Express News Service
Back in the olden days, when foreign travel was still a thing, surely one of the best parts of going abroad was going to the supermarkets of those countries. Boasting a cornucopia of commodities and consumables in a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours, these snacks, chocolates, sodas and more, were a big part of those traveling abroad as well as being visited by friends and relatives from abroad.
While Covid-19 makes that glorious past’s future still seem pretty distant, Noida-based Snackstar promises to cater to your international snacking cravings.
“I got the idea of selling snacks when I was in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in my parents’ hometown. We were having conversations with some guests who had returned to India after staying in Dubai for a few years. They told us how they were missing all the goods, snacks, supplies like different Oreo flavours, Cheetos, etc., and did not have any way to purchase it,” recalls Aryaman Vasant, 23, Founder-CEO of Snackstar.
While it is hard to set up such a business, given the red tape in Indian import and exports, Vasant had an ace up his sleeve, noting, “Since we are importers, the only customs and duties we have to deal with directly are in India only. It is certainly not easy to navigate, but due to the 20 years of experience my father has in the field, we can manage the red tape in a sustainable manner.”
As they were not staying in Tier 1 cities like Delhi or Mumbai, it struck Vasant that a significant part of the population in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities want these products. “I just had to figure out a way to make it reach them fast in good condition. After that, I started researching and got to know that nobody in India had captured this market before. We developed packaging, and launched our website to reach consumers. I already had about 150 products, and now around 1,200-1,500 products from over 12 countries within a span of 12 months.”
Unlike many other businesses, Covid has not had a detrimental impact on Snackstar, with the company having in fact started operations during the pandemic. “Our launch was during the first wave on June 03, 2020. Since then, we have fulfilled 20,000 orders, so we had no negative effects due to Covid, and instead believe it has been a contributor in our sales since people are unable to travel and get their hands on their favourite international snacks,” explains Vasant.
He admits logistics was a problem for them throughout the year with many remote places in India being in nonserviceable zones due to lockdowns in different parts of the country. Now, with things opening back up, “We will strive to provide seamless delivery to all our customers,” signs off Vasant.
Global snacks delivered - The New Indian Express
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