Growing a Plant-based Dessert Company with Sanit Jain

In 2019, Sanit Jain started Plantastic to share his passion for delicious, healthy, plant-based food with the world. You can now find Plantastic plant-based cheesecake jars in over 20 stores across BC! We asked Sanit some questions about growing a food business and here's what he had to say:

What inspired you to start Plantastic?

The seed was sown 15 years ago. I was in college then and one day there was news that my dad had suddenly passed away due to a heart attack. What ensued was grief and emotional struggle.

After routine blood work, my cholesterol levels were found to be higher than normal. After learning about my father, my doctor asked me to start taking statins to keep my cholesterol levels down. I did not want to start taking meds at such a young age so I was determined to find alternatives to be healthier.

I started to join Facebook groups and attended meetups where people would come together to discuss healthy eating. With the help of the community, I found some great books and resources that I developed a keen interest in. All wisdom pointed to 2 main things: 1. eliminate dairy and meat at all costs 2. eat as much unrefined whole foods as possible.

I took this advice as gospel and after years of trial and error, I went fully plant-based 7 years ago! I couldn’t be happier with my physical and mental health. As a matter of fact, since I started this journey, my cholesterol levels have been consistently in the normal range and doctors say that I have a healthy heart! This gives me relief that hopefully what happened to my dad and my family is not likely to happen to me and my family. Somedays I feel that if I had the awareness that I have now 15 years ago, my dad would be here with me.

I started Plantastic with the idea that if I could help more people have access to healthy choices without compromising on taste and texture, I would have made a reasonable impact on the community. Every decision we make at Plantastic, every product we launch, community health and wellness are top of mind. We neither compromise on the quality of ingredients nor method of preparation in order to make quick profits. Our products are prepared with the best quality and noble intention.

Tell us about your products.

We make delicious melt-in-mouth plant-based cheesecakes-in-a-jar! Our customers tell us that the best part about these plant-based cheesecakes is that their taste and texture is just like dairy based cheesecakes. So you get the same experience without animal cruelty and damage to the environment. 

Plus these plant-based cheesecakes have zero refined sugar in them. Most of the sweetness comes from the whole ground dates, and the rest comes from pure Canadian Maple syrup! 

We make them with 7 simple, all natural ingredients that can be pronounced and easily recognized. We stay away from artificial preservatives, colours or flavours, and believe that food should be uncomplicated.

The reason why we package our product in reusable glass jars is to reduce environmental waste. Our customers have found some inventive ways to reuse these jars. Some have potted plants, some have made candles and some use them for storing spices!

What advice do you have for aspiring foodpreneurs?

It doesn’t have to be perfect before you start something. When I was starting out, I often wondered that although I could create a recipe in my kitchen, it would be a completely different ball game when it came to manufacturing food at scale at a commercial facility. Honestly, it was overwhelming but I took it step by step and slowly figured out things on the go. 

Taking that first step is the hardest, most important and the most rewarding in the end. Be open to learning and applying as you go. Treat your business / industry as if you were a research student writing a paper on your industry. 

Specifically for food and beverage entrepreneurs, be hungry for critical feedback. I would say listen to your customers more than anything. They will be your best resource to give you candid feedback on your product and brand. Take their feedback and advice as your guiding light and keep improving. Farmers markets and pop-ups are great for getting first hand feedback!

What advice do you have for SFU students who aspire to have their own business one day?

My one piece of advice is not to get worried about failing! Get excited about failure as it will be your best vehicle for success in the end. Become a student of your business and your industry. If you know more than the others about your business and your industry, you’ll definitely be successful! 

Where can people find your products?

You can order our products on our online store. We deliver in the lower mainland area. 

We also sell at over 20 retail locations in the Lower Mainland area, Okanagan and Kamloops. The best way to find our product near you is to use the product locator on our website

What’s coming up next for you?

We are really excited to launch our Vegan holiday gift box! With the holiday season approaching fast, we want to make sure our community has some great vegan gifting options. Something that is presentable and delectable at the same time!

Where can people find you? 

Feel free to checkout our website, Instagram, and Facebook.