On a bright Sunday morning, a family, seemingly resolute on charting a healthy course, walks into our store with an ambitious purchase-list.
Initially, the members show signs of being skeptical of what the store has on offer, given our relatively recent presence in the market. The elderly aren’t sure of the availability of the traditional items they’re looking for and the kids suggest they visit a swankier place that bears a fancier name! Somehow, we manage to get their attention and draw them into taking a look around the store and all that’s on the shelves.
After shopping for about 30 inquisitive minutes, they walk out of the gates all smiles. The elderly seem to have got their dietary needs addressed while the middle-aged look set to design new lifestyle plans with their just-owned products. The young ones, on the other hand, appear to be already jazzed up with their packs of herbal cosmetics, energy bars, and healthy snacks…
The sight of our customers walking out satisfied, with a completely checked off purchase-list, was certainly the best way to get our Sunday started. And it is scenes such as these that have filled our hearts with a sense of joy, pride, and accomplishment over the last year.
What’s on offer?
Sattva Naturals was established in 2018 and has made significant progress to currently stand as the city’s largest retailer of millets. The store, in a short span of time, has emerged as the preferred destination for fresh farm produce and organic products.
Located at one of the tranquil neighbourhoods in Visakhapatnam, Sattva Naturals has decked up its store with a myriad variety of products. From grains to cold-pressed oils, from herbal cosmetics to ready-to-cook tiffins, and from earthenware to medicinal plants, Sattva truly offers a wide range to choose from.
However, a look down the path travelled so far reminds us of the fact that it hasn’t been a bed of roses, right since the time when Sattva’s first seeds were sown…
Hailing from family, whose ancestral roots belong to agriculture, Lakshmi has always been emotionally attached to farming. Increased exposure to the agrarian crisis and the pathetic condition of farmers in the country, over a period of time, incited her endeavour to resurrect the scenario.
Determined to find a feasible solution to address the issue, the then 17-year-old had desired to create a business model that could facilitate an easier and more intuitive sale of farmer’s produce to the end customers. The scheme of giving the idea a shape though took a back seat for a brief while as the regime of her formal education demanded major attention.
In due course, after completing her education, Lakshmi got selected for Women Startup Programme (WSP) by Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bengaluru. Supported by the Department of Science and Technology, the programme brought together a select few women from all over the country and provided a platform to groom their business endeavours.
It was here that Lakshmi’s idea, of helping the farmers through her business model, had started to take shape. Meeting several industry experts and receiving able guidance from experienced professionals, the aspiring entrepreneur eventually chalked out a roadmap to implement her thoughts by establishing Sattva Naturals in October 2018.
The crux of Sattva’s business model involves creating a fair marketplace to sell the farmers’ produce directly to the customers. No middlemen. No commissions. And a just price for the farmers’ efforts.
To achieve the same, Lakshmi started reaching out to numerous farmers across the state and beyond. Touring extensively through different regions, she met several farmers and tried convincing them to try out her business model to reap benefits. However, persuading the cultivators was by no means an easy task. A number of fears, apprehensions, and stereotypes stood in her way as not many farmers were willing to get on board.
However, the woman persisted and managed to tie up with a handful of farmers, who would give their farm produce to Sattva for sale.
As days passed by, the results began to speak for themselves. Quicker clearance of stock and better returns on the farm’s produce encouraged more farmers to trust in Sattva’s business model.
As the store received a wider range of products, the customers too needed to be made aware of their respective utilities. Providing a detailed explanation of every product and answering each of the queries raised by the customers needed a special knowledge of the subject. The task again was no walk in the park, especially for Lakshmi, who comes with a background in Computer Science Engineering.
However, a keen interest in food science helped Lakshmi gain a deep understanding of the products she sells. From explaining the nuances that separate different types of millets to suggesting the ideal product to suit one’s health condition, Sattva’s lead woman has been wooing the customers day in and day out with her expertise in the subject. And the fact that the store has already established a large base of frequent visitors is a testimony to their faith in our products and the value they offer.
As Sattva marches ahead in its quest to offer a feasible solution to the farmer crisis, the road ahead looks to be an exciting one albeit a few inevitable hurdles.
While reaching out to a wider span of farmers continues to be a persistent issue, our networking and growth strategies stand firm to penetrate the business model further into the rural areas.
As they say, “If you eat today, thank the farmer”. And our effort in thanking the farmer still has a long way to go…
Know about sattvanaturals
