Acquisition project | Witbran

Witbran.com is a Pre-PMF 0 to 1 F&B startup serving fresh milled to order atta.

Current stage: prePMF | 0 to 1
Current scale: 50-100 orders monthly

Distribution channels: Website and WhatsApp

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Competitors:

Floryo.com

Ashirvaadattachakki.com

Wholesomeplatter.com

Areas of improvement vis-a-vis competitors

1. Scale: There are multiple competitors but these 3 are significant ahead and either have already or are about to break the PMF threshold. Floryo has the highest scale at 5-6 Cr ARR.
2. Top of Mind Awareness: Since they are either older or have prominent brand names (like Ashirvaad) they have a better top of mind awareness.
3. Larger product range: They have a larger range of products apart from just grains and millets.

Since the business is prePMF and of low scale, there are no online reviews.

ICP:

Conducted on-call interviews with both one-time and repeat buyers of Witbran.

That yielded the following ICP:

Findings from the interviews:

1. Most of the users who were interviewed said that they found the atta from Witbran pure, fresh and no maida. 
2. This was enabling them to make healthy changes in one part of their life. Some of the users were either referred by someone or had referred someone.
3. There were some needs (medical conditions requiring change in diet) but mostly it was wants.
4. They mostly stay in apartment complexes which provide a concentrated TG.

Core value: 

Get fresh, pure, preservative-free, milled-to-order atta at home 

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Marketing pitch for:

ICP1: 

1. Enhance your family's nutrition with pure, preservative-free atta
2. Nutritious meals with fresh milled to order witbran atta
   

ICP2: 

1. Nurture your healthy lifestyle with fresh, preservative-free atta
2. Healthy lifestyle with minimal change using our fresh preservative-free atta

JTBD: Jobs To Be Done are described below for both the ICPs

Market size: TAM for packaged wheat atta in India is ~$ 900 Mn

Acquisition channels: since it's prePMF I've taken only the channels that are earlier talked about in the class for being easy, flexible and have a quick feedback loop.

Experiment 1: Reaching out to female colleagues and friends and showing the benefits of using pure, nutritious and preservative free Witbran atta.

Hypothesis: Reaching out to first degree connection will impart trust and showing higher quality will help in converting trials into customers.

Implementation:

1. Message communication: 
2. 1. Showing witbran’s offering, comparison with other products in the market and call to action. 
   2. Also include imagery 
   3. 1. Showing real pictures of product packages and how the atta looks from colour (darker colour suggests less maida and more wheat/other constituents) and texture perspective. 
      2. Fiber content and other nutrients in comparison with other popular products in the market
         
         

“I hope you're doing well! I wanted to share something exciting that I've been working on – WitBran, a brand of fresh, nutritious atta made from the finest ingredients and completely free of preservatives. We have a variety of grains and millets to choose from like whole wheat, barley, Jowar, Bajra, multigrain and even customizable options.

WitBran atta is packed with essential nutrients, making it a healthier choice for you and your family. Unlike many other atta brands, WitBran offers a purer, more wholesome option that supports overall health and well-being.

I’d love for you to try it and see the difference yourself! I’m offering a free trial pack for you to experience the benefits of WitBran atta. Just reply to this message, and I’ll arrange for the trial pack to be sent to you.

Looking forward to your feedback!”

2. Audience: Look for all the women in your phonebook from ex/current colleagues and friends. Create a broadcast message to all the recipients.
3. Dispatch orders:
4. Prepare packaged orderes
5. 1. Ensure orders are well-packaged and branded.
   2. Add a small flyer or brochure that explains the health benefits and usage tips.
   3. Add a small handwritten thankyou note.
6. Deliver within the promised timeline of 24 hours.
7. Follow up: 
8. 1. Get back in touch after 7 days of delivering the order. 
   2. Ask for experience and feedback on the product. Go through the entire experience from opening the packaging to having the meal.
   3. If they have positive feedback, ask for a referral.
   4. If the referral is successful send a bag of the same product they had ordered as a thank you.

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Experiment 2: Host a stall in apartments for discovery, show the demonstrable better quality and how it’s better over competitors

Pitch: Pure, preservative free, nutritious, milled to order atta delivered at home

Hypothesis: Having physical presence in the space will lead to interactions and two way communications with users, experiencing the product and comparing with competition.

Implementation:

Preparation Phase

1. Identify Target Location
2. • Criteria: Select highrise apartment buildings where the average price of a home is 1.5Cr+.
   • Research: Use real estate listings and local insights to identify suitable buildings.
3. Apply for Stall Space
4. • Contact Admin: Reach out to the building administration to apply for a stall.
   • Permissions: Secure necessary permissions and schedule the stall setup date.
5. Prepare Marketing Materials
6. • Stall Design: Create an attractive stall with images showcasing primary quality, taste, and packaging benefits.
   • Pamphlets: Design and print pamphlets that include:
   • • Product information
     • Set of products on offer
     • Website QR code
     • WhatsApp number for contact
7. Trial Packs and Ingredients Display
8. • Trial Packs: Prepare 250 gm trial packs of multigrain atta.
   • Ingredients Display: Organize all the individual ingredients of multigrain atta on the counter.

