In an exclusive interview with Indian Startup Times, Sachin Sahni, founder of Keeros, explained how a decade and a half of running wellness centers in Lucknow evolved into a health-focused snack and supplement brand that now sells across 1,500-plus platforms. His conviction was straightforward: clients following diet therapy needed convenient, healthy ready-made options that did not force them to choose between taste and nutrition. That insight became the foundation for Keeros.
From diet therapy to ready-made healthy snacks
Sachin spent over 15 years running a chain of wellness centers in Lucknow focused on weight loss and lifestyle diseases, serving more than 50,000 clients. The business transitioned from wellness services to food products after realizing that clients struggled to find convenient, healthy options that fit their dietary plans. Keeros initially started as a snack company designed to be safe for diabetics and health-conscious individuals.
By 2020, the company had expanded to 11 cities with an offline-heavy model. But the pandemic brought significant losses due to stock expiration and inventory issues. That forced a pivot toward a frugal, profitable e-commerce strategy. Today, Keeros is present on over 1,500 platforms, including B2B supplies, white labeling for bakery chains and vending machines in IT companies.
Brand identity: short, international and meaningful
The name Keeros was chosen because it is short, easy to pronounce and sounds international rather than generic. An advisor suggested avoiding common terms like “Nutri” or “Green” to ensure the brand could differentiate itself in the market. The word “Keeros” means “king” in an African language, providing a positive connotation for the brand. The naming process involved shortlisting five final names from an initial list of approximately 150 candidates. For Sachin, the name needed to reflect ambition and quality without sounding like another functional wellness label. Keeros was meant to feel like a consumer brand first, with health as the core benefit rather than the entire identity.
Product strategy: roasting over frying, and flavor by audience
To balance nutrition with taste, Keeros uses roasting instead of deep frying to preserve natural aromas while minimizing oil use. Most products are minimally processed, focusing on high fiber and low calorie content through roasting millets and grains. The company also tailors seasoning levels based on target demographics offering more flavor for general markets and lower salt and spice for diabetics. Early growth relied heavily on physical sampling and ground promoters to allow customers to taste products before buying. That hands-on approach helped build trust in a category where skepticism around “healthy” snacks is high. Once consumers experienced the taste and texture, repeat purchases followed.
The Mann Ki Baat moment: credibility at scale
A major turning point came when Keeros was recognized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Mann Ki Baat. The mention provided an immense boost to brand credibility, similar to a Shark Tank effect. Recognition from national figures like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also led to widespread media coverage in outlets such as Economic Times and Financial Times. This unexpected exposure resulted in a massive surge in website visits, sales and customer inquiries, handled by telemarketing teams that were suddenly dealing with demand from across the country. For a brand that had grown slowly through sampling and local trust, the national spotlight accelerated both reach and validation.
Fundraising: from friends and family to institutional capital
Initial funding was secured through friends, family and angel investors who believed in the product’s efficacy after tasting it. Sachin learned fundraising processes through mentorship after being unfamiliar with equity structures prior to 2018. The company successfully navigated transitions from local markets in Lucknow and Kanpur to larger scales involving institutional investors. Moving from friends and family/angel rounds to institutional investment required learning complex negotiation tactics through professional mentorship. That learning curve was critical in transforming Keeros from a regional health snack brand into a scalable consumer business with multiple revenue streams.
Leadership and mentorship: paying it forward in tier-two cities
Sachin serves as a leader within TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), specifically for the Lucknow chapter, which he helped found later in 2021. He dedicates one to two hours every week to mentoring upcoming entrepreneurs as a way of paying back his own mentors. He views mentorship as a reciprocal process where helping others also provides him with fresh insights into modern business nuances. For Sachin, mentorship is not just about giving back. It is also a way to stay connected to the challenges faced by founders in tier-two cities, where access to capital, networks and structured guidance is still limited. His work with TiE Lucknow is focused on creating a local ecosystem where entrepreneurs can learn from each other and avoid common pitfalls.
The functional food wave: hyper-segmentation and new formats
In a follow-up discussion with Indian Startup Times, Keeros highlighted the rapid growth of the functional foods sector in India, noting a significant shift toward hyper-segmentation. The protein segment, for example, has moved beyond basic shakes to specialized products for women, the elderly, gym-goers, yoga practitioners and diabetics. Delivery formats are also diversifying, with demand for biscuits, gummies, fortified powders for traditional dishes like dal, roti and sabji, and fortified flours (atta). For the company, this trend validates its early bet on targeted nutrition. Indian consumers are increasingly receptive to innovative health and functional food products, especially when they fit into existing eating habits rather than requiring a complete lifestyle overhaul.
Long-term vision: diabetic care and weight management
Sachin outlined two primary long-term objectives to transform nutritional preventive healthcare. The first is to establish a food and nutraceutical brand specifically for diabetics, providing products throughout the day to manage diabetes more comfortably through continuous innovation. The second is to become the leading provider in the weight management domain by offering a wide variety of food and nutraceutical products.
The vision involves continuous product iteration to help consumers manage health conditions more comfortably, without feeling deprived or forced into rigid diets. For Keeros, success is not just about selling snacks. It is about building a comprehensive range of products that support diabetics and weight-conscious consumers across meals, snacks and supplements.
Why Keeros matters in the health food category?
For Indian consumers, healthy snacks have often meant bland, overly functional products or expensive imports. Keeros’ approach roasted, minimally processed millets and grains, tailored flavor profiles, and a frugal e-commerce model aims to turn healthy food into something people actually want to eat every day. Sachin made clear that Keeros is not trying to be another niche wellness brand. It is trying to become a mainstream health food brand that works for diabetics, fitness-conscious consumers and everyday snackers alike backed by taste, trust and a distribution model that can scale without burning cash.
Interview By: Sejal Thakur
