Ayurveda gaining grounds with MAPPL

Spreading the genuine Ayurvedic medicines and treatments with Ayurveda Healthcare centres, via franchise route is Maharishi Ayurveda Products Pvt. Ltd (MAPPL). In an interview Anand Shrivastava, Chairman and Managing Director, MAPPL shares his views regarding the bright scope of the company and the concept in the franchise arena.

Abha Garyali (AG): Share with us the conception of ‘Maharishi Ayurveda Products Pvt Ltd (MAPPL)’.

Anand Shrivastava (AS): Maharishi Ayurveda is a brain-child of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who is the founder of Transcendental Meditation in the country. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi started working with India’s top three Ayurvedic experts Dr V. M. Dwivedi, Dr B. D. Triguna and Dr. Balaraj Maharishi in 1980 and formed a Medical Council to create authentic herbal formulations. The formulations were religiously based on the Ayurveda texts dedicated to eliminating disease and offering perfect health.

In the year 1986, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi decided to harness his knowledge-works separately through MAPPL and thus, gave the mandate to me. A holistic Ayurveda Healthcare System was thus developed to cater to the health, ailments and their treatments to cover the four dimensions - physiology, behavior, environment and consciousness.

AG: What motivated the company to adopt the franchise route for expansion?

AS: There was an increasing demand from the consumers of Ayