India is seeing a major shift toward functional foods, but building a brand in this space isn’t simple. In this episode of Digital Shelf Insider, host Shreshta Joy sits down with Sudarshan Gangrade, Founder of Lo Foods, to unpack what it really takes to create a health-focused food brand that lasts.

From tackling India’s protein gap and rising lifestyle diseases to navigating marketplaces, quick commerce, and repeat purchase behavior, Sudarshan shares practical lessons from building Lo Foods and scaling brands like Protein Chef.

What’s in store?

(00:00) Trailer

(00:51) Intro

(01:39) Welcome & Greetings (Sudarshan Gangrade)

(02:28) Lo Foods The Origin Story

(03:11) Early Customer Feedback

(04:08) Hardest Part of Scaling

(04:54) Product Philosophy

(05:29) Common Pitfalls for Incumbent Brands

(06:30) What's The Marketplace Strategy?

(07:45) Offline vs. Online Strategy

(08:41) What Works Best on Quick Commerce?

(09:29) Challenges in Quick Commerce

(10:08)  Indian Consumer Behavior

(11:09) How Important is Taste for Consumers?

(12:08) Repeat Purchases

(13:06) Myths Around Lo Foods

(13:55) Myths Around Functional Food

(15:23) Advice for Founders

(16:26) Outro

If you’re a founder, brand builder, or e-commerce operator in the food space, this conversation breaks down what works (and what doesn’t) when turning a functional food idea into a scalable business.

Also, check out the latest MetricsCart exclusive VoC report on the Best Running Shoes in 2026 to see what real shopper feedback reveals about performance, comfort, and buying trends.