Hemp-based products are gaining acceptance in the Indian market. The public has become more knowledgeable about the benefits, which has led to the emergence of startups in the sector. The benefits of medical cannabis are undeniable, and Cannabidiol (CBD) is expected to be a $55 billion market by 2028.
IHO’s Inception
Bangalore-based Rohit Kamath and Loveena Sirohi started India Hemp Organics (IHO), which offers several hemp-based products. The origin of India Hemp Organics was born out of pain. A life-threatening accident sent Loveena Sirohi, 21, straight to the ICU. She was in unbearable pain, which disturbed her partner Rohit.
The prescribed Opioids made matters worse for Loveena, which compelled Rohit to look for alternatives, and his search ended with medical cannabis. The duo was so impressed by the effectiveness that they made their way to Uttarakhand in 2017 to explore the myriad ways hemp helps.
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The duo has been trekking and spending time near the Himalayas since 2016. During their first trip, they realized that the local population of Uttarakhand relied a lot on hemp and cannabis to treat various diseases and ailments and utilized it for making several sustainable products.
This instilled a curiosity in Rohit to research to understand the plant from its roots, which made him spend time with farmers. He went on to create more than 25,000 different sustainable products with his learnings.
Hemp Rules
Rohit Kamath and Loveena Sirohi, began the journey of starting their company by researching the laws of business using hemp in products. Rohit referred to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the NDPS Act, 1985 to understand the industry’s legality and realized that the NDPS Act prohibits the sale and production of cannabis resin and flowers but does not restrict the use of seeds and leaves of the same plant. That was a eureka moment for the founder as they realized that cannabis is not entirely illegal in India as it is often mistakenly interpreted.
Rohit and Loveena started India Hemp Organics, which operates in medicine, health, personal care, food, and nutrition.
IHO’s CannaBliss range was started in October 2020. It consists of leaf oils that can be orally administered. They have different oral oils available for sleep, stress, balance, and pain relief from their website, but only with a prescription. Lifestyle and body type factors are considered before recommending products, and the brand’s educators educate the audience about the product’s benefits.
Current Scope and Future Plans
India Hemp Organics has 26 SKUs, and has more than 20,000 customers in India. They operate and sell their products through their website, social media, and other eCommerce portals. They also have an offline presence in Bengaluru.
The brand aims at expanding into various health, wellness, and personal care products and is also looking to step into a premium, natural skincare line with hemp as its core ingredient.
