Revant Himatsingka, aka Food Pharmer, known for calling out misleading food labels, is stepping into the food startup space with a clean-label brand, OWN.
Food Pharmer comes with clean-label brand
After earning the trust of millions of health-conscious Indians, Revant Himatsingka is launching a startup trusting his immense follower base on social media, who made him famous.
The influencer is introducing the Food Pharmer 2.0 to launch a range of clean-label foods under his name, which he once wished brands would make.
With a strong follower base of 2.8 million on Instagram, Himatsingka is also coming up with what he calls `Food Pharmer Approved.’
“One of the biggest concerns my followers point out is that my content is more problem-focused. Nine out of my 10 videos will probably say that a particular product has a problem or it is being advertised incorrectly. I want to go from being problem-oriented to solution-oriented, giving more alternatives to people, telling what they can potentially eat,” Himatsingka told Moneycontrol.
What is 'Food Pharmer Approved'?
“I will approve brands which I think are authentic. This can potentially expand beyond packaged foods, like approving a healthy restaurant. 'Food Pharmer Approved’ will be like a symbol or a certification.”
While the popular social media influencer wished to go for lab-tested certification, he has decided to roll out without it due to the high cost involved.
“I have delayed it a lot. The idea was to make it extensively lab tested. But lab testing is very costly, time consuming, and needs a full-fledged team. For now, I'm thinking of rolling out without lab testing. where I'm just informing people of the clean brands by looking at the ingredients. Most companies won’t even pass through the first filter of clean ingredients to move to the second filter of lab testing to find out if the claims made by companies are true or not,” he added.
The influencer plans to give a disclaimer about the reviewed products not being lab tested.
More details revealed about OWN brand
Himatsingka claimed to be co-creating India's cleanest product along with his followers. After taking suggestions on social media, the influencer-turned-entrepreneur's first product is whey protein.
“I have partnered with an operator who runs a manufacturing facility in Tirupati. They are putting in some money which should be sufficient at least for the first six months and then, depending on how it goes, we will look into raising funds,” he added.
Himatsingka pointed out that it was his followers who decided what product he should launch, and now they are also suggesting the ingredients.
The whey protein will be launched under the brand name Only What’s Needed --- OWN. The brand name, too, is people-approved, the influencer said, after his followers turned down his first suggestion — Take Charge.
“Most companies put unnecessary ingredients that are often harmful. We are going to put only what's needed. So, you are owning your own health because you are voting for it and it's your own product.”
He hopes to schedule a soft launch of his brand and the product in June and a proper launch in July.
The products would be available online on his website and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, etc.
Himatsingka also mentioned that his brand will not be cheap because of the quality ingredients that will be used. However, he will cut down the marketing expense as most Indian customers are price-sensitive.
Also read: ‘Zerodha has not given up its aspiration to acquire banking licence’: CEO Nithin Kamath (startuppedia.in)
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