Founder Spotlight: Priya Singhal (WeMixx)
Meet Priya Singhal:
We create plant blends for every meal type that are ethically sourced and rich in authentic South Asian flavors. WeMixx it, you cook it!
Startup Stage:
Bootstrapped and recently received a USDA grant
Location:
New York, USA
When did you launch the business?
2020
What led you to where you are today?
Two big reasons that drove the culturally rooted foodie in me to launch WeMixx: -Scarcity of tasty (not bland), nutritious (high in veg protein, fiber), and preservatives free (no refined sugar, additives of any kind) premixes in the mainstream grocery aisles that cater to diverse shoppers and dietary needs. -Limitation of ethnic food to high-density Asian neighborhoods or certain aisles when a large section of the US population irrespective of place of origin /ethnicity is seeking plant-based options for every subcategory within Grocery and pantry staples e.g. Our sweet potato oats pancake mix is usually pushed to the Indian aisle shelves instead of ideally being placed in the breakfast aisle.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
The high costs and delays associated with a global supply chain model really eat into our revenue margins. This operational overhead expense has only increased due to the pandemic but because we source our ingredients from fair trade suppliers in India it has been challenging to find a way around this.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
To consistently stay true to our business ethos such as only using 100% recyclable BPA-free packaging irrespective of cost as a startup and deliberately introducing traditional words such as ‘ladoo, bharwa, chilla, dosa’ in our packaging despite facing refusal from many mainstream retailers.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
Knowledge sharing both as an entrepreneur and as well as a data consultant who has worked with corporate leaders such as Target, Nestle, and MTV.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
I want to tap into the Vegpreneur community to connect with like-minded experienced partners and potential investors who can help WeMixx with scaling efforts.
Fun fact about you:
I’m an Idealist with an ENFJ personality type. This means that my leadership style is forward-thinking and relationship-oriented. Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama are also ENFJs if this gives you a better idea of my personality. Also, I have had the pleasure of meeting Oprah in person.
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