Interview with Sonal Haria and Arjan Grewal-Thethy, Founders of NutriEats

What is your assessment of the health products distribution segment in Kenya at the moment?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - We are mainly involved with weight loss and weight management, which is a fairly new segment in Kenya. Many companies have attempted to enter this market, but it has not been done correctly here before. Most companies are in this business sector for the monetary value rather than to help people. They are offering quick-fix solutions such as tummy trimmers and pills and things you take for seven days to see results. These products are not genuine. They are selling false hope. You cannot lose weight quickly. If this was possible, everybody would do it. We teach people the basics of nutrition and show them how to lose weight properly through a long-term, sustainable method. A diet has a beginning and an end, but what we sell is a lifestyle. Weight loss truly has to be a lifestyle. In Kenya, people do not understand that yet. When I was 16, I weighed 106 kilos. I was a very fat boy. I wanted to make a change within myself. Coming from the mindset of having been a fat person, I can relate to other people that are on the same journey. I moved to university when I was 17 and lost the weight by simply eating less. Then, I discovered martial arts. I became involved in Muay Thai, Thai boxing, which I competed in professionally. Then, I moved onto MMA martial arts and cage fighting for seven years. Through this journey, I learned to eat properly and learned all the fundamentals of nutrition. I gave up fighting and became a certified nutritionist. Now nutrition is my path and I want to share this knowledge with people.

NutriEats was established in June 2014 and is specialized in helping clients live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, offering weight loss products and programs, vitamins, minerals and supplements, as well as natural, organic skin care and beauty products. Please give us an overview of your products and services.

We are currently developing more products and concepts as we want more people to have good options if they want a quick snack.

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - Our biggest program is a one year program, which is the most comprehensive and what most of our clients are enrolled in. We take you through this “journey” of teaching you all the fundamentals of eating. It is a membership to our NutriEats family. We have a twelve week condensed version as well, but most people begin the twelve week plan with us and then continue with the one year plan. We are currently in development of our own label supplements, protein powders, and vitamins. We currently stock a range of products that are internationally available, but we would like to make our own, as well. We have our own ideas of what should be in a supplement in terms of protein and other ingredients, the number of grams, carbs, fat and such. We stand by our own blends. We are working with a local Kenyan company that manufactures our beauty products here. They are all natural, paraben free, and made of ingredients that are good for you. People use too many chemicals on themselves today, and we should try to use all natural products as much as possible. In the end, it is not just the business, it is truly a passion that we have to help people in this sector.

Are your products found exclusively online?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - Our products are available at NutriEats.com. Our one year and twelve week weight loss programs we conduct personally through a one on one session with me or my business partner, Sonal. We are both founders and main nutritionists here. A key feature with us is that we also have a team to help with ongoing, 24-hour support. People do not like to feel alone, especially when they are on a diet. They need someone to hold their hand and we offer that. If you are going to eat a muffin, or if there is something you are feeling, or your boyfriend has been rude and you are going to turn to the cookies, you can call or message us and one of our team members will get in touch and help you through it. You will be alright. When it comes to eating, much of it is emotional, and we try and really hit that target. We also work with people who have eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and people that have had surgeries such as gallbladder removal or any complications from such procedures. NutriEats is not just here to help people lose weight, but to help them have a more sustainable lifestyle. If you are slim, you can still benefit from NutriEats. There are things we can add into your life that can make a difference. Knowing what you are eating and putting into your body is very important.

How many people are in your program?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - At the moment, we have about 74 people on the one year program. It is a growing family, now. We aim to continue to get more and more people to join. We are currently developing more products and concepts as we want more people to have good options if they want a quick snack. Those options are not readily available in Kenya at this time.

You also have your own recipe books, right?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - We have a range of ten different books. The first one is "Guilt Free Desserts Under 400 Calories". Everybody needs a copy of that. The desserts are high in protein and low in fat and carbohydrates. It is a win-win situation.

How many people work for the company?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - We have five or six employees, currently. We have two companies who we cross over with, as well as Canvas, our marketing agency. Everyone is part of the NutriEats family. In our office, everybody helps and puts in effort. Canvas is a boutique digital marketing agency. We are not a massive agency like other big agencies. We try to cater to the clients that might get lost in these larger agencies. We take an in-house approach with our clients and go that extra mile with them to make sure they are looked after and we build all the solutions that they might require.

What do you do on a daily basis to make NutriEats known to the population?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - We have many corporate talks, individual talks and planned consultations. Word of mouth is still our biggest tool. Weight loss is a very personal thing for some people. A person might not want to come directly to us, so they might send emails and it might take a few times to actually get them to join the program, but once they do, they realize it will change their life. When someone is overweight, they might hold back in so many facets of their life and when they have lost the weight they are a different person and full of confidence.

What is the philosophy of the company? What is your mission?

Arjan Grewal-Thethy - Our main mission is to teach people that this is a lifestyle, and to have everyone join this healthy lifestyle. In the end, it is prevention more than cure. With the many diseases in the world now, such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes and more, if you can take it into your own hands to eat healthier and pass that down to your own family, that is a job well done on our part. It is a community, as well, so you always have support.

What are some success stories or happy clients that your company has? Why should a customer go to you and not another company?

