Smita Mondal - Batch of 2022

I am the co-founder of Plantrella. I started this company in 2020 when the country was locked down to combat the virus. This period of confinement proved to be a blessing in disguise because I discovered my passion and envisaged my short-term and long-term goals. I realised that I have always dreamt of building a brand that infuses vibrancy into organic, natural and homemade products for the present generation and those to follow. With a growing consciousness among people to be sensitive to the environment, we have a compelling opportunity to meet the needs of mindful consumers.

Having dabbled in curating skincare products, I wanted to start a business to make a meaningful impact on people's lives. Thus, I began my research to set the ball rolling. As I thought about people's lives, we understood the importance of their routines in a hectic lifestyle. Bathing is one such routine. However, we believe that most consumers would like to care for their skin without an elaborate ritual. Hence we sensed a need for a solution that goes beyond an ordinary soap.

Plantrella started making soaps with natural ingredients such as turmeric and green tea which were processed by melting. Soon, we realised that our soaps were not entirely free of the chemicals that we wanted to avoid altogether. Besides, the natural ingredients didn't react well to the heating process. Our research on comparable products revealed that cold-processed soaps were widely available in the US, UK, and Canada. That piqued my interest to make and market such soaps in Kolkata and elsewhere in India.

The journey has been quite challenging till now in a price-sensitive market such as India. We think our target segment comprises youngsters on the verge of finishing their studies and financially independent working professionals. They are open to the concept of natural skincare and have the purchasing power to afford a soap that fits in the premium price range of ₹170 to ₹300. But the decision isn't final yet, and we continue to explore.

We faced another challenge in the procurement of raw materials. Initially, I wanted to source our raw materials from Kolkata, where we operate, to save on costs. But the disappointing quality reminded us of our brand promise to customers who expected the best value for money and not the lowest price. We found our best supplier in a manufacturer in Ernakulam, Kerala, which specialises in Essential Oils, Refined Butter, Organic Powder, Fruit oil, and Natural Clay, among other ingredients. We have been able to cater to our clients' stringent quality standards, thus building our expertise in this endeavour. Having reviewed customer feedback, we learned about their skincare needs, which led us to launch a body scrub and face masks.

I manage production at a small facility in my house and produce a minimum quantity of the required products.

<aside> 🏊🏽‍♀️ As we move forward, I live with the satisfaction of having come this far in realising my dream and hope to take it to a grander scale while staying true to our mission.

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Link to the Plantrella's page on Instagram