LIFESTYLE
Pallav Bihani Making Fitness Affordable and Accessible with Boldfit
Pallav Bihani, a 25-year-old entrepreneur, knows the value of fitness first-hand. His journey into the world of health and wellness began when he suffered a slip disc during his school days, just before his board exams. At that time, he weighed 105 kilograms, and the experience served as a wake-up call. Determined to improve his health and well-being, Pallav embarked on a fitness regime during his first year of college. He hit the gym and started using health supplements, ultimately shedding the excess weight. However, his personal transformation revealed a pressing issue – the affordability of fitness in India.
Pallav comes from a family deeply rooted in the manufacturing of hospital supplies. After completing his graduation, he joined the family business. Yet, he soon realized that he wasn’t adding significant value to an already successful venture. This realization led him to contemplate the fitness industry, and he identified a gap that needed to be filled. In January 2019, he founded Boldfit in Bengaluru.
The primary mission behind Boldfit was to make fitness accessible to everyone. Armed with a loan of Rs eight lakh from his father, Pallav started small by focusing on yoga mats. He recognized that many yoga mats on the market compromised on quality, leading to premature wear and tear. Boldfit aimed to bridge this gap by providing high-quality mats at affordable prices. Pallav partnered with contract manufacturers to produce yoga mats for his brand, and the response was overwhelming.
Boldfit’s yoga mats became a hit, with a key selling point being their durability, lasting for at least three years. Starting with a single product, Boldfit quickly expanded its product range to include 30 SKUs across various categories, such as fitness and yoga, nutrition, health, and wellness. Notably, 17 of these SKUs were added in November 2020 alone. The pricing of Boldfit’s products begins at just Rs 199.
Building upon the success of yoga mats, Boldfit ventured into nutritional and wellness supplements. This expansion included proteins, multivitamins, immunity boosters, and detox tablets, all compliant with WHO and GMP standards. Pallav noticed that India, despite being a pharmaceutical hub, heavily relied on imports for products like whey proteins, leading to higher costs. Boldfit decided to manufacture these products through third-party manufacturers while sourcing raw materials from various regions in India.
Digitization played a pivotal role in Boldfit’s growth. The brand utilized the digital ecosystem to maintain a lean approach and reach customers across the country. Pallav credits digital penetration as a driving force behind the company’s rapid scale. Boldfit claims to have fulfilled over 2,00,000 orders, with one Boldfit product being delivered every minute across India. In just two years, the company achieved an annual turnover of Rs 30 crore.
Despite initial challenges related to capital constraints and competition, Pallav remained steadfast in his mission to make fitness affordable for all. Boldfit is now on a mission to standardize nutrition and fitness products, offering customers the best prices along with valuable content and guidance on achieving fitness goals.
Looking ahead, Pallav envisions Boldfit becoming a household name in fitness products, with the aspiration to rival established brands like Decathlon in India. The brand plans to expand its product portfolio, including the launch of an ayurvedic product range called Boldveda. Additionally, Boldfit is in discussions with major e-commerce platforms like Nykaa and NetMed to list its products.
In a world where fitness and well-being are increasingly important, Pallav Bihani and Boldfit are making significant strides in ensuring that everyone has access to affordable and high-quality fitness solutions.
Conclusion:
Pallav Bihani’s journey from a personal fitness transformation to the creation of Boldfit reflects a commitment to making fitness accessible and affordable for all. Boldfit’s rapid growth in the health and wellness industry showcases the impact of prioritizing quality and affordability in a market where fitness is of paramount importance. With ambitious plans for expansion and a dedication to offering the best prices, Boldfit is poised to become a prominent name in the fitness product landscape.