In a modest kitchen in Delhi, Anju Kalhan mixed roasted chickpeas with turmeric and cumin, tasting a crisp that sparked a new business idea. The former senior economist turned her personal health overhaul into Bliss by Anju, a snack line that avoids added oil, ghee, dairy and refined ingredients.
Kalhan, a University of Delhi graduate in Business Economics, spent two decades in corporate roles, including senior economist at ASSOCHAM and deputy director of the Hotel Association of India. She later founded an events firm that organized FICCI conferences and corporate workshops. Alongside a demanding career, she completed eight marathons and earned credentials as a yoga professional and fitness coach.
Her pivot to food entrepreneurship began during the COVID‑19 pandemic. After living with high blood pressure for nearly 30 years, frequent migraines and sinusitis, Kalhan adopted a plant‑based whole‑food diet. She eliminated ghee, cooking oil and heavily processed packaged foods from her meals. Within 90 days, she reported lower blood pressure and fewer migraines; her 80‑year‑old mother also saw improvements in diabetes and blood pressure.
Searching for ready‑made snacks that matched her new diet, Kalhan found most market options still contained palm oil or other added fats. “The healthy food is not tasty, and the tasty food is not healthy,” she said, describing the gap she aimed to fill.
Kalhan began experimenting with Indian spices, nuts and seeds as flavor bases, avoiding oil and ghee entirely. Initial prototypes were sold at farmers’ markets in 2019‑20. By 2023‑24 she refined the range, removing all added oils. The brand now operates an in‑house manufacturing facility and supplies products to 41 retail outlets across India.
Industry observers note the growing demand for clean‑label snacks in the region, driven by rising health awareness. Kalhan’s background in economics and events management has helped her navigate supply chains and retail negotiations, positioning Bliss by Anju as a niche player in the competitive snack sector.