Nucros: Try this nutrition science with natural ingredients for delicious meal plans

Nucros is a new-age subscription-based food/beverage provider that combines the latest nutrition science with natural ingredients for delicious meal plans to help achieve dietary goals.

The brand delivers customised keto, low carb, vegan, and balanced meals to your doorstep. The subscription plans include management of various medical conditions such as diabetes, thyroid, digestive issues, PCOD, weight-loss and general well-being. All plans are personalised, certified by doctors, crafted by expert chefs and delivered to one's doorstep.

Read excerpts from an interview with Sakshi Bakshi:

What prompted you to start the brand during a pandemic and what is the vision?

It was during the lockdown that I initiated the process and that's when the company was formed with the idea to launch a platform where consumers can simply fill up a form, post which they would receive a call from our nutritionist. That call will discuss the subscriber's goals and their medical history, based on which the nutritionist prepares their diet plans which are vetted and approved by our team of dedicated doctors. The diet plan is then shared with the kitchen team who then prepares the fresh meals which are then delivered to the subscriber's house daily.

My vision is to eliminate the stigma of completely of avoiding tasty food while following meal plans. That is why Nucros Science not only prepares your diet chart but also sends you fresh meals cooked in their kitchen under their meal subscription plans. These diet plans also have dishes like Maggi and pizzas which are made using healthier alternatives. Such diet plans help the clients to be happy and content because they don't have to compromise on the taste but rather, they learn to make healthier choices and eat what they enjoy. This also helps them to love their bodies and work hard to stay fit.

Our vision is a world where nobody will have to compromise with taste to achieve their health goals. Our mission is to provide complete convenience and deliver nutrient-calculated and macros-calculated tasty and healthy meals on a subscription basis right to your doorstep.

What sets the brand apart and why should people opt for Nucros?

The subscription-based healthy meal market in India is in a nascent stage, especially in the chronic and lifestyle disease space. Unlike other products in the lifestyle disease space which target only a specific part of the problem such as bars, teas, and drinks, we provide a holistic and convenient solution that comprises nutritious meals along with exercise and lifestyle guidance. Moreover, this is a segment that requires tailored nutrition, unlike a one-size-fits-all approach which is followed by most players.

In the women's health market, we are the only subscription-based meal service in India, offering meals and smoothies for specific women's health issues such as managing PCOS, boosting fertility, increasing fetal weight during pregnancy, and boosting milk supply after birth, all through natural foods with food acting as medicine.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are increasingly common in India and most patients with chronic diseases have to limit or restrict their diet to manage their condition(s). What sets us apart from other players in this category including dieticians is that we ensure they get all their favourite meals and desserts thanks to a team of expert chefs, nutritionists and endocrinologists who make sure that their diet is not restrictive and they can enjoy all their meals despite their health condition.

While the weight-management market is crowded with multiple players offering parts of the solution, apart from calorie-counted and macros-calculated meals provided to their doorstep and nutritionist guidance, we also provide free monthly blood diagnostic test and consults with physicians and exercise coaches to ensure their goals and macros, micros are on track and that they are completely taken care of. And as mentioned, a customized meal plan per their preferences and allergies so that they enjoy the meals shared.

What challenges did you face while setting up with business and your key learnings?

The key business challenge has been the high rate of customer attrition. Most subscribers achieve their weight loss goals in a target span of 2-2.5 months and thus do not resubscribe to the plan. To combat this issue, we have diversified our business portfolio into DIY plans and retail products as alternate revenue streams. These new offerings have also enabled us to hold on to the customer even after they discontinue. We are also slowly and steadily shifting our focus from weight-management plans to chronic and lifestyle diseases for longer client retention.

As an entrepreneur, the biggest lesson learned has been to be agile. The quicker you make a decision, the quicker you can succeed or fail at it. I have consciously tried to create a culture of trial and error at Nucros, leading the team to be more creative and empowered. Thanks to a strong independent team, most tasks and decisions are made autonomously without waiting for any approval. Another important lesson learned has been to drive operations using technology. This has helped us in creating standardised and automated processes where we can accommodate over 100 clients with a smaller workforce thereby creating cost efficiencies.

What are your growth and expansion plans?

Since our start in July 2020, we have achieved around 10 per cent growth month-on-month till Dec 2020 and 20 per cent growth month-on-month with a total revenue of Rs 76 lacs till March 2021.We are looking to double the revenue every year with the help of our existing revenue streams and projected expansion into other tier-1 markets.

Expansion strategies for specific segments:

Diabetes/ Heart/Renal/Liver Disease -- Plans underway to expand share in this segment through doctor referrals. Future penetration plans include direct tie-up with select hospitals that can outsource meals for in-hospital patients.

PCOS/Fertility/Pregnancy/Lactation-- Apart from the existing doctor referral system for our meal subscription program, we are planning to increase share in this market through Pan-India expansion with retail food products such as smoothie premixes and healthier food swaps for insulin resistance, etc.

Weight Management -- To increase share in this highly competitive market, we are planning to launch an app to expand our services offering and provide a seamless experience to both our meal subscription and DIY customers.