Raj Seelam’s Organic Journey: From a Small Store to a ₹472-Crore Acquisition
For Raj Seelam, the Founder and Managing Director of Sresta Natural Bioproducts—best known for its 24 Mantra Organic food brand—letting go of the company he built over two decades has not been easy. He poured his heart into creating and growing the brand, facing many hurdles along the way.
He often recalls the early days of his first 24 Mantra store in Banjara Hills. Back then, very few people walked in. Aside from one or two curious passersby, the store rarely saw customers. One of his biggest challenges was creating demand for organic food—a new and unfamiliar concept in India at the time.
To make things even tougher, there were no well-developed retail networks then. Getting people into the store and convincing them to spend more on organic products—when cheaper alternatives were available—was not an easy task.
Things began to change in the mid-2000s with the rise of organised retail. Supermarket chain Spencer’s gave a big boost by agreeing to sell Sresta’s products in their stores across India. This helped the brand reach a wider audience.
Seelam also focused on building a strong supply chain, working closely with farmers to ensure a steady supply of organic crops. At the same time, he worked hard to educate both consumers and the industry. He often argued that organic food wasn’t as expensive as people thought. “It won’t cost more than ₹2,500 a month to buy organic groceries for a family,” he would say. While prices were 20–70% higher than regular products, he pointed out that the gap used to be even wider in the early years.
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Over time, Sresta expanded its product range to include baby food, children’s snacks, and frozen foods. Seelam also took the brand overseas, especially to the US, where he personally visited many cities and convinced stores to stock his products. Today, the company supports a vast network of 30,000 farmers across India.
Now, ITC—a major player in India’s FMCG sector—has acquired Sresta for ₹472 crore. For ITC, this is a natural fit, as the company is known for its strong supply chains and diverse product portfolio. With Sresta, ITC adds a trusted organic brand to its growing lineup.
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