Workout.lk together with Hatch is organizing a special Zoom panel talk on Sunday the 5th of July as they share insights and trends from the growing health food industry, celebrate young startups spearheading good work in our community, hear their success stories and pitfalls, and learn how we can make healthy eating sustainable.
The keynote speaker is Shanez Gunatilaka – a USA Certified Natural Health Professional and a Swiss Biological Medicine Practitioner with a special interest on gut and digestion related issues. The featured entrepreneurs from the health food sector are Shehani Rasaputra from JustGoodness.co, Medhini Ighoor from Us on Earth and Ronali Perera from RAW Organic Juices. The panelists will answer to questions such as “how did you create a profitable business in this sector?”, “has the demand for health food increased post Covid?”, “how do you trust marketing claims?”, “how do you compete with mass market products?”, “how can one start a health food venture and how is it being supported?” and more.
The global organic food and beverages market is expected to reach $320 billion by 2024. Zion Market Research, estimated the organic market to be worth $125 billion in 2017. Technavio estimated the market would grow at a rate of approximately 15 percent between 2017 and 2021. While the sector is still very small and fragmented in Sri Lanka, the growing interest in organic chemical-free farming, and planet-friendly practices have been observed during the past few years. The growth of the health food sector is also expected post Covid-19 era as more and more people are taking interest in food as a preventative medicine.
There is evidence pointing to the fact that various micro-nutrient deficiencies (such as zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, D and E) can alter the immune response. The most effective way to get vital nutrients are via natural foods and whole food supplements (not synthetic). Probiotic and prebiotic foods also help support the good bacteria that live in your gut which help to fight bad bacteria, fungi or viruses. Adding foods such as citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, and herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, garlic and cloves support the immune system. Studies for instance show evidence that sulforaphane-containing cruciferous vegetables might protect us against asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other respiratory illnesses. There are many affordable local leafy greens which are rich in minerals like selenium, and phytonutrients like beta-carotene, quercetin and lycopene – all fantastic for immune function.
This event is co-organized by Workout.lk and Hatch and the outreach partners are The Good PR and Lanka Business News.
Workout.lk has been spearheading health advocacy events since 2018, many of them with the aim inspire active living and make it easy for consumers in Sri Lanka to lead healthy lives and ultimately reduce the prevalence of non-communicable disease. They ensure to provide unbiased, credible, and ethical information to the end user and actively discourage marketing and advertising that is unhealthy or detrimental to the health and well-being of our community. Hence, Workout.lk aims to uplift industry standards and become a catalyst for positive growth across the segment in the long run. While today’s high stress sedentary lifestyle and change in diet may contribute to the predisposition of health hazards, the need for health advocacy has become paramount, although our media does not carry effective means of addressing preventative measures or behavioral change that is necessary among our community. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/workout.lk/
Hatch is the brainchild of two visionaries who saw the potential for exponentially growing the Sri Lankan GDP through creating a platform designed to improve and develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sri Lanka. Hatch is more than co-working spaces. It is a supportive space where young entrepreneurs can meet and learn from others where the focus is on collaboration and support. During the lock-down, Hatch organized many events related to sustainable diets, tele-medicine, bio-tech and more. Past events can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/hatchWorksLK/
Whether you are a health enthusiast, someone keen to explore the industry or build your own start up, we hope you do not miss this special event. You will also get a chance to ask any questions from the speakers during the talk. Participants can sign up via the following link to reserve your spot and share this event to support the good food movement in our community: https://forms.gle/UNhkrVN73bjqikwj9
Call 077 733 7430 or email contact@workout.lk for more information.