The very mention of the word ‘chocolate’ conjures up images of sweetness, fun, love and care. And Harsha has made it her business (…both literally and figuratively) to ensure that this always remains so! The resultant brainchild - Pure Temptation - has established its niche in the chocolate industry, by introducing a wide variety of unique products… Of course, being a food and travel enthusiast helped this entrepreneur immensely on her journey to success, as she explored new avenues that provided tremendous opportunity.
But there’s a lot more to this talented lady, than just business acumen. Here are some excerpts from an exclusive interview she gave ‘Women Entrepreneur Magazine’ ; wherein she shares nuggets from both her personal and professional lives, with us :
1. What inspired you to enter the chocolate industry? Give us a glimpse into the foundation of pure temptation.
I belong to a business family. My father, Late Bachubhai Gandhi, had established his own ice-cream enterprise. His Vadilal Group is a name to reckon with, even today ! And then, I married a man who has earned a name for himself in manufacturing bakery products, as well as innovative packaging material through his venture – Print N Pack.
“I started pure temptation, as i was passionate about doing magic with chocolate in dreamt of offering affordable luxury healthy product to the masses”
I often accompany my husband Vandan, on his business trips. And it was during an exhibition visit to Germany, that I was greeted by the site of a unique product, at a small store. It was a rolled sugar-cone filled with chocolate. Needless to say, it was ‘love at first sight’! And immediately the gears in my head were set in motion, as to how I could bring this wonderful creation to the masses in our own land…Though my father’s Vadilal was a household name where ice-cream is concerned, he always dreamt of working with chocolate. Now it was time for this housewife and mother-of-two, to make her father’s Dream a Reality ! And I knew that it could be easily done, as our family was already in the business of making cones and sleeves. So now, it was only a question of manufacturing premium chocolate for the filling. No doubt ; looking into the nature of chocolate, I knew that a lot of R&D and experimentation would have to be done with both product and process, to come up with a superlative combination ! And that is how a pan-Indian ‘Pure Temptation’ came into existence.
2. Give us a glimpse into your company, pure temptation. How has your educational & professional experience helped in its growth journey so far? Also, what role do you play in the organization?
Right from the start, our goal was to launch ‘affordable luxuries’ (as we call them), which would be within the reach of one and all ! And that is precisely what we did with chocolates and waffles. Our product range comprises Compound Chocolate, ChocoBlast Cone, Premium Milk Choco-paste, Choco Blast range of chocolate & spreads, with several more in the pipeline… Our production unit employs over 45 people. Though our products are available all over India and exported too, realizing the importance of the digital world, we have also established our presence on various online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm Malletc.
And it seems our efforts have paid off. I was both honoured and humbled to have been bestowed the “National Priyadarshini Award” for Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs, “The Sambhava Award” for Excellence in Women Entrepreneurs, “The Swayam Siddha Award” from GCCI, and to have been listed amongst the “Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs” in MSME.
As far as my educational background goes, I’ve done my M.Sc. in Chemistry. My professional experience began long before I became an entrepreneur, as I used to assist my husband in his day-to-day operational activities. In fact, whatever I have achieved to date, is all thanks to him, and my brother, Devanshu. Both of them keep motivating me, to do better than my best !
Though I basically oversee all the departments in our Organization, I receive tremendous support from my entire family. In addition to the two people mentioned earlier, my daughter Dhara, who is a C.A., tends to our Costing & MIS ; my son, Rushikesh – an M.B.A, looks after Sales & Marketing ; and my daughter-in-law, Niyomi – an architect by profession, handles branding and social media campaigns.
3. An entrepreneur’s life often demands major sacrifices, especially in terms of personal life in order to gain success. How do you strike a balance between maintaining a busy work life while also taking some time off for yourself?
You are absolutely right, about the demands made on an entrepreneur. However, I am one of the lucky few, in that respect. As it’s a family business, I have always had their support in both – my personal, as well as professional life… So while I’m at work, it’s all business. But once I return home, my time is my own. To indulge in all my interests and hobbies – be it yoga, walking, music, painting, dancing (I love Kathak) But what I love more than anything else, is travelling – my favourite destination being Kailash Mansarovar.
4. What plans do you have for pure temptation in future?
Like most other businesses, we too suffered a temporary setback because of the COVID pandemic. But now, by God’s grace, everything has started returning to normal… We have set up a plant at Sanand (GIDC), begun workon bucket of soon to be launched new product, and are scaling our business to ensure PAN India presence.
Harsha Gandhi, Founder, Pure Temptation
Harsha, an M.Sc. by qualification, is a ‘Connoisseur of Chocolate’ !She has established a niche in the Industry, through her innovatively manufactured items.
Office: Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
