Arboreal

Arboreal Bioinnovations Private Limited is an ingredients technology company specializing in plant-based sugar substitutes and other specialty food ingredients. The company was formally incorporated in 2014 by co-founders Swati Pandey (CEO) and Manish Chauhan (COO). The inspiration for the company stemmed from their personal experiences with family members having diabetes, leading them to seek healthier, versatile alternatives to sugar. Swati Pandey holds degrees from IIT and Imperial College London, while Manish Chauhan is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and London Business School. Their initial concept, conceived during a student entrepreneurship program in 2011, won an award at the Venture Capital Competition at Imperial College London.

The company's primary business is the B2B supply of low- and zero-calorie natural sugar substitutes that aim to replicate the taste, feel, and texture of sugar. They serve the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry globally, providing solutions for applications such as beverages, bakery, chocolates, ice cream, and Indian sweets. Arboreal's business model is vertically integrated, covering the entire value chain from cultivation to final product formulation. They partner with smallholder farmers in India to grow stevia, a key raw material, and have since expanded their ingredient portfolio to include other natural components like polyols and dietary fibres. The company's products, offered in both powder and liquid forms, are sold to F&B companies to help them reduce the sugar content in their products.

Arboreal has developed proprietary know-how to overcome the challenge of mimicking sugar's textural and mouthfeel properties, not just its sweetness. The company is headquartered in Lucknow, India, and operates a world-class contract manufacturing facility compliant with international food safety standards. As of March 2024, Arboreal's annual revenue was reported as ₹26.9Cr, with a post-money valuation of ₹171Cr.

Keywords: sugar substitute, stevia, food ingredients, B2B, natural sweeteners, food technology, sugar reduction, nutraceutical, beverage ingredients, plant-based