In 2014, two sisters — Suhasini Sampath and Anindita Sampath — launched a bold idea that would transform India’s health food industry. They founded Yoga Bar, under the parent company Sprout Life Foods, with a simple mission: to make clean, nutritious food accessible to all.

What started as a small kitchen experiment grew into one of India’s most trusted clean-label food brands, backed by values of transparency, quality, and innovation.

The Spark: How Yoga Bar Was Born

The journey began in 2012 when Suhasini Sampath, then based in New York, noticed the rising popularity of healthy snack bars in the U.S. She trademarked the name Yoga Bar and returned to India with a vision to create honest, clean nutrition for the Indian consumer.

Alongside her sister Anindita, the duo spent three years researching ingredients and developing recipes in their home kitchen. They launched Yoga Bar under Sprout Life Foods in Bangalore in 2014, selling their first bars through yoga studios and boutique health stores.

Overcoming Hurdles: The Tough Early Days

Starting from scratch brought significant challenges:

• Sourcing Raw Ingredients: Ensuring clean, chemical-free inputs from Indian suppliers wasn’t easy in a processed food-dominated market.

• No Industry Background: With zero connections in food manufacturing, they had to build credibility from the ground up.

• Bootstrapped Beginnings: Without major funding early on, they managed everything—production, packaging, and sales—on their own.

• Educating Consumers: Concepts like “clean-label,” “no added sugar,” and “high protein” weren’t yet mainstream in India.

• David vs. Goliath: Competing with legacy FMCG giants with massive budgets meant relying on quality and word-of-mouth.

Still, the sisters stayed true to their purpose: providing real nutrition without artificial additives, preservatives, or misleading labels.

Scaling Yoga Bar: Growth Under Sprout Life Foods

As their products gained popularity, Yoga Bar (Sprout Life Foods) quickly expanded its offerings, disrupting multiple health food categories:

• Protein bars, muesli, oats, and peanut butter

• Infant food, Ayurvedic juices, and kids' cereal

Their clean-label promise and tasty recipes helped them build a loyal customer base. They secured venture capital from SAIF Partners, Fireside Ventures, and gained support from several respected industry leaders.

Thanks to strong leadership and a values-driven culture, Sprout Life Foods became one of India’s fastest-growing health food companies.

A Game-Changer: ITC Acquires 39% of Yoga Bar

In 2023, the Sampath sisters reached a major milestone: ITC acquired a 39% stake in Yoga Bar (Sprout Life Foods) for ₹500 crores.

This landmark deal not only boosted the company’s financial firepower but also validated their brand’s potential to scale nationally while staying true to its clean, honest roots.

The Bigger Mission: Making India Eat Healthier

More than just a business, Yoga Bar is a movement. With over 40% of Indians skipping breakfast, the brand aims to fill that void with products that are nutritious, convenient, and free from junk.

Whether it’s a protein bar for a busy professional or a wholesome cereal for a child, Sprout Life Foods continues to lead the charge for healthier eating in India.

The company also champions a progressive internal culture—offering employees autonomy, space to experiment, and a deep sense of purpose.

Conclusion: From Kitchen Counter to ₹500 Crores

The story of Suhasini and Anindita Sampath, and their journey with Yoga Bar under Sprout Life Foods, is one of vision, resilience, and impact.

With no industry legacy and countless hurdles, they built a health food brand that challenged norms and redefined Indian snacking. Today, Yoga Bar is more than a product—it’s proof that meaningful innovation can start with nothing more than an idea and a mission to do better.