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Indian American mom-son duo lend healthy twist to US snack market
The idea for AshaPops came about during a business meeting when Jai Farswani, then a venture capitalist, shared his mother's homemade water lily seeds with a colleague.
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Jai Farswani and his mother Asha Farswani/AshaPops / Image- Northeastern Global news
The popped water lily seed brand AshaPops, co-founded by Indian American entrepreneur Jai Farswani and his mother Asha Farswani, is causing quite a stir in the American snack food industry.
The idea for AshaPops came about during a business meeting when Jai Farswani, then a venture capitalist, shared his mother's homemade water lily seeds with a colleague. Based on Asha's traditional recipes, the mother-son duo created the product in flavors such as chili and turmeric garlic, inspired by homemade snacks from their Indian heritage.
They began selling the product at farmers markets around Los Angeles, where it quickly gained a loyal customer base. However, their big break came when Rainbow Acres Natural Foods, a well-known Los Angeles health food store, agreed to carry AshaPops. From there, the brand expanded rapidly, securing placements in national retailers such as Whole Foods, ShopRite, Central Market, and Fresh Thyme.
Interestingly, AshaPops even made a cameo in the Netflix film "Family Affair," starring Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman.
“Our goal was to create a healthy, tasty snack that’s rooted in my mom’s Indian heritage,” Jai said in an interview with his alma mater Northeastern University.
Despite their success, Jai emphasized the challenges of growing the business without significant venture capital. “We’re a bootstrap company. We didn’t really have a whole lot of venture funding backing us, so we’re really grateful to all those early initial supporters,” he said.
Born in Dubai and raised in Connecticut, Jai transitioned from a career in venture capital to co-leading AshaPops with his mother. “AshaPops was never in the plan,” he admitted. “Our focus now is on spreading awareness and getting into more stores, with the goal of introducing more ayurvedic plant-based foods that my mom grew up eating in India.”
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