To Utilise Marico's Extensive Distribution Capabilities To Reach Wider Audience: Rishubh Satiya, Plix

In a strategic move to reshape the landscape of nutrition and wellness, Marico made a significant investment in Plix, acquiring a 32.75 per cent stake in the D2C brand through primary infusion and secondary buyouts on July 26. Rishubh Satiya, Co-Founder of Plix, takes us on a captivating journey, from the brand's inception as a plant-based protein provider to its current status as a dynamic and comprehensive wellness solutions provider. Discover how Plix, in collaboration with Marico, is revolutionising the perception of nutrition and wellness, making it accessible, enjoyable, and far less intimidating for all.  

What led you to start a plant-based nutrition company?

With Plix, our primary focus has been to make nutrition and wellness more enjoyable and less intimidating. When we initially launched the company, we were primarily selling plant-based protein products. In the market, there were plenty of nutrition plans and brands like MuscleBlaze and GNC that were primarily focused on bodybuilding.

However, as an average individual, I didn't resonate with their approach. These brands typically featured brand ambassadors with massive muscles, and it felt like they were targeting a specific stereotype. That's when we introduced our first product, which was based on clean, natural, and plant-based sources of nutrition. It performed well in the market.

Can you elaborate on what motivated you to expand into categories like weight management, wellness, and beauty?

We realised that there was a broader demand for products beyond just protein – products that people wanted for weight loss and beauty, for example. We expanded our product range to cater to these needs and focused on creating a portfolio of plant-based products that addressed categories like weight management, wellness, and overall health. Our goal was to take traditional ingredients and present them in innovative, convenient forms that could effectively solve everyday health challenges related to weight management, beauty, sleep, and more.

This approach allowed us to expand our product offerings and build a brand that stands out by offering innovative solutions to common health concerns. That's the essence of our journey.

That's how we initiated the process of scaling our products. Indeed, our primary goal is to establish a significant brand presence in the market, aiming to become a household name, what we call a "BA" (Brand Ambassador) in every household.

Can you outline your expansion strategies, including how you'll preserve your brand identity while utilising Marico's distribution network?

Currently, we are already present in more than 154 cities and have managed to double down on our distribution efforts, including partnering with Marico. Our objective is to be as ubiquitous as Marico products in Indian households and be something that people routinely incorporate into their daily routines.

Regarding visibility, we are actively working on building our distribution networks, and as the acquisition process proceeds, we aim to maintain the essence of our brand. Marico believes in allowing the acquired organisation to continue operating independently with minimal changes, and that's our approach as well. However, we'll utilise Marico's extensive distribution capabilities to reach a wider audience.

While our primary focus is on the Indian market, we are also looking to expand globally. We have already launched some of our products in the USA and are exploring opportunities in other countries as well.