GO DESi offers more than 40 SKUs under four categories, including DESi PoPz, traditional sweets with a modern twist, snacks and mouth fresheners
The startup is reimagining traditional sweets like kaju katli, laddu and barfi with a ‘cool’ and contemporary twist
GO DESi secured one of its first institutional investments from Rukam Capital in 2018, and the VC firm has consistently supported the D2C player
There’s something special about the chatpata (deliciously tangy) candies that will never fail to tickle Indian taste buds. Many of us are still besotted with mango and imli (tamarind) delights, so much so that these timeless flavours have found their way into chutneys, juices, curries and countless other dishes.“GO DESi isn’t just one thing. It’s not just about the products or the stores. It is about crafting a unique experience that our consumers can connect with,” said Vinay. “You may give your partner a popular chocolate bar on Valentine’s Day, but do you consider giving them a kaju katli? Not ever, but why? The challenge lies in making traditional sweets cool enough for that. We are working on a product line that resonates with Gen Z and Generation Alpha,” Vinay sounded confident.“To achieve a certain top line, we had to reach a much larger audience, which was initially daunting. Hence, the offline-first approach. Nevertheless, we decided not to rely on a single route and gradually adopted a multi-channel strategy. This worked well, as we did not put all our eggs in one basket. Today, we are truly an omnichannel brand, and this broad distribution approach has driven our success,” explained Vinay.“The traditional sweets market in India presents a considerable opportunity, as nearly 85% remains unorganised. Only a handful of players have transitioned to the packaged sweets segment, but the unorganised sector dwarfs the combined confectionery and chocolate markets. It is at least eight to 10 times larger,” observed Vinay.“The unorganised to organised play is a very important point for an emerging market like India. There are many much loved recipes and food products which appeal to the Indian palette. In the couple of decades prior to our investment in Go DESi with the exception of brands like PULSE, no real startup was created in the impulse category. It is a no-brainer that a high-quality product like Imli PoP would appeal to consumers all over the country,” said Archana Jahagirdar, managing partner at Rukam Capital.
Nostalgia hit him when Vinay Kothari, an FMCG professional, stumbled upon some jackfruit candies at a roadside stall on a trek to the Western Ghats in January 2018. The familiar taste flooded his mind with long-forgotten childhood memories, and he left the place with bags full of those savoury candies.