When a 20-something Vibha Harish started her entrepreneurial journey in 2019 after dabbling in a family arts and crafts business, she wasn’t really thinking of building a buzzy wellness brand. The idea popped up from her own experience of dealing with PCOS and understanding that when it comes to health, it cannot be treated in bits and pieces. Thus, began the building of Cosmix, a plant-based nutrition brand that an FMCG major recently acquired at an equity valuation of approximately ₹375 crore – taking a 60 per cent stake. “We were trying to reach more homes with clean ingredients. After speaking with multiple parties, we realised a strategic partner made the most sense which is how the deal came about,” says Harish.
However, the growth was never rushed. Until its majority acquisition, the brand remained bootstrapped, which, in a way, allowed space for growth without external pressure. “When you don’t have investors from day one, you’re not being told what to launch or what will sell faster. You’re forced to be mindful of spending, decisions and beliefs,” she says, adding that the slow and steady route eventually led to the partnership. “It wasn’t just money. We wanted someone who wouldn’t change our offerings.”
Harish started the company at 24, with her now husband Soorya Jagadish joining the business two years later. The duo was also on Shark Tank Season 3 in 2024, returning with `1 crore for 1 per cent equity with the condition of 1 per cent royalty till the `1 crore is recouped.
Growing up around the health practises of her mother, a homoeopathic doctor, she believed that healing takes time and patience. “You can’t want good skin but not sleep on time, or want to build muscle without taking care of your gut. Health doesn’t work in silos, and no change happens overnight. So much of wellness marketing is driven by insecurity. You see quick fixes, miracle timelines and false guarantees that only make people, who are already insecure, feel worse. None of it is nourishing or honest. I felt there was a real gap for ethical communication,” she says.
Her family support played a crucial part in navigating the uncertainty of a new business amidst starting troubles and the pandemic. “When you start something new, you’re vulnerable. In those moments, you lean heavily on those around you like I did on,” she says.
Back in 2019 when she set up the fledging venture, Harish was walking down a supermarket aisle, finding that most of the beauty and nutrition-related products were focused on telling us how our bodies should be. “It was important to me to change that narrative. They come from within. And all that matters is how healthy you are. That’s what makes a difference,” Harish had said in an interview with CE in December 2019.
She hopes to continue making that difference with plans to increase the offerings with investment pouring in. “Five years from now, if people associate us with clean ingredients, that’s good enough for me,” she says.