IPMMI: True Elements' Puru Gupta inspires packaging industry

Puru Gupta, co-founder and CEO of health food brand True Elements, delivered a stirring keynote at Envision 2025 in Goa, sharing hard-won lessons from his decade-long entrepreneurial journey that resonated deeply with packaging machinery manufacturers.

Gupta revealed how personal tragedy- his father's cancer diagnosis - became the catalyst for leaving a corporate career at Procter & Gamble to launch True Elements. "Why don't we take care of ourselves before illness strikes?" he asked, explaining the purpose-driven ethos behind his brand.

The entrepreneur outlined four critical lessons for business growth.

First, founders must recognise when they become the bottleneck. "We stand behind the QR code, stifling our own growth," Gupta observed, urging leaders to empower their teams. He shared how writing 10 anonymous ideas daily for 350 days fostered genuine feedback and innovation at True Elements.

Second, businesses must challenge negative narratives. When told "food has no margins" or "only 2x growth is possible," Gupta set audacious 4x targets instead. His unconventional choice of Rohit Sharma as brand ambassador - valuing honesty over star power - exemplified this mindset.

Third, cross-industry learning sparks innovation. Gupta adopted fashion licensing models for food products, proving sceptics wrong. "I'll pick up 10 ideas from your packaging world today," he told attendees, encouraging them to look beyond their sector.

Finally, public commitment drives accountability. By boldly declaring growth targets to partners, True Elements unlocked new opportunities. "Transparency builds trust and momentum," Gupta emphasised.

The session closed with Gupta urging reflection on personal "why" stories.