The origin was a school competition on 25 December. Devanshi made sun-dried chips with her own flavour. She did not win. But a little girl tasted the chips and told her mother it was the best thing she had ever eaten. That single piece of feedback became the spark. After enrolling in Food Technology at Parul University, Devanshi and her team conducted market research: cheap chips are unhealthy, healthy alternatives (beetroot, millet) do not taste good to children. They wanted chips that taste as good as fried but are actually healthy.
Market Validation
Their Head of Department gave practical advice: put up a stall in college and see if people buy it. They set up stalls at the HORTUS event and Udhyam event at Parul University. People loved the chips. That real-world validation gave them confidence to join the PIERC incubation programme and build the company formally.
Why It Lasts 6 Months Without Preservatives
Food spoils because of water and oil. Their chips are sun-dried (all water removed) and roasted instead of deep-fried (45% less oil). With no water and minimal oil, the chips stay fresh for six months without any chemical preservatives. The brand employs women for the sun-drying process, creating local employment.
Business Decisions
- Pricing: Rs 10-20. Target: students aged 15-25. Rs 5 signals cheap/unhealthy. Rs 60 is unaffordable daily. Rs 10-20 signals quality while remaining accessible.
- Marketing: college events for initial exposure + free social media. No expensive ads. Budget saved for materials and production.
- Team: grew from 2 to 16 people. Parth handles money, supply chain, logistics. Devanshi handles product quality, marketing, public relations.
- R&D: one full year. Tested slice thickness and flavour powder particle size separately. Rule: if 85% love it, do not worry about the 15%.
Milestones
- The company registered 7 March (International Women’s Day)
- Incubated at PIERC, Parul University
- Met IAS officers and the Governor of Bihar
- Finalists in Women Vadodara competition
- The product was launched at Vadodara Startup Festival; CEO of Gopal Snacks inaugurated it.
- Both founders are full-time 3rd-year students. Sleep 4-5 hours. Business work at night. Teachers are supportive.
Meet the Women entrepreneurship at Parul University who have proved that with great conviction and ideas come the best results.
FAQ
Can students start a company while studying at Parul University?
Yes, Devanshi Bhatt and Parth (3rd-year B.Tech Food Technology) built Crunchy Wavez through PIERC. The registered company's Gopal Snacks CEO inaugurated the launch, and the 16-person team, IAS officers, and governor of Bihar met, all while maintaining academic studies.
How many founders were there at the women's startup?
There were twelve founders at the women's startup at Parul University presenting outstanding ideas.
What are the milestones?
The milestones include many young females who registered and presented at the Women’s Startup. They could meet the IAS and the governor of Bihar at Parul University.
