 25 SKUs, including:

• Groundnut Wood Pressed Oil
• Mustard Wood Pressed Oil
• Virgin Coconut Oil
• Wood Pressed Sesame Oil
• Wood Pressed Almond Oil
• Wood Pressed Yellow Mustard Oil
• Cold Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil and many more.

Since the brand ensures that its oils are healthy and nutritious, the oil extraction process is slow. Hence, Vedika Organics' oils are priced higher than regular edible oils available in the market, typically 30-40% more.

"We could bring down the cost of our oils when we increase production, but without compromising the core values and ethics of Vedika Organics," said the co-founder of the Rajasthan-based oil and spice brand.

Sales and Revenue Growth:

The Rajasthan-based healthy oil and spices brand focused less on marketing and more on the purity of its products. As a result, word spread gradually through word-of-mouth.

So far, the brand has built a customer base of over 15,000 across India, as well as internationally in the Netherlands, Canada, the U.S., and Australia.

Vedika Organics operates 99% online and direct-to-consumer, with some international supermarkets now stocking their products.

"We didn’t approach these markets. Indians living abroad reached out to us, asking us to send our oils. That’s when we knew we were onto something big. Some supermarkets in these countries have started putting our oils on their shelves," said the co-founder while talking to the journalist from Startup Pedia.

The retention rate of Vedika Organics is 70%, one of the highest in the industry.

The Rajasthan-based entrepreneur duo invested ₹70 lakh to set up a manufacturing unit and conduct research and development.

Vedika Organics has grown steadily and now generates ₹2.16 crore annually, with a monthly revenue of around ₹18 lakh. "We are targeting ₹8+ crore in the next financial year, 2025-26, with a plan to increase international sales," added the co-founder.

More Than Just Oils: Spices for a Bigger Impact

While oils remain their flagship product, Vedika Organics has expanded into spices, maintaining the same rigorous standards as their oils.

"We source directly from farmers in regions known for their purity—like Lakadong in Meghalaya for turmeric, Salem for black pepper, and Jalore for cumin," said the Rajasthan-based entrepreneur.

For instance, their turmeric contains up to 9% curcumin, the active medicinal compound, while most turmeric on the market contains just 1-2% curcumin.

"We started with wood-pressed oils to replace refined oil—the most processed ingredient in our kitchens. Then, we expanded into spices. More products will follow. This is a war against adulterated food products," concluded Kabir, the co-founder of Vedika Organics.

Also Read: Quit High-paying Job to Care for Cancer-stricken Parents, This Mumbai Couple Built a ₹8 Lakh/Month Sustainable Beauty & Wellness Luxe Brand