Arpita Divyesh Doshi, the founder of NDF is a 1st generation woman innovator turned entrepreneur from Ahmedabad. She is bringing science to the nutritional food that you consume. Arpita Doshi is proving a 2000 years old proverb “Your Food is Your Medicine”.
Arpita’s startup NDF is part of the HexGn Startup Ready Program. Its a six-month online Startup Acceleration program by HexGn in partnership with Invest India (AGNIi, and Startup India) to boost technology-based entrepreneurs from India.
The Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (INDIA), CFTRI – Mysore recognized her innovative and authentic approach and bestowed her with Young Entrepreneur award for her innovation. She holds 10 Indian Patents under her belt and has formulated another six more to give a plethora of choices when it comes to choosing healthy products. Three of them have been commercialized and made available on e-commerce platforms and traditional platforms since 2019. Ms Doshi started NDF, from her kitchen and now has its own 100kg/production unit with health and hygiene certificates that ensures quality and purity. NDF’s vision is to Feed 100% Plant-based Natural, Innovative Functional Foods as medicine to curb all Inflammatory Non-Communicable Diseases across the global population.
Before COVID, the burden of Inflammatory Non-Communicable Diseases on Indian GDP was 5-10% and US$7 trillion globally. Covid19 has changed the world, and everyone is suffering from stress in one way or another, and it is the primary cause of Inflammatory diseases in our bodies. Arpita believes stress that can be prevented or managed by lifestyle and dietary modifications. She wants to eliminate the guilt factor from our beloved foods.
The Japanese population is well known for its healthy longevity because of their diet rich in secondary nutrients “Antioxidants” along with other macro and micronutrients. The supplement industry suffers from a significant, setback when it comes to consumer acceptance especially in their widely available forms(Tablets, Capsules, Tinctures), leaving the users with psychological stress and stigma after consumption. Functional Foods from NDF overcome this burden by blending nutrients in easily consumable food items.
NDF is based on the concept of fusing traditional and modern foods. Hence they have consumers from both these sectors. Removing Guilt factor from food and blending with feel-good factor from food is what makes NDF different.
Before starting NDF, Arpita was working in London, the United Kingdom and had a highly successful career; however, she always wanted to remain close to her roots and her motherland and do something in the field of food and agriculture. Her husband, Mr Divyesh Doshi, looks after all the production and regulatory aspect, and Ms Vidhi Doshi looks after her commercial brand marketing on digital platforms.
Arpita’s message to the budding entrepreneur is a DREAM. It all starts with a dream once you identify what problems are stopping you from making your dream a reality, work towards the elimination of those problems with full dedication, determination and persistence till your dream becomes a reality.