India’s evolving food and nutrition market is creating opportunities for brands looking to bridge the gap between convenience, taste and healthier eating. As consumers become more conscious of ingredients, protein intake and clean-label products, Botenz is betting on a relatively unfamiliar category: powdered nut butters.
The brand aims to give traditional ingredients such as almonds, peanuts, cashews and pistachios a modern makeover through a versatile powder format that can be added to smoothies, breakfast bowls, baked goods and everyday recipes.
Backed by a focus on simple formulations, plant-based protein and reusable glass packaging, Botenz wants to make nuts more accessible and relevant to contemporary Indian kitchens. In this interaction with Wealth Spark, Elad Lavi, Co-Founder and Global CEO, and Prashanth Nagaraj, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Botenz India, discuss the idea behind the brand, changing Indian food preferences, the potential of the nut powder category and their ambition to make it an everyday kitchen staple.
Q) What was the moment you first tasted or saw this nut powder concept and thought, ‘this needs to come to India’?
The idea came from recognising a gap between what people enjoy eating and what they want from their nutrition. We began exploring how nuts, which are already familiar ingredients in most households, could be made more versatile and convenient to use. We saw an opportunity to bring the nutritional benefits and flavour of nuts into a different format that could fit into everyday food habits.
India felt like a natural market for this idea. Nuts are already an integral part of Indian food culture, and conversations around protein, mindful eating and convenient nutrition are becoming increasingly relevant. We saw an opportunity not just to introduce a new product, but to build awareness of an entirely new category around an ingredient people already know and trust.
For someone who’s never heard of a ‘nut powder’ before, how would you explain Botenz to them in the way you’d explain it to your own mom or a friend at home?
We would simply say that Botenz gives you another way to enjoy the flavour and nutritional benefits of nuts. Think of your favourite peanut or cashew butter, but in a convenient powder format that you can use in different ways.
You can add it to a smoothie, stir it into your oats, use it in baking or experiment with it in everyday recipes. Depending on the variant and how you use it, you can also make it into a spread. The idea is to make nuts more versatile and easier to incorporate into your daily routine, without making food preparation complicated.
Q) We’re seeing this huge shift towards clean-label and mindful eating in India right now. What do you think changed in how Indians are thinking about food and nutrition, especially post-pandemic?
The pandemic encouraged many people to pay closer attention to their health and everyday food choices. Since then, we have seen greater interest in understanding what goes into the food we eat, from ingredient lists and sugar content to protein and overall nutritional value. Consumers are increasingly looking beyond marketing claims and paying more attention to what a product actually contains.
At the same time, convenience remains important. People want products that fit into their routines without compromising on the ingredients they choose. We believe this shift creates an opportunity for food innovation that is practical, transparent and built around familiar ingredients. At Botenz, we want to make it easier for consumers to explore different ways of incorporating nuts into their everyday diets.
Q) Walk us through a typical day — how would someone actually use Botenz? Is it going into their morning smoothie, their dal, their baking? Give us the real, everyday picture.
The best part about Botenz is that it doesn’t have to be limited to one meal or one type of recipe. Someone could start their day by adding peanut or almond powder to a smoothie, mixing it into oats or blending it into a breakfast shake. Those who enjoy experimenting in the kitchen could use pistachio powder in desserts, cashew powder in baking or sesame powder in selected savoury recipes.
It can also be useful for people who cook for themselves and want simple ways to add nut flavour and plant-based protein to their meals. Whether you are preparing a quick breakfast before work, making a snack or trying a new recipe over the weekend, the format offers flexibility. We don’t expect people to completely change how they eat; we want to give them another ingredient that works across different occasions.
Q) You’ve chosen to package everything in reusable glass jars — was that a sustainability call, a brand aesthetic call, or a bit of both? Tell us the thinking behind that.
For us, the decision was primarily about sustainability and the product experience we wanted to create. Glass is reusable and recyclable, and it offers a durable way to store the product. We also wanted the packaging to reflect the simplicity of what is inside the jar.
We believe sustainability should be considered across everyday product decisions, including packaging. Reusable glass jars give consumers the option of finding a second use for the jar once they have finished the product. For us, packaging is an extension of the brand’s philosophy: thoughtful choices should be reflected not just in the product itself, but also in how it reaches the consumer.
As a founder, what’s been the most surprising thing you’ve learned about Indian consumers while trying to introduce something so new to the market?
One of the most interesting things has been realising that consumers don’t necessarily need to be introduced to a completely unfamiliar ingredient; sometimes, they simply need to see a familiar ingredient in a new form. Indians already understand the value of nuts, but a powdered nut butter format is still new to many consumers.
We have also recognised the potential to make ingredients such as pistachio more versatile in everyday cooking, rather than reserving them primarily for special occasions or indulgent recipes. What excites us is the possibility of helping people discover multiple applications for a single product. The opportunity lies in making the category easy to understand and demonstrating how it can fit naturally into different lifestyles and budgets.
There’s something quite nostalgic about nuts in Indian households — our mothers and grandmothers have always sworn by them.
Q) How do you balance that traditional, comforting association with something that feels so modern and ‘functional’?
We see tradition and innovation as complementary rather than competing with each other. Nuts have always had a place in Indian kitchens, whether they are added to breakfast, used in sweets or included in everyday cooking. That familiarity is a strength for us because consumers already understand the ingredient and its place in their food culture.
What we are changing is the format and the range of possibilities. Botenz takes an ingredient people already know and offers another way to use it, with a focus on plant-based protein and a reduced-fat alternative to conventional nut butters. We want to retain the familiarity and flavour associated with nuts while making them relevant to contemporary food habits, where convenience, nutritional awareness and versatility matter more than ever.
Q) For our audience who are conscious about what they’re feeding their families, what would you say to someone who’s skeptical about trying a ‘new-age’ version of something as basic as nuts?
We would say that it is always worth understanding a new product before deciding whether it belongs in your kitchen. Innovation doesn’t necessarily mean making food more complicated. At Botenz, we focus on simple formulations, with one to three ingredients depending on the variant, and no refined sugar, fillers, gums or artificial flavourings.
We also recognise that different households have different needs.
Some consumers may be looking for ways to incorporate more plant-based protein, while others may simply want a convenient ingredient for smoothies, breakfast bowls, baking or snacks. For someone living alone or managing a busy schedule, the versatility can be particularly useful.
Q) Beyond the product itself, what’s the bigger vision here? Do you see Botenz becoming a part of India’s everyday kitchen the way ghee or peanut butter already is?
That is our ambition. We want Botenz to move beyond being seen as a niche or premium product and become a useful, accessible ingredient in everyday kitchens. For that to happen, people need to understand the category, discover its different applications and see how it can fit into their existing food habits.
Our focus is on building awareness, improving accessibility and demonstrating the product’s versatility across households and foodservice businesses. We want consumers to think of Botenz not just when they are looking for a specialised nutrition product, but also when they are preparing breakfast, making a smoothie or experimenting with a recipe.
In the long run, we want to build a brand that brings together food innovation, convenience and everyday utility. Our goal is to make this format a practical choice rather than something people perceive as an occasional luxury.
Q) If you had to describe the Botenz journey in one word — as a founder, not a businessman — what would it be, and why?
For us, Botenz is about seeing potential in something familiar and imagining how it can be used differently. Nuts have always been part of our food culture, but there are still new ways to bring them into our everyday lives. Building a new category means learning from consumers, challenging established habits and continually finding ways to make the product more relevant.
As founders, that sense of possibility is what keeps us moving forward. We are not just building a product range; we are working to change how people think about and use an ingredient they already know.