Stall Setup Phase

5. Setup Stall
6. • Location: Position the stall near the entry/exit gate or a common area with high foot traffic.
   • Display: Arrange the standee, ingredients, trial packs, and pamphlets in an eye-catching manner.

Engagement Phase

6. Interact with Visitors
7. • Primary Customers: Focus on engaging with women as they are the primary nutritional custodians of the family.
   • Collect Contacts: Gather contact details of all the users who interact with the stall.
8. Conversation Starters
9. • Questions to Ask:
   • • What atta do they currently use?
     • Where do they buy it from?
     • Do they like the taste? Does it taste like wheat?
     • How do they get their vegetables and fruits? Do they often eat out?
     • Are they facing any health issues?
10. Show Ingredients Comparison
11. • Ingredients Display: Show all the individual ingredients and their proportions in WitBran multigrain atta.
    • Comparison: Compare with Ashirvaad/Sunfeast multigrain atta.
12. Offer Trial Packs
13. • Engagement: Ask if they’d be open to try WitBran atta trial packs.
    • Distribution: Give out the trial packs along with pamphlets.

Follow-Up Phase

10. Post-Event Follow-Up
11. • WhatsApp Messages: Send messages to people who took the trial packs to inquire if they’d like to order more.
    • • Order Processing: Take and punch orders for those interested.
    • Non-Participants: Send messages to those who didn’t take the trial packs, mentioning that several people from their society have made repeat purchases.
12. Use Testimonials
13. • Collect Feedback: Gather testimonials from satisfied customers.
    • Promote: Use these testimonials as a feedback loop to attract new customers.

Detailed Process Breakdown

Preparation Phase

1. Identify Target Location
2. • Use real estate websites and local contacts to find suitable highrise buildings.
   • Ensure the buildings meet the average price criteria of 1.5Cr+.
3. Apply for Stall Space
4. • Contact the building admin or management committee.
   • Explain the purpose and benefits of the stall.
   • Obtain and complete any necessary application forms or permissions.
5. Prepare Marketing Materials
6. • Design an appealing stall with visuals highlighting key benefits (e.g., quality, taste, packaging).
   • Print pamphlets with detailed product information, QR code for website, and WhatsApp contact.
7. Prepare Trial Packs and Ingredients Display
8. • Pack 250gm trial packs of multigrain atta.
   • Organize and label all individual ingredients for display.

Stall Setup Phase

5. Setup Stall
6. • Position the stall in a high-traffic area (e.g., near the main entrance or common area).
   • Arrange the standee, pamphlets, trial packs, and ingredients display attractively.

Engagement Phase

6. Interact with Visitors
7. • Greet visitors warmly and introduce WitBran.
   • Collect contact information using a sign-up sheet or digital form.
8. Conversation Starters
9. • Discuss common health issues related to atta consumption.
   • Ask questions to understand their current atta usage and buying habits.
10. Show Ingredients Comparison
11. • Display individual ingredients and their quantities in WitBran multigrain atta.
    • Compare with popular brands like Ashirvaad/Sunfeast.
12. Offer Trial Packs
13. • Invite them to try a free trial pack.
    • Provide a pamphlet with each trial pack.

Follow-Up Phase

10. Post-Event Follow-Up
11. • Send personalized WhatsApp messages to trial pack recipients to gather feedback and take orders.
    • Contact those who didn’t take trial packs, highlighting the positive feedback from others in their community.
12. Use Testimonials
13. • Collect positive feedback and testimonials from satisfied customers.
    • Use testimonials in future marketing materials and follow-up messages to build trust and encourage new customers to try WitBran.

Experiment 3:Crack the relevant community whatsapp groups with specific communication and trial packs

Hypothesis: The idea at large is to capture apartment societies. A lot of these users might still not come, interact or even encounter the stall displayed. It’ll be easier to tap into those users at large by accessing and posting in the society whatsapp groups.

Implementation:

Step 1: Identify Target Groups

1. Ask around in your own neighborhood to find the relevant groups.
2. Ask the same of your friends in other societies.
3. Find and join WhatsApp groups of apartment communities, parenting, health, and wellness in your target market through yourself or through your spouse.
4. Understand the rules, engagement patterns, and interests of the group members

Step 2: Relevant communication: 

1. For the parenting related groups, make the communication more around fresh, family, purity, kids, nutritious, and eating better. Imagery could be around expected mothers or kids’ food items.
2. For all the other groups, make it about preservatives free, healthy, milled to order, and  delivered to home. Imagery would be around getting healthier or popular food items made it Witbran atta
3. Offer a free trial pack with clear CTA on how to get/access it. E.g. reply to this message or DM me to order.

Step 3: Engagement and Follow-Up

1. Be responsive. Try to reduce response time to 5-10 mins and because of this choose weekends to post since it’d be easier to handle the load.
2. Share positive feedback from existing customers to build credibility.
3. Keep the audience engaged. Continue to share tips, recipes, and special offers to keep the group engaged.

Step 4: Measure Success and Gather Feedback

1. Keep track of how many people respond to your posts, request samples, or make purchases through simple spreadsheets.
2. Ask for feedback from those who try your products to improve your offerings and approach.
3. Based on the feedback and engagement levels, refine your messaging and offers.

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