Niramaya Foods’ Mehek Khera explains how she built a $1M wellness food brand from scratch

Authenticity and wellness are at the heart of today’s food industry, but building a brand that embodies both takes vision and resilience. On today’s episode of The Small Business Show, Mehek Khera, founder of Niramaya Foods, discusses how her search for wellness-forward food turned into a million-dollar venture.

“Niramaya” means “wellness” or “without illness” in Sanskrit: a blessing that Khera’s grandmother often said to her while she was growing up in India.

Khera came to the United States in her early twenties to pursue her MBA. After completing her education and joining the corporate world, she experienced burnout and began developing chronic health conditions. Determined to regain her health, she turned to nutrition and rediscovered the ingredients and traditions of her homeland.

Many of the dishes she grew up with were plant-forward and rich in herbs and spices known to aid wellness, digestion and reduce inflammation. When Khera struggled to find similar foods on American shelves, she decided to launch Niramaya Foods.

The company’s flagship product is its Indian-inspired Naan Pretzels, enriched with herbs and spices that promote wellness. The company’s pretzels and dips are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, made with avocado oil and contain no added sugars. They are now available at Sprouts Farmers Market and Albertsons nationwide, as well as online through TikTok Shop, Amazon and the company’s website.

When Khera left her corporate career, she was searching for a balance between work and wellness. Ironically, as a business owner, she now works around the clock—but on her own terms. Her decisions surprised her family back in India, though she received unwavering support from her husband.

Before taking the leap into entrepreneurship, she saved $50,000 to cover the minimum order quantity (MOQ) required by her co-packer. Currently, Khera remains the only full-time employee at Niramaya but relies on fractional help as the business continues to scale.

Over the next five years, she envisions expanding Niramaya’s retail presence into more natural and conventional grocery stores while also expanding the product line and strengthening direct-to-consumer sales.

"Work hard enough so that you get lucky."

The journey hasn’t been easy. Khera admits that while anyone can create a food product and start selling, meeting the requirements to get on retail shelves is complex and costly. Food distribution adds another layer of difficulty, requiring strict standards for shelf stability, storage and transportation.

Distributor policies can quickly drain a small company’s cash flow if not managed carefully. She advises other small business owners to understand these challenges early on to avoid costly mistakes.

One of the company’s most significant challenges is handling larger orders from distributors. While exciting, it strains the company’s finances. To meet those demands, the company secures financing through partners, local banks and lines of credit.

Niramaya Foods is on track to reach $1 million in sales this year, with plans to triple revenue in 2026 through several new initiatives. In addition, Khera will expand her team with key leadership and management hires.

Every success story begins with hard work and persistence. Khera encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to create their own luck by pushing themselves and remaining diligent.