Health sells. Heritage sticks. Put them together and you’ve got a winning combo: credibility from the past, growth in the present.
By 29, Mehek Khera was taking more pills than someone twice her age.
She was running on coffee, packaged food, and corporate burnout, all while managing an autoimmune disease.
So Mehek took control. She went to nutrition school and began reworking her family’s recipes into easy-to-eat foods made with real ingredients. That became Niramaya Foods: chunky, veggie-packed dips and naan pretzels delivering heritage flavor with modern health.
Heritage needs a modern outlook. “I didn’t see branding that spoke to me as a millennial consumer… a lot of it felt stereotypical,” says Mehek. Heritage sells when it looks forward, not back. Build for the shopper who’s buying today, not a nostalgic postcard.
Shelf life is your lifeline. Mehek’s first dips had a two-year shelf life. That gave her room to work on branding, find customers, and scale without watching product (or cash) expire. For founders, shelf stability isn’t just science — it’s survival.
Early buyer interest is a sign, not a finish line. “The first buyer to stop at our Expo East booth was Kroger,” remembers Mehe. “They loved our dips, but we both knew we were too early.” It wasn’t a deal, but it was validation. When a major buyer sees promise, that’s your cue to keep building until the timing lines up.
Get the format right, and the scale follows. “Our pretzels have really changed the trajectory of the company.” The dips got her started, but the naan pretzels put Niramaya in growth mode, with higher velocity and broader appeal.
Capital is best taken in chapters. Mehek self-funded, then used debt for inventory, and is only now considering equity. That sequence kept her in control. Skip straight to equity, and you risk giving up leverage before you know what you’ve built.
Market insight → Heritage foods are outpacing general grocery growth. What was once “ethnic aisle” is now center store, powered by modern shoppers chasing bold flavor and clean labels.
Taking snacks back (to basics)
Stay slow with the cash flow
How you fund growth matters as much as how you grow. The sequence sets you up for survival and scale.
Step 1: Self-fund → validate demand, collect feedback, show you can deliver.
Step 2: Debt financing (credit lines, SBA loans, revenue-based financing) → fund inventory and MOQs without giving up equity too early.
Step 3: Strategic investors (angel, VC, strategic investors) → expand distribution, hire a team, and prepare for larger exits.
Step 4: Continue evaluating → raise only when the next stage of growth requires it, and with partners who’ll stick through misses as well as wins.
Retail fit before retail scale
The math, margins, and match must work before you say yes.
- Velocity math: What weekly units do they expect? Can you realistically hit it?
- Cost structure: Slotting, promos, pricing model (hi/lo vs. EDLP). Does the math hold up?
- Stage fit: Regional banners and independents help prove velocity before national chains.
- Consumer match: Do their shoppers overlap with your target audience?
- Operational capacity: Can you finance MOQs, demos, and promo support without straining cash?