Karthik Kondepudi, represents the third generation of the Herbochem family.
It was Karthik’s educational journey that led him to earn a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of the Pacific in California, US. A two-year stint in the pharmaceutical industry, in the US, that followed, helped him to gaining invaluable experience, while honing his skills and taking his knowledge-base to the next level.
Fast-forward. Kartik’s fresh perspective and innovative ideas to transforming the family business by seamlessly blending cutting-edge technology with timeless traditions are what dreams are made of and also fulfilled.
That he was driven by a fervent belief — the immense potential of his family business — was just what his inner calling ordained. Karthik returned to India with a vision to lead. His mission — to leverage his expertise and passion to market and propel the company to reach new heights, particularly in the global arena, with a strong focus on the United States.
Karthik, a Partner at Herbochem, who currently spearheads Business Development, champions the importance of fostering strong relationships with companies and networking with individuals to establishing a prominent presence in the global market. He understands that building connections is paramount to the company’s growth.
Karthik wears multiple hats. He also serves as a Director at Thirigi Wellness Pvt Ltd, the associate company of Herbochem, specialising in the formulation of wellness products. As most insiders believe that, with Karthik at the helm at Herbochem, and its associate enterprise, the company is all poised for remarkable growth and healthy innovation in the wellness industry.
KARTHIK KONDEPUDI, a partner at Herbochem, unwraps his company’s exciting journey, from the ground up, its strategy and future outlook, among other things — in this freewheeling conversation.
TW360: Your establishment has been a name to reckon with for over 50 years. Please tell us from where your founders derived the primal idea for Herbochem?
KK: Herbochem was started by K V Chalam in 1973. India was on the brink of an economic transformation in the early 1970s — the winds of change were blowing too, bringing in new opportunities and dreams for the future. This roseate panorama was to Chalam, a man with a vision, what the semiconductor chip was to Jack Kilby. That he was always fascinated with the healing power of natural products — more so, because he had witnessed first-hand miracles of traditional remedies, while growing up in a small village — bid fair to the idea of Herbochem.
When India began to open its economy, in the early 1970s, Chalam saw a unique opportunity. The government was encouraging entrepreneurship and the world was becoming quite aware of natural and holistic health solutions. It was the perfect time to turn his lifelong dream into reality. With a heart full of hope and determination, Chalam established Herbochem, a company dedicated to manufacturing herbal extracts, phytochemicals and other natural supplements — nutraceuticals — derived from plants and animals. The journey of Herbochem was not just about business; it was also about fulfilling a dream that bridged the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science. It was about creating something that could benefit humanity too, while staying true to the roots of tradition.
TW360: Do you think Herbochem was your founder’s eureka moment? And, why?
KK: I believe risking something and starting a medium-scale manufacturing company itself was a eureka moment, irrespective of the day and age. The big moment to celebrate is the fact that the company has been able to sustain and grow for 50 years. Starting a business those days, as everyone would acknowledge, was no easy task, or feat. Chalam faced numerous challenges — from securing funding to navigating the bureaucratic maze. The early days were fraught with difficulties. There were times when the machinery broke down, raw materials were hard to source and orders were few and far between.
TW360: You’ve a whole list of impressive products, all right, and new innovations. How do you keep abreast with what’s new in your field?
KK: Our product list is not randomly curated. Every product that Herbochem offers has a story behind it. We usually follow a process to add new products to our list. The first challenge is to understand various diseases and their complications. We aim, thereafter, as to what natural product would best help in managing the given disease. We also understand the mechanism of action and the pharmacological benefits that we want in a product and try to shortlist our sources — to extract the desired phytochemical. The real challenge comes when we reach the R&D stage — this is where we spend most of the time to develop the product. We also get a good deal of inputs from global conventions where we exhibit. This gives us the insight on what the market is demanding and how best we’d offer a quality product at an affordable price.
TW360: What’s your background?
KK: I have an MS in Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences, majoring in Pharmaceutics, from the University of the Pacific, US — as referred to at the outset.
TW360: Who’s on your leadership team and what is their background?
KK: Herbochem is a family-run business with highly qualified people carrying out various roles in the company. The company is currently run by three partners with unique skillsets.
- Somnath Kondepudi, MBA [Finance]. He heads finance and operations
- Venkat Kondepudi, MSc [Chemistry], PG Diploma in Personal Management and Industrial Relations. He heads production and quality control
- Karthik Kondepudi, MS [Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences]. He heads product innovation and international business development.
TW360: Who are your main competitors?
KK: Anyone that can manufacture the same product is our competitor. I think there is nothing such as competition. At the end of the day we are all here to doing business — what’s more, we all believe in working hand-in-hand to making sure that we can cater to the world.
TW360: How are you different from the competition?
KK: Once you know how to play the game, and play it well, I think there is no difference between you and the competitors. The only way to doing good business is by maintaining a worthy reputation, along with great public relations skills. I think we were able to sustain for 50 years, primarily because we have got our basics right.
TW360: What are the most recent, special, or unique, products that you’ve offered?
KK: We recently launched our +91 Ashwagandha. This is a branded and clinically backed Ashwagandha extract that has been optimised to manage mental health. While there are several Ashwagandha manufacturers out there, I think I can proudly say that we are one of the only few manufacturers that are backed by clinical studies — to prove that our product is far superior than the rest. I can also confidently say that +91 Ashwagandha is the only Ashwagandha extract in the market that is solely focused on managing mental health issues, like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. I think our whole team did a commendable job to design, execute and launch such a path-breaking product.
TW360: What exactly is your forte?
KK: I believe our strength, thanks to our 50 years of experience, is keyed to coming up with unique solutions to isolating and extracting chemical compounds from various natural sources. Our average time-frame to crack a problem is about one week. We have also built our reputation in the market by offering only high-quality products. We just don’t compromise on our quality even one bit.
TW360: How fast are you growing?
KK: Nutraceuticals — functional foods that aid in the prevention and treatment of diseases and/or disorders — are bound to bring about a sea-change in the global landscape, what with its impressive heritage in herbal medicine, advanced scientific research and development capabilities, aside from a growing demand by consumers for natural health solutions. The global market for nutraceuticals is shifting towards preventative healthcare and personalised nutrition — this is one major area where Indian nutraceuticals, with their blend of traditional knowledge and modern science, bring unique value to the table.
I’d also like to add that Herbochem is leveraging digital platforms, which is indispensable in today’s world, to expanding its global reach. This foray will not only expand our brand visibility, but also allow Herbochem to garner valuable feedback from a global customer base, while driving continuous improvement.
- Company Website: https://www.herbochem.com/
