Meet Suhasini Sampath, The Woman Who Sold Protein Bars To ITC For Rs 500 Cr

When you read the headline, it might have left you surprised to read that an entrepreneur sold protein bars for ₹500 crores, but this is actually true. Suhasini Sampath, co-founder of Yoga Bar, sold 39% of the stakes of her company to ITC (Imperial Tobacco Company of India).

This is a story of a woman whose resilience and hard work helped her create a brand behind which large sharks like ITC, Nestle, Dabur, and more came running after. She built its potential without any marketing team and set an inspiration for people out there.

Suhasini Sampath’s Journey To Create Yoga Bar Started In New York

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In 2012, Suhasani and her sister, Anindita Sampath, were living in New York. They used to attend a yoga class together. One day when Anindita picked up a protein bar from Trader Joe’s and thought what if there was a healthy alternative to them? She added that if she would make them, she would call them ‘Yoga Bar’.

Impressed by her sister’s idea, Suhasini trademarked the name in the same year. The research about creating healthy alternatives to protein bars for three years. In a report published in Forbes India, Suhasini said, “We wanted to make a 100% clean-ingredient-based product, sourcing raw materials from India, which can be consumed by a majority of Indians looking for healthy food.”

Suhasini Sampath’s Idea Behind Yoga Bar

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In 2014, when Suhasini noticed that 40% of Indians skipped breakfast, which inspired her to start a company selling protein bars. The idea was to feed Indians 20 gm of protein through a multigrain energy bar.

The sisters decided to make these bars natural by adding ingredients like dates, oats, almonds (Why Eat Almonds Every Day), and honey. They thought that a bar is something that Indians can have on the go without compromising on the taste and essential ingredients.

Yoga Bar came into existence in 2015. Their sister Aarti Sampath, family members, and friends invested in it. Suhasini connected with professional bakers to start the manufacturing of these bars. Initially, they started selling them in stores and yoga studios across Bengaluru. It helped her ensure quality and establish direct connections with customers.

Soon the company started selling these protein bars in more than 5000 stores and yoga studios in the city. Suhasini’s research showed that 75% of the customers were ordering the bars again, especially people who had a hectic schedule and loved going to gyms.

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How Did Suhasini Sampath Sold Yoga Bars For Crores To ITC?

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With an exponential growth graph, venture capitalists started noticing Yoga Bar. The company was able to raise over ₹70 crores. They invested ₹20 crores in setting up manufacturing units. Between 2019-2020, the revenue jumped to ₹32 crores.

When Covid-19 engulfed the world, Suhasini’s business had 90% of customers buying bars offline. Their online sales comprised only 10% of the customers. The entrepreneur turned it around within 2-3 months as the company started selling bars via e-commerce websites. Soon, the company surpassed the revenue of ₹68 crores. By then, online customers made up 50% of their clientele.

The company added multiple products to their offerings. Apart from yoga bars, they started selling muesli, oats (How To Make Overnight Oats), cereals, etc. Yoga Bar soon generated ₹100 crore in revenue. ITC invested ₹175 crores to buy 39% stakes of Yoga Bar, and soon we will see more healthy additions to their current product list.

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