Sonal Haria - Our first main success story is ourselves. We went through this journey personally. I used to be 20 kilos heavier. I suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome, which affects one in five women. It causes them to have a very high insulin resistance and their hormones are imbalanced. It is very difficult to lose weight. Over the years, I had tried to lose the weight, and this is the only way I was able to and to cure my symptoms because of the weight I lost. Also, Arjan, my partner, was 105 kilos. Losing the weight for both of us and going through the journey ourselves validated that we can help other people do it too. We have had numerous clients who are overweight. Our clients often under eat or starve themselves because they feel that it is the only way they can lose weight. They put themselves through that gruelling period of feeling tired, hungry and not eating. We actually teach our clients the exact opposite. Our clients are quite happy with the amount they can eat. They can eat a lot of food and know that it will constructively help them to lose weight. In the first two weeks, they have lost over five or six kilos and lost inches around their waist. We tell our clients that it is not about stepping on the scale and looking at the numbers, but how you feel and look in your clothes. Actually loosing those inches and seeing the difference in their physique gives them confidence and they feel much happier. On the other end of the spectrum, we have many clients suffering from eating disorders. The issue there is not actually weight loss, but removing the guilt and fear of food. A client who had bulimia and anorexia had a fear of food and thought that everything she ate was bad. With this issue, we teach our clients how they can manage and have control of their food. They know the right amount to eat so they do not have to feel guilty. Removing that guilt and giving them the power to be able to control what they are eating helps them lead a happier life. At the moment, this client is doing well. She is very happy eating. Now, she can eat cake or a bit of chocolate without feeling bad or guilty and having to sacrifice and put herself through that torture afterwards.

Do you plan on offering workout programs as a complimentary service, as well?

Sonal Haria - We have a great network of personal trainers we work with in gyms. We want to offer a whole, complete, healthy lifestyle for Kenyans that they can easily manage. Most weight loss programs are difficult to follow. We want to provide products and support to help them maintain this program easily. If you are busy, you do not have to go home and cook the food because we will help you. If you are feeling lost in the gym and you are not used to working out, you do not have to go to the gym. We cater to what our clients like to do. We have amazing trainers that will teach you the right form and technique, not just a standard workout regime for everyone.

You are very new to this market, and it is also quite a new sector in Kenya. What are the main challenges your company faces?

Sonal Haria - The main challenge for us is awareness. For many people, weight loss and weight management is a goal that they want to approach, but they have numerous perceptions of what is the proper way to do it. Our main goal is to educate Kenyans on the correct ways to lose weight and to manage their weight. For example, many people are against protein powders. They believe it is not natural, or that it is only for men, or that if they are not going to the gym that it will make them put on weight. That is not the case. Protein is good for women, pregnant mothers, and children. We want to educate our market that these products will actually benefit them. Another example is that you do not need to eat extreme super foods to actually be healthy. People who are going on extreme cleanses, juice cleanses, detoxes or eating large amounts of powders do not need any of that. You do not need to spend a lot of money to be healthy. You do not have to look outside the country, either. You can use locally sourced and available products to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is what we provide.

You are coming out with your own line of products that will be available not only online, but also in shops. This requires a lot of investment. Are you looking for partners?

Sonal Haria - We are definitely open to partners. We have a very big vision and we are looking for people that are interested in coming along and being a part of that vision. We want to develop our own products and be able to provide NutriEats trusted products wherever the customer is in Kenya. Whether you are in the supermarket, the airport, or at a restaurant, you should have access to healthy products even if you cannot cook at home, so you do not sabotage your weight loss. In addition, we are both from Kenya, so we are extremely passionate about helping the Kenyan market. In the future, we hope to be able to manufacture in Kenya and support Kenyans, as well as support local and organic farmers and small producers of healthy products. We want to showcase up and coming, boutique, artisan-produced and homemade products that are really good for you.

In the next two to five years, what goals would you like to have achieved?

Sonal Haria - We hope to have expanded our brand so that people know NutriEats as a trusted brand regarding anything healthy. We are looking for those partners to be able to make a big impact in Kenya by being the first Kenyan brand that is health and lifestyle specific, as well as trusted throughout Africa. We will not sell any quick fix products that make you simply lose weight for the wrong reasons or in the wrong way. We want to be a brand that mothers can trust to give to their children. We want people on the go and working professionals to be able to buy our products to help supplement their busy lifestyles and not compromise their health because of their work. We want to be an overall lifestyle brand in fitness, exercise, nutrition, health and education. We also want to work with the government to implement campaigns, programs for schools, and giving back initiatives to educate people about health and nutrition. We are both entrepreneurs and we find there is so much to do in Kenya and we really believe in the market here. Africa is a hub and there is so much potential here. It is our job to provide products and services that are not already available in Africa to Africans and Kenyans to improve their lifestyle. This is really our passion, not just a business.

Is it easy for international investors to do business in Kenya?

Sonal Haria - Doing business anywhere is a challenge. Many people have preconceived ideas about Africa, but when you come here and you actually look at the landscape, it is a business hub, especially Nairobi. Being a woman in business myself, I really enjoy doing business here and it is a great place to make the biggest difference. If you want to do something that leaves your mark in the world or helps you help others, then Africa and especially Kenya is the place to do it.

Is doing business here more difficult as a woman?

Sonal Haria - There are not as many women taking those steps but it is not a bad thing. People give you respect and they listen to you. It is up to women to want to stand up and do something they love and follow their passion.