Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kunal Mirchandani, CEO of Miracle Tree, located in Miami, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
What is a Miracle Tree? The simple answer: Miracle Tree is an award-winning, family-owned brand with a focus on Moringa, a nutrient-dense superfood. I am so grateful that the brand is available in thousands of retail locations. Miracle Tree has three major product lines:
- Moringa Herbal Teas (award-winning and caffeine-free)
- Moringa Energy Teas (super-caffeinated coffee alternatives)
- Superfood Powders (great for smoothies and baked goods)
The not-so-simple answer: Miracle Tree is a brand driven by values. Since 2013, we have delivered the highest quality superfood herbal teas and powders -- all with a special focus on exceptional nutrition quality.
We are driven by our commitment to the customer's well-being, our commitment to supporting our farming and supply community, and our commitment to the environment where we source our ingredients.
Who is our customer? Our customers are driven by new and meaningful experiences with a focus on healthy and organic food choices. They want to support brands who focus on functional and wellness-inspired products to enhance their healthy lifestyle choices - and believe in meaningful experiences, a total understanding of their ingredient choice, and support brands with a purpose.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Kunal Mirchandani, and I, along with my twin brother Karan, founded Miracle Tree in 2013. While on a trip to the Dominican Republic, we had re-discovered Moringa in a strange way. We saw that local street vendors were plucking the moringa leaves from moringa trees on the street and creating a bitter (but popular) drink that had amazing nutrition qualities (some would say – it was "miraculous")! Having familiarity with the plant and ingredients, we wanted to know more. Moringa has always been a traditional ingredient in our family's South Asian cuisine - primarily in soups and other cooking recipes. But this was different - Moringa was being enjoyed more like a beverage. And most importantly, people wanted to have it for its nutritious qualities.
And with that 'A ha' moment, we began their journey to build a quality organic moringa tea line with a focus on quality, taste, and fair pricing - and our journey to achieve Miracle Tree's mission had started! We wanted to create delicious, healthy, nutritious, sustainable superfood food and beverage products that have the highest quality standards in the market.
Leveraging our family's history in tea blending, we set forth to create a delicious and refreshing moringa tea line. Finding unique and innovative ways to deploy ingredients with a purpose is what drives us daily – and seeing our customers happy (and healthy) is our primary motivation. We've been driving innovation in the space ever since.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Miracle Tree's overwhelmingly positive customer feedback is the brand's great source for both inspiration and accomplishment. My brother and I are very particular about their customers' experiences with their products and use feedback to help build a better product and grow by addressing any issues that may arise. I'll man the "customer service" lines frequently just to have an open dialogue and learn more about what our customer wants and act swiftly to evolve the brand. It's no surprise that Miracle Tree is the #1 rated Moringa Tea across major e-commerce channels. This close connection to the customer has allowed us as business owners to help identify opportunities and innovations (i.e., the world's first super-caffeinated range of moringa teas) or address issues to make a better product (i.e., switching to foil envelopes to ensure a longer-lasting freshness for the teas).
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Running a business is hard. Don't let anyone tell you differently. But it's also rewarding, and it should be fun. Running a business with family adds a splash of complexity to the whole mix (and could be a recipe for disaster)! Thankfully, my brother and I are perfectly in sync with expectations and roles at the company. We work well in the startup environment. I do know that that is not always the case, and I would say that finding the right partner (or team) is likely the most difficult aspect of being a business owner. Delegating and scaling can open new opportunities and let you grow. Thankfully, I entered the world (quite literally) with my partner by my side, so I didn't have too much difficulty in finding my co-founder.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be resolute and persistent – it's a journey, and you will fail along the way. Don't give up, and try to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dreams. The people who succeed in running their businesses never give up.
- Get a mentor – this is vital to your success. We don't have all the answers, so look to experience and talk things out. It's a great way to uncover new opportunities and grow personally and professionally.
- Don't be shy to start fresh. If you have a product, don't get too attached to it. Be ready to go back to the drawing board and find a better way to make it work with your audience. Each product is a new opportunity to innovate and bring something new to the table to inspire and delight your customers.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.miracletree.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miracletreetea/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiracleTreeTea
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/miracletreetea/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.