Milk from Millet
While working for a large dairy manufacturer, Sujala Balaji began to question just how sustainable the future of our food system really is. With over two decades of experience in the industry, it wasn’t long before she felt a strong sense of responsibility to make a difference. Now, Sujala is the cofounder and CEO of Rainfed Foods, an early-stage startup changing alternative dairy by tapping into the power of climate resilient crops such as millet. In this episode we chat more with Sujala about Rainfed’s mission and why millet, as well as the brand’s approach to marketing products, product development, and other projects.
It was during the time period of Sujala working for a large dairy manufacturer specialising in product commercialisation when the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were introduced into the public domain.
Sujala: “Having those 17 goals put out in front of you for the first time, and especially working in the dairy industry, it really made me question whether this was the future that we need to keep supporting.'“
Sujala: “It was evident by everything that I was reading that we cannot continue, we cannot sustain producing food the way we currently are, and that something needs to change.”
Sujala: “As someone working in the industry … I felt a compelling responsibility to do something about it.”
When thinking about current dairy alternative products, they’re created for a niche segment and don’t consider the current generation of consumers.
So why did Sujala decide to focus on millet?
The answer boils down to two essential reasons: nutrition and sustainability.
Sujala: “I grew up in India, and India is the largest producer of millet in the world. I grew up eating millet, and I knew the health benefits of it.”
As an example, Sujala mentioned finger millet which has 3x the amount of calcium found in traditional animal dairy.
Millet also has enormous environmental benefits.
Sujala: “Millets are one of the most climate-resilient crops that are out there; it has a very low carbon footprint.”
Sujala: “When we talk about millet it’s not just one grain … by cultivating and eating all of these different varieties, you’re not only getting different nutrients … you’re also having a major impact on the agro-biodiversity.”
It’s the crops sustainability that is captured in the startup’s name, with the inspiration behind “Rainfed” Foods coming from the fact that millet are rain-fed crops that don’t need a lot of water. As a result, they’re able to survive in areas of very high temperatures on little additional input, making them a low-risk and more affordable option for farmers in drier regions.
Sujala: “Millets can also be used in feed and fodder, in brewing, and as a biofuel source as well … there are endless benefits to growing and eating millet.”
But despite the benefits to the crop, the awareness around it is missing from the mainstream. We asked Sujala about how this might impact their marketing strategy when hitting the market.
Sujala: “As much as we would love to start educating consumers about millet and call this the new superfood milk, that may not be the right strategy for us to go into the market first because of how little there is about millet.”
Sujala: “We’re not necessarily creating a millet milk … what we’re creating is B milk, that’s better than dairy, that’s better than any plant-based alternatives out there.”
Sujala went on to mention how Rainfed’s product will have complete protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals comparable to that of dairy products. This approach to branding contrasts to other startups like Oatly, who went heavy on the ingredients.
The decision to do things differently arose earlier this year when the team at Rainfed conducted an in-depth study with a panel of over 500 consumers; individuals were asked about what matters to them when they choose dairy and alternative products, with the top 3 answers being:
Taste
Protein
Calcium
Sujala: “I’m not going to say that the approach Oatly took wouldn’t work for us, it’s just different. I think Oatly catered to people that were really craving for a good-tasting milk, and a milk that functions really well in coffee.”
Sujala: “But the other top two parameters are protein and calcium. I think the industry is now under-estimating how much consumers value the nutritional component of milk.”
In terms of product development, Sujala has worked closely with her co-founder Ben Roche, a Michelin star chef and former lead for product development and commercialisation at top alternative protein companies like EatJust.
Sujala: “We have worked close to two years on developing and exploring the potential to scale our formulation and processes.”
Sujala: “We can’t wait to launch the product in Q1 next year!”
Regarding products, the small team are focussed on remaining an alternative dairy company, prioritising ingredients like millet.
Sujala: “We will continue to launch products in the dairy category, for example creamers, yoghurt, single-serve flavours.”
However, another project blossoms on the side of dairy.
Sujala: “In parallel we’re working on creating millet protein isolates; that would be used as an ingredient in plant meat.”
At the moment this is still in R&D phase, a phase which Sujala mentions is intense and as a result creates a number of barriers.
Sujala: “When you’re supplying to other companies, they want to make sure that you have the ability to produce it at scale; I think that’s why companies that go into the B2B space rely heavily on being able to mass produce the ingredient.”
Sujala: “There are [also] quite a few extraction techniques and processes involved in extracting the protein fraction.”
Sujala: “Once you develop the ingredient, there is then a lot of application work in understanding how the ingredient will behave in extrusion for example for plant meats, or as a protein enhancement powder in a beverage.”
Sujala: “It’s definitely an R&D intensive project.”
Luckily Rainfed Foods have received government funding to aid them in this endeavour, as well as have partnered with a leading Canadian university in continuing R&D.
The two sides of the business coin lead to the question of how a founder chooses to portion and dedicate their time.
Sujala: “As a startup founder with a very small team, sometimes you just have to trust your gut and do what feels right to you … that might mean working on 25 things in a day, or 1 thing in a day, and sometimes you feel like you give all your time and energy for months and months without any outcome, then one day you see all the progress that you’ve made.”
Sujala: “It’s definitely not an easy path or an easy journey … as you’re navigating those early startup days.”
Sujala: “Looking back it doesn’t feel like we have gotten a lot of traction, but as I’m reflecting towards the end of the year all of the things that we’ve been able to do and where we currently are including some capital we have raised, I am really proud of how far we have come as a small team.”
Rainfed Foods is also aiming to build a circular business model.
Sujala: “We try our very best to produce zero-waste from whatever we do.”
In the example of manufacturing milk from millet, there is a need to make sure that little waste as possible is produced, and any waste that does arise is automatically utilised in a different application, avoiding meeting an end in landfill. At the moment, Rainfed Foods is working on a way in which they can turn extracted solids into a recycled food ingredient.
Sujala: “Because one of our missions is sustainability, and we’re rooted in being better for the planet and not contributing to more emissions, being a circular business was important for us.”
Having recently expanded their team, Rainfed Foods has a lot to look forward to in the coming future.
Sujala: “Seeing our products on store shelves will be I think the most exciting day of 2022, just because we’ve been working on this product for so long, and we’re so excited to hit the market!”
Rainfed Foods will launch in Toronto, Canada before gradually expanding across the country and then eventually internationally. To learn more you can contact Sujala directly on LinkedIn, or follow Rainfed Foods here.