Exclusive Interview : Mansi Vyas and Aditi Vyas, co-founders of Azafran

Exclusive Interview : Mansi Vyas and Aditi Vyas, co-founders of Azafran

At Sugermint Media, our aim is to bring to our entrepreneurs community some of the inspiring and motivational stories from the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As part of this endeavour, we invited yet another passionate entrepreneur Mansi Vyas and Aditi Vyas for an exclusive interview with us.

Mansi Vyas and Aditi Vyas is a women entrepreneur, co-founders of Azafran. Let’s learn more about her inspirational journey and her advice for our growing community!

This is the interview of Mansi Vyas and Aditi Vyas, Successful entrepreneur and co-founders of Azafran.

Tell us a little about yourself  

Our passion for knowledge has taken us all around the globe, as Mansi Vyas completed my Bachelors in UK and went to do my MBA at Switzerland.

Education played a key role in shaping our understanding of the world, and living independently on foreign soils shaped my personality.

Our  father is a successful businessman himself, so one could say our  entrepreneurial spirit is home grown. It is working at my father’s organization that propelled our dream to build something of our own.

Please tell us a little about your entrepreneurial journey

We  always had the drive to be a creator and businesswoman. We initially channeled this drive into our father’s company which was in the Pharmaceutical space.

The experience of understanding the art and science of manufacturing from a “hands on” perspective molded our dream to build Azafran, and that is how, about 15 years ago, this grand journey began!

What service(s) or product(s) do you offer at Azafran?

While Azafran was initially an exclusive skincare brand, we went on to expand our wings and grow into a FMCG Company.

We now develop many categories under our vibrant umbrella, right from skincare, organic crayons, food products, fragrances, handmade soaps and a bevy of other offerings.

What is unique about your label brand?

Since inception, Azafran was built as a brand that cares. What makes each and every product on our shelf unique is their end to end sustainability and biodegradable nature.

There is no other player in the market that offers such a sprawling array of products in a multitude of categories that are not only top notch in quality, but also accessible in terms of pricing.

At Azafran, may it be packing, packaging, labeling, sourcing, research, quality control or manufacturing; everything takes place in our seasoned supervision under one sustainable roof. 

What made you choose this type of business?

My sister and I have lived abroad for quite a while, and that is when this spark for skincare and cosmetics had ignited.

We were quite the amateur testers, as we tried upcoming as well as established brands, right from Dr. Hauschka to Kiehl’s.

It is this experience that made us realize the Indian market severely lacks top notch standards set by other companies around the globe.

This is a gap that needed to be filled, and that is how we both decided to take that giant leap of faith. Azafran was our attempt at creating products of international standards and providing them at locally competitive prices so that our brand is one that the masses can embrace.

At its core, Azafran is established with the principle that every Indian must be able to afford the best quality skin care and make up products that make no compromises.

How many employees in your organization?

Azafran doesn’t just hire employees; it welcomes a new member to its ever growing family. We now feature over 60 members across verticals, all of whom signify the passion, verve and spirit that Azafran stands for.

What’s your company’s goals?

From the very outset, we recognize that change is the only constant and adapting to change is the only path to progress.

At Azafran, our next mission is to further expand our sprawling internet might, and also stamp a stronghold in the private labeling space.

We have already equipped our social media team with the necessary tools to bolster our pivot in the digital domain.

We have also launched Azafran Previè, an exclusive private labeling entity that has already seen massive growth in just a matter of 24 months.

Azafran Previè has already collaborated with leading players of the Pharmaceutical, FMCG and Ayurvedic industries.

What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

Changing consumer behavior is a tough task, especially when it means convincing people to switch to organic and making them understand why it is important to look after Mother Nature.

But, all good things come at a good time. It took Azafran around three years to acquire a license for organics and convert its farms into green houses.

Slowly and steadily, we started with essential oils and set up CO2 extraction units. Eventually we began the trading of organic oils.

It is this journey that led us to our dream of foraying into skincare, but there too, we had to recalibrate when we realized that our pricing needed a relook.

After intensive R&D, we finally found the perfect pricing strategy where we maintained our exquisite quality but radically reduced our MRP.

This trial and error gave us the needed jolt for consumers to embrace our brand. The hustle is still not over though; Azafran’s mission is not convincing few or many, but all Indian consumers to give us a try.

What was the inspiration behind turning an entrepreneur?

My father has been my quintessential inspiration, his Pharmaceutical Company and expertise in manufacturing has been the driving factor behind my desire to build a business.

Key things to consider before starting a start-up?

To keep it brief, I would like to say one should properly recognize the problem they want to solve and know their potential market inside and out.

One must make sure their financial blueprint is robust and always prepared for a hurdle or two. These steps lay the groundwork for a promising start up journey, and with the added magic of grit and determination, one can hope to thrive in the startup world.

Your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs

In the spirit of keeping things simple, I’d like to say, “Let you passion drive you towards your goals.”

Website: Azafran.in

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