Sriram Iyer and Swapna Desai knew they were entering a tough segment when they launched Theo Organics, a business offering Himalayan creamed honey, in 2017. Research had revealed that despite the proliferation of brands, the per capita consumption of honey in India is still low at eight grams per year. Globally, it ranges from 250 to 300 grams, with Germany topping in per capita honey consumption, with two kg per year. The upside, however, was that the propensity to consume more organic and natural foods was increasing on the home turf. “Indians traditionally use honey as a curative ingredient, and not so much in cooking or even, for dressings. This gave us the impetus to innovate and create honey products that can become a part of everyday life.”

Theo Organics’ range includes honey infusions using Naga chillies, ginger-turmeric, cinnamon, vanilla, smoked-hickory and apple strudel