Innovation

The first all-natural, biodegradable, and plastic-free chewing gum in India is called Gud Gum. All artificial sweeteners, colours, and flavours are absent from it. Tree sap is used to make gud gum. In addition to being healthy for the environment and you, chewing gud gum also supports the lives of tribal farmers who collect this tree sap. It is the outcome of in-depth ingredient investigation and kitchen testing. B2B is the business model that is used.

Gud Gum prioritises the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include gender equality, decent employment, economic growth, industry, innovation, and infrastructure, as well as responsible consumption and production. They also use packaging that is environmentally friendly, like their chewing is packed in tin boxes, and all printing and advertisement are done on recycled paper.

As the product was launched recently and does not have a large audience, they have still managed to reduce plastic waste by 800KG.

Inspiration

We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly!"

When Mayank B Nagori’s geography teacher told them that chewing gum takes 10 times the time that a plastic carry bag takes to biodegrade, they quit chewing gum. Fast forward 10 years of their life, they had the constant urge to solve this TINY plastic problem. They developed Gud Gum after extensive trials in the kitchen with special tree sap, which is not just better for you than regular plastic gum but also helps run the livelihoods of tribal farmers. Everything about this chewing gum is natural and they hope society likes it as much as they do.

When plastic was first introduced it was thought of as a miracle and flexible material but as the world has come to realise this material comes at a cost to the environment and health and business being part of society has the responsibility towards society and that's what motivated them to start Good Gum!!

Overall impact

The Innovation strives to reduce the use of plastic on a large environmental basis; also at the same time, it helps in the management of health factors to reduce the harm any normal gum does to our body on each consumption.

"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly!", as their quote states.

The company is attempting to share awareness among the people widely with their founder's idea of zero plastic and waste generation. As the company has already started its sales and has reached a turnover of about 24 lacks, the consumption is in good flow for a start-up and is already impacting the environment with “more consumption = less plastic generation”.

The company has saved up to 800kgs of plastic use as of now and they aim to increase the production in a full swing with the growth in sales and market establishment.

Along the lines following other SDG goals, the company focuses on impacting human lives personally by taking care of good health and well-being as well as gender equality.

It considers to flourish the life on land and also life in water.

Benefiting its employees and consumers both at the same time, there is decent work and economic growth observed.

Business benefit

Gud Gum has introduced a complete plastic free chewing gum in the Indian Consumer market. It has the advantage of product innovation and development. The people are more health focused these days as “Good Health brings Good wealth”. This drives its consumer force to be product loyal furthering the oral promotion to their peers.

The prices are slightly higher than regular gums but still lower than foreign brands selling in these lines. As the cost is low to a consumer for regular consumption product has a price edge in the market. They have a decent market growth share in this industry. Their production costs have a competitive advantage in the economies of scale.

Gud gum is a complete proprietorship firm. All money invested is of the owner himself and few loans are taken. Till now, the employee retention ratio of the company is 100%, as the employees and firm goals align with each other. The company maintains equal gender participation, following decent work culture and economic growth.

Currently, they deal in chewing gum and are planning to add a few more products. They are also planning to increase the number of sales and the number of employees in the coming months. There is a huge investment opportunity available for the company as it’s the first company that makes chewing gum that contains zero amount of plastics.

Social and environmental benefit

Chewing gum is being thrown around carelessly in amounts that are equal to 250 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of plastic. This harms our marine life before moving on to damaging us when it washes off as microplastics into the water table. Gud Gum chewing gum is made up of tree sap. In addition to being better for the environment and you, chewing Gud gum supports the livelihoods of tribal farmers who collect this tree sap. It helps sustain the forest. To put into context how challenging sustainable forestry is, a single mahogany tree will need over 100 years to get to a commercially viable size. It requires meticulous planning and administration with a long-term outlook. In conservation, we frequently discuss the need to elevate the value of standing forests so that people will choose to preserve them over industrial logging and cultivation. People are able to support themselves while maintaining the forest in this way. The same woods that support plants that are essential for food and medicine also contribute to the preservation of culture.

They also use packaging that is environmentally friendly, like their chewing is packed in tin boxes, and all printing and advertisement are done on recycled paper.

As the product is launched recently and does not have a large audience, they have still managed to reduce plastic waste by 800KG.

Interview

Mayank B Nagori, co- founder