Meet the Sisters Turning India’s Diabetes Crisis Into a Health Startup
Growing up in India, Manvi Agnihotri observed a troubling pattern in many families, including her own. Ageing often came with an almost resigned acceptance of lifestyle diseases: high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or heart issues. “Everybody has it, and everybody is okay about it,” she recalls. “They don’t take care of their eating habits or the preventive measures they should be taking.”
This observation shaped Manvi’s path. While nutrition was rarely emphasized in schools, she pursued a master’s degree in food and nutrition from Lady Irwin College, graduating with a silver medal. She even completed her thesis at FSSAI, studying food safety. That foundation eventually led her, along with her sister Sheen Hitaishi, to co-found The Sweet Change, a clean-label natural sweetener brand addressing one of India’s most pressing health challenges.
The Diabetes Capital Wake-Up Call
Manvi’s professional journey began at Healthify as a product nutritionist, working on protein products and Vitamin D supplements. Later, while heading a programme for a Type 2 diabetes reversal platform, the idea for The Sweet Change crystallized.
“India is the diabetes capital of the world; almost every family has someone who is pre-diabetic or diabetic,” she explains. Patients she consulted had often accepted lifelong medication, progressing from metformin to insulin injections. Many desperately wanted to enjoy sweetness without the blood sugar spikes.
Common “natural” alternatives like honey, jaggery, or coconut sugar proved problematic because their glycemic index was similar to or even higher than regular sugar. Stevia, the main zero-calorie option available, had a strong bitter aftertaste that limited adoption, especially in everyday Indian beverages like tea and coffee.
Imported monk fruit sweeteners from the US, Canada, or Australia were effective but prohibitively expensive, often costing ₹2,000–3,000 per bottle. Diabetes and metabolic issues like PCOS weren’t limited to the wealthy. Manvi saw a clear mass need for an accessible, effective solution.
Cracking the Formulation Challenge
Manvi spent nearly a year perfecting the product. The result is The Sweet Change, a natural monk fruit sweetener available in powder and drop forms. Unlike regular sugar or even many “natural” alternatives, monk fruit’s sweetness comes from mogrosides, not glucose, delivering taste without calories or blood sugar impact.
The brand stands out with its formulation. Many market monk fruit products are 99% erythritol with minimal actual monk fruit. The Sweet Change’s powder contains no erythritol, with 30% monk fruit concentration, the highest in the category, balanced with guar fibre and allulose. It positions itself as India’s first gut-friendly sweetener. The drops contain only monk fruit, water, and vitamin C.
The company works with contract manufacturers in Hyderabad and Manesar. Products are priced between ₹450 and ₹550, making them accessible for the target audience: diabetics, pre-diabetics, people managing PCOS, weight, or simply health-conscious consumers.
Sisters in Business: Complementary Roles
While Manvi leads product development and nutrition science, her sister Sheen serves as the public face of the brand. Active on Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms, Sheen has built a loyal community through authentic storytelling and engagement.
“Wellness matters a lot to our generation,” Manvi says. “We’ve watched our parents and grandparents fall into this trap because they didn’t have the awareness we have with social media and access to information.”
Sheen adds that younger consumers are influencing family habits: “Our generation actually flips the pack and reads the ingredients, and we are making our parents more aware too.”
Strong Early Traction and Funding
Launched in March 2025, The Sweet Change has already achieved ₹2.6 crore in sales, with nearly 70% coming directly from its website. The brand expanded to Amazon earlier this year and quickly broke into the platform’s top 10 sweetener brands within three months.
The company recently raised ₹1.7 crore in funding from India Angel Network and Rebalance. This capital is being used to expand distribution, particularly through quick commerce platforms like Blinkit. The brand is also working on new formats, including syrups.
Aishwarya Malhi, Co-founder of Rebalance, praised the founders: “What impressed us most about The Sweet Change was the combination of deep founder insight, product quality and strong consumer adoption.”
Challenges and Future Vision
Educating Indian consumers about monk fruit, its origin, benefits, and superiority over other sweeteners has been an ongoing challenge. The brand continues to invest in awareness around formulation transparency and actual monk fruit concentration.
Manvi remains committed to evidence-based innovation: “We are not committed to one ingredient forever. The science keeps evolving, and we’ll continue bringing the best, evidence-backed sweetening solutions to Indian consumers.”
The Sweet Change represents more than a business for the sisters. It’s a mission to prevent the health crises they witnessed in their own families and communities. By providing a genuinely better alternative to sugar, they’re empowering Indians to make healthier choices without sacrificing taste.
In a country battling a diabetes epidemic, The Sweet Change offers hope one teaspoon at a time. The sisters’ journey shows how personal observation, scientific rigor, and entrepreneurial courage can combine to address massive societal needs while building a sustainable brand.