Healthy snacks and food are trending everywhere. This shift has created business opportunities for healthy snacks, oils, and edible products. The pandemic has further accelerated this consumer shift, which is on a growth trajectory. Categories like this depend heavily on transparency and quality. The global healthy snacks market was valued at $ 85.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 6.6% between 2022 and 2030, as per market research firm Statista. By 2030, the market is expected to reach $152.3 billion. During the pandemic, snacks emerged as one of the most dynamic categories in the consumer goods industry, with consumers expressing increased expectations regarding the nutritional value of their food during that period.
One brand in this segment is True Elements, which claims to deliver natural food products that cater to a growing health-conscious consumer base. The brand recently partnered with Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma. “The partnership started when we discovered that Rohit is a customer and believes in the brand. We were looking for someone who truly stands for what we represent. Transparency is key for us; we clearly communicate that our products contain no sugar and no shortcuts. Rohit embodies that honesty and straightforwardness, making him a great fit,” Puru Gupta, co-founder, True Elements, told BrandWagon Online.
Sharma will not only promote True Elements but also launch his line licensed with the brand, aligning with his goal of promoting health consciousness in India. As per the company, they are inspired by the Air Jordan model, where Jordan worked with Nike to build a licensed brand. True Elements positions itself as a premium grocery brand rather than a gourmet one. The company plans to launch products in the breakfast, snacks, and shakes categories, focusing on slightly premium grocery items like muesli and snacks.
Gupta noted that breakfast and shakes fall under their 8-11-5 category, targeting items consumed during those times. He explained, “If you add seeds to your trail mixes, it becomes a seed mix; if you just use peanuts, then it’s a regular snack.” The company offers products such as Hitman, Supersedes, and Sports Mix across these categories.
On the marketing front, True Elements identified two key opportunities before partnering with Sharma. Gupta stated, “We’re an omnichannel brand, with business mainly from e-commerce but also in general trade. We have around 12,000 stores today.” The brand sees Kerala and Northeast India as key areas for demand, utilising local celebrities for campaigns. Their marketing strategy is twofold, incorporating platform advertising to reach in-market users and in-store advertising, emphasising the need to be part of the grocery basket.
To differentiate itself from competitors, Gupta explained the challenge of a cluttered health market, stating that True Elements aims for higher brand salience. The brand’s distinctive feature is its black packaging, which is associated with premium quality. “We focus on retaining brand equity and avoiding a discount race, as our repeat rates are high,” he added.
Currently, True Elements operates independently of Marico’s distribution channels. Gupta explained their focus on building their own ecosystem and stated that they would evaluate integrating Marico’s channels in the future. He highlighted the importance of proof of concept with their existing 12,000 stores.
Regarding product recommendations, Gupta suggested trying the chocolate muesli, the hitman mix, and the dry fruit mix, noting that Rohit Sharma has tested these products and only recommends those he enjoys.
The brand’s target markets for expansion include Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi NCR, with Kolkata emerging as a surprising fourth market in terms of food consumption. Gupta emphasised True Elements’ strong presence in both tier 1 and tier 2 cities, with over 300 towns contributing to their business. He noted that quick commerce expansion is accelerating their growth.