Rajasthan Man Makes India’s First Preservative-free Chyawanprash; Clocks Rs 2 Lakhs Sales Daily

Chyawanprash is widely consumed in India as a herbal and dietary supplement. 

Even though it is associated with something that should be consumed primarily during winter, a Rajasthan-based Ayurveda brand is slowly and steadily changing that perception.

Shrawan Daga founded Krishna’s Herbal & Ayurveda in 2007 when he was only 22 years of age, fresh out of college with a BCom degree.

Putting together an investment of Rs 15,000, he innovated and sold a wide range of Ayurvedic products. 

Fast-forward to FY24, and the Ayurveda brand has become a household name that generated a revenue of Rs 100 crore, with an annual run rate projected to reach Rs 140 crore in FY25.

INDIA’S FIRST PRESERVATIVE-FREE CHYAWANPRASH

Apart from various other wellness products rooted in the ancient wisdom and science of Ayurveda, the brand’s Chyawanprash has a special place.

In an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia, founder Shrawan Daga says, “Traditionally, chyawanprash was always made absolutely devoid of any preservatives. But when the market size for the product grew, numerous companies started producing chyawanprash on a scale and made use of preservatives to increase shelf life.”

 At Krishna’s Ayurveda & Herbal, Shrawan and his team took this as a challenge and innovated India’s first authentic chyawanprash that is 100% preservative-free with no added extract.

Below are the key points that distinguish the brand’s chyawanprash from others in the market:

1. It is made using the classical formulations given in the Ayurvedic texts of Rastantra Saar. Zero preservatives are used in the process.

2. The production process is not automated. The chyawanprash is cooked slowly in an iron pan—just how it is supposed to be traditionally. This enables the goodness of iron to blend with Amla and enter the final product.

3. Original and pure vanshlochan is used, nothing adulterated or of second-grade quality.

4. It is made with cold-pressed til oil, fresh Amla, and 45+ essential herbs and minerals. 

5. Comes in a safe glass bottle ensuring no chemicals seep into the product or cause any odour.

Shrawan says, “Since we follow the exact way Ayurvedic texts direct the preparation of chyawanprash, we often end up discarding a lot of product that gets wasted. I am okay with it but won’t ever automate the production at all.”

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A 500-gram bottle of the brand’s chyawanprash is priced at Rs 490, and a 1000-gram bottle comes for Rs 950.

WHY THE PRESERVATIVE-FREE APPROACH?

At Krishna’s Ayurveda & Herbal, Sharwan Daga’s singular mission has been to offer customers Ayurvedic products that do justice to their roots and sources.

“It has been two years since we’ve been making chyawanprash. We were clear from the beginning that we wouldn’t follow the preservative way of making the product. That would just make us like anyone else in the market. Our brand name has become synonymous with authenticity—and we didn’t want chyawanprash to be an exception”, said the Rajasthan based entrepreneur.

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An article from WebMD highlights the harmful effects of mixing sodium benzoate (a popular preservative) with Vitamin C. The result becomes almost cancerous in nature. Numerous brands selling Chyawanprash use preservatives like sodium benzoate and ingredients like Amla that are rich in Vitamin C. Shrawan says, “Imagine the long-term risk associated with consuming those products!”

SUSTAINED GROWTH 

Even though Krishna’s Ayurveda & Herbal’s Chyawanprash sells at almost double the rate of other popular brands, it has regularly been selling out. The brand clocks Rs 1.5 lakhs to Rs 2 lakhs of sales almost every day selling its preservative-free chyawanprash.

Just last year, in 2023, the brand clocked a revenue of Rs 1.5 crore in just two months—solely by selling the preservative-free chyawanprash.

Shrawan Daga wants to make the chyawanprash an all-season product fit for consumption by children and adults alike.

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