Processed food has grown in popularity, making products more convenient and lasting longer, however, there remain drawbacks to relying on a lot of heavily processed foods. Nowadays, a lot of canned goods and condiments have expiration dates that stretch for a longer time but are unhealthy for us when they’re jam-packed with synthetic ingredients and chemical preservatives.

Vinis Foods is a well-known business entity that was established in 2013 by Vinita Jain with the vision of raising awareness about the significance of eating fresh, preservativefree and chemical-free food without compromising on the convenience. Vinis Foods offers a variety of authentic Italian sauces for pasta and pizza, as well as Mexican and Mediterranean dips that are preservative-free. “I was driven with the passion of launching a product line which is fresh, authentically prepared, and preservative-free. By making it in the right way, I was able to move the junk category to a healthy version,” says Vinita Jain. In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur Magazine, Vinita Jain talks more about her professional journey and the unique traits of Vinis Foods.

Give Us A Quick Rundown Of Vinis Foods. What Prompted You To Pursue A Career In The Food Industry?

Vinis Foods is an indigenous brand that offers 19 various wholesome Italian sauces for pasta and pizza, as well as some Mexican and Mediterranean dips. It all began when we moved back from Australia to India. I didn't like giving my children preservative-laden meals and had several options of fresh and authentic sauces in Australia. When we returned, I discovered that there is no such brand that creates fresh pasta sauces, so I began making my own. It was then that struck me with the idea to establish a product line of fresh preservative-free sauces, which were not accessible on the market. It took a while, but the intent was to provide people with fresh, authentic food while also making their lives easier, as simple as boiling the pasta and putting the sauce together. Thus, we offer the consumers the most authentic meal possible without jeopardizing their health, something as good as they would prepare at home.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience. How Did All The Pieces Of Vinis Foods Come Together?

I'm a science graduate with a math major, and on the professional front, I worked in an insurance company in Australia. Aside from working for the insurance company, I used to volunteer in schools, the cancer association, and with special children. When I returned here, I didn't want to go back to the 9-5 job and instead wanted to pursue something on my own. I don't have a background in the culinary sector as such, but I'm fortunate to have fantastic chef friends who helped me learn what goes into making the best sauce and a great exposure of food from childhood. And coming from a science background, understanding food was rather easy for me. Subsequently, I recruited a Sydneybased food technologist to assist me to standardize the recipe and pass it properly so that it stayed well. It all happened with the passion of producing a premier product line that fundamentally gives an experience of having an authentic Italian meal at home.

What Is The Usp Of Vinis Foods That Gives An Edge Over The Others In The Market?

The freshness of the sauce and the high-quality ingredients is our key differentiating factor. We don't use any concentrates, and the quality of the ingredients is never compromised. We manufacture products in small batches to keep things fresh. Despite the fact that we don’t add preservatives; the sauces we offer have a shelf life of three months and can be stored at room temperature. For a boutique business like ours, where we believe in giving premium quality products at the most affordable price, which does not stay the same if we go for retailers, owing to their listing fees, charges, and the margins that they want from us. Thus, we sell our products through our website, WhatsApp group, and various other e-commerce platforms.

“Since our inception in 2013, we've grown from 4 types of products to now offering 19 various sauces as well as salsa and other snack dips, to cafes and restaurants across the city”

What Are The Various Roles & Responsibilities That You Currently Shoulder At Vinis Foods?

I have been wearing multiple hats at Vinis Foods and I make it a point to oversee every segment. But my area of expertise is unquestionably production, as I ensure that the sauces are created according to the recipe to the letter. I also oversee sales and marketing since I enjoy interacting with customers and understanding their requirements. Our entire company operates with the goal of giving the best to the customers, therefore we put our heart and soul into it.

Enlighten Us On Our Other Venture, Roov Dehydration, Which Adds Value To Cooked Food And Fresh Produce?

Roov Dehydration is a joint venture between me and Hema, an exemplary women entrepreneur. The entire concept of entering the food dehydration space was to provide people with the best way to have their own cooked food dehydrated, which is then vacuum packed, making it convenient while traveling and allowing one to have their mother's cooked meals while staying abroad. Along with giving people the service and the convenience of dehydrating what they have cooked, we dehydrate farm fresh produce which helps people create a value-added product that can be used for a longer time without compromising on nutrition. We've also developed our own product line, which includes caffeine-free tea blends, power blends (lettuce, spinach, fenugreek, lemon grass, moringa, etc), raw banana flower, sun dried tomatoes, mushroom, and more.

What Have Been The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved Thus Far In Your Journey?

Since our inception in 2013, we've grown from 4 types of products to now offering 19 various sauces as well as salsa and other snack dips, to cafes and restaurants across the city. The level of trust and credibility that we have established with our consumers is without a doubt our greatest achievement. Today, they trust me with everything I put in front of them. The belief in the Vinis’ product and me is the most significant accomplishment, which fills my heart with utmost satisfaction and motivates me to keep going.

Vinita Jain, Founder, Vinis Food

Creating the awareness of consuming fresh food with her product line of authentic preservative free Italian pasta & pizza sauces and Mexican & Mediterranean dips.