In an era where dietary preferences are shifting rapidly, Graviss Good Foods is making waves with its innovative brand, Plantaway. With the ambitious goal of achieving 250% growth in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, Romil Ratra, CEO Graviss Good Foods, shares insights into the brand’s journey and the burgeoning plant-based food market.
Romil Ratra, with decades of experience in the hospitality industry, has been instrumental in steering Graviss Good Foods towards new horizons. “There’s a huge shift incoming and its driven by people realising how important what they consume is for them,” he states. The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the connection between diet and health, propelling the company to venture into the ‘better-for-you’ food and beverage space.
In early 2020, Graviss Good Foods initially introduced the Brooklyn Creamery, a healthy ice cream brand that defied the conventional belief that taste, and health are mutually exclusive. The brand quickly adapted to the pandemic by pivoting to a delivery-first model. “When we started, we had just 12 flavors and 20 SKUs. Today, we have over 60 SKUs in multiple formats and four different ranges, including vegan, high protein, and keto options,” says Ratra. This adaptability and consumer-centric approach have seen the Brooklyn Creamery expand to over 1000 points of sale in India and the Middle East.
Building on this success, Graviss Good Foods launched Plantaway, a plant-based food solutions company, about a year ago. While the demand for plant-based options is growing, the brand recognizes that it remains relatively small. Therefore, the focus was on creating products that not only tasted great but were also functional and easy to integrate into existing culinary practices. “We created our first product line with taste, functionality, and application as our primary goals,” Ratra explains.
Understanding this, Plantaway developed the first product in the range: plant-based mylks that would allow chefs/ home consumers to easily incorporate these into their daily usage without sacrificing convenience or quality. The company’s rigorous testing, including trials with local tea vendors and dessert makers, ensured that their plant-based milk was robust and versatile.
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The Plantaway range now includes a variety of plant-based alternatives for meats, dairy alternatives like cheese, butter, and mayos and an all new range of indulgent plant-based gelatos, catering to the growing demand for vegan and health-conscious food options. “Our products are designed to make it easy for culinary professionals or the home consumer to incorporate plant-based options into their menu / meals without compromising on quality or taste,” Ratra emphasises.
Consumer awareness and demand for quality have been pivotal in the brand’s growth. “The Indian consumer has evolved so much; they know exactly what they want,” Ratra says. This informed consumer base is driving the category forward, making it essential for brands like Plantaway to stay ahead with innovative and high-quality products.
Reflecting on the groups performance, Ratra reveals that the past year has been a great one. “We did double of what we did in the previous year across both India and the Middle East,” he shares. The company’s success can be attributed to its relentless focus on consumer feedback and continuous improvement. “We conduct consumer conversations every month in different geographies to understand their needs and preferences,” he adds.
The brand anticipates around 250% growth for 2024-25. “We’re being fairly aggressive in our approach and have a range of new products in the pipeline,” says Ratra.
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Looking ahead, Ratra is confident about Plantaway’s growth trajectory. The brand’s strategic focus on sampling and consumer engagement, combined with its robust distribution network, positions it well for continued success. “We’re here for the long haul. We’re passionate about what we do, and we’re committed to giving it our best every single day,” he concludes.
The Brooklyn Creamery too is evolving from being the premier better-for-you ice cream brand and expanded into low calorie RTD milkshakes last year. Recognizing the potential in other dairy-related products, they recently launched two specialised milk products: lactose-free milk and India’s first high-protein milk.
As Graviss Good Foods gears up for a promising future, Plantaway stands out as a testament to the power of innovation and consumer-centricity in the ever-evolving food industry. With Ratra at the helm, the brand is set to redefine plant-based eating in India and beyond.
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