From Tea City to Startup Visionary: How a Dibrugarh Native is Revolutionizing Health with Northeast’s Bounty

In an inspiring journey from the serene landscapes of Dibrugarh to the bustling city of Guwahati, this entrepreneur has embraced a mission to reconnect urban consumers with the rich, natural resources of Assam. Driven by a deep-rooted appreciation for nature and a desire to combat the rise of lifestyle diseases, Trailukya Dutta, Founder of Tholua Pratisthan Pvt Ltd (TPPL INDIA) left a stable corporate career to utilize the benefits of local, nutrient-rich products. With a focus on leveraging the biodiversity of Northeast India, his startup aims to provide a healthier alternative to processed foods while fostering sustainable development. In this interview, we will talk about their motivations, challenges and future aspirations as they pave the way for a new era in health and wellness.

Tell us something about yourself, your family and your educational background?

I was born and brought up in the district of Dibrugarh, which is also known as the tea city of Assam and completed Post Graduation (PGDM) in International Business. I am married and blessed with a girl child and presently live in Guwahati, Assam to pursue the startup journey.

What motivated you to start this business?

Growing up in the countryside, I was surrounded by nature and all its goodness. My mother has a passion for herbs, plants and their healing powers, so I learned a lot about them in my childhood. It was like a natural science class for me after school hours. When I moved to the city for higher studies and career, I noticed a big difference in how people ate. We had none but the option to gobble up highly processed or ill-treated food, and it seemed like nobody cared about what was actually in it. I realised there was a huge gap between the amazing stuff nature provides and what people in the city were consuming. It felt like a waste. So, I decided to leave my corporate job and try to bridge that gap. I wanted to show people how to use the awesome resources we have in Assam and the Northeast to live healthier lives.

My goal is to create a sustainable system that harnesses the potential of Assam and the Northeast region’s biodiversity. By offering natural, nutrient-rich products and educating consumers, the startup aims to empower people to take control of their health and reduce the impact of lifestyle diseases.

Did your family support your business idea? Are they involved in any way?

My parents were incredibly supportive of my business idea. With me living far away, they were keen on me returning home. They saw my entrepreneurial venture as a positive step, even though they understood the inherent risks of a startup. In fact, my initial investors and co-founders came from within my family, demonstrating their strong belief in my vision.

What specific problem or need does your startup aim to address?

Our startup aims to address the rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases in urban populations by providing accessible, nutrient-rich products derived from the abundant natural resources of Assam and the Northeast. We believe that by bridging the gap between rural and urban communities, we can offer a healthier alternative to processed foods and improve overall well-being.

What makes your startup’s solution or innovation unique?

Our startup’s uniqueness lies in our deep-rooted connection to the region’s biodiversity and our ability to translate this knowledge into practical, consumer-friendly products. By combining traditional wisdom with modern scientific techniques, we’re creating innovative solutions that not only address health concerns but also contribute to the sustainable development of the region. Our focus on preserving the nutritional integrity of our products sets us apart from other health and wellness brands.

What challenges did you encounter in the early stages and how did you overcome them?

As a first-time entrepreneur, navigating the complexities of startup development has presented numerous challenges in the initial days. Bridging the gap between expectations and realities, particularly in areas such as funding, market fit, resource allocation, and team integration, has been a significant hurdle. However, through dedicated participation in incubation programs offered by PUSA KRISHI and mentorship, I have developed the resilience necessary to address these obstacles. By cultivating patience and adaptability, I have been able to navigate these challenges effectively and maintain focus on the startup’s overall objectives.

What strategies do you have for scaling your operations or reaching a broader audience?

To scale our operations and reach a wider audience, we are focusing on product line extension, leveraging digital marketing channels by utilising social media, content marketing, and campaigns to create brand awareness and engage with a broader audience. To increase the product availability we are strengthening the distribution network, and expanding in e-commerce with strategic partnerships with quick commerce platforms.

Have you established any partnerships or collaborations to boost your company’s impact both nationally and internationally?

We have collaborated with several Farmer Producer Company (FPC) for contract farming and Self Help Groups (SHG) for Post Harvest Processing at the farmgate level. These steps are ensuring quality management. In the front end we are collaborating with online marketplaces to make our products widely available. Few other collaborations in the international level are under discussion and hopefully we will finalise it soon.

What milestones have you reached since starting your business?

Producing Aged Black Garlic by using locally developed technology was one of the key achievements to mention and it has been a major breakthrough. Today we can proudly present ourselves as one of the top quality Aged Black Garlic producers abiding all the quality parameters in terms of food safety. Post production, marketing of Aged Black Garlic was another mammoth task, since very few people knew about it. With our hard work and continuous effort, the popularity of Aged Black Garlic is increasing in India. In this context, I must mention the support we have received from the RKVY RAFTAAR scheme, PUSA KRISHI and a team of Scientists from Div of Food Science & Postharvest Technology, IARI New Delhi.

What are your future goals for the startup and where do you envision it in the next five years?

As a startup, we envision a world of people with lesser psychosomatic stress. To achieve this we have various short and long term goals including offering a beneficial product range to needy consumers, connecting the missing dots of food nutrition through sustainable agricultural practices from the underprivileged rural area and mark our presence as one of the most trusted brands in our segment. In the next five years we wish to make our offline presence at least 10,000 PIN codes of India and select Hypermarkets abroad.

How have you managed the funding for your business? Did you receive support from any incubators?

We started the journey with our own and family funding and sought help from different incubators once it got exhausted. We are happy to receive financial and intellectual help from PUSA Krishi.

Do you have any message for our readers?

I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart, who had patiently read and invested their valuable time in witnessing this conversation and seeking blessings so that we can make our dream come true. Let us all together take a pledge to stand by our own startups and local products and make our economy a $7 trillion economy by 2030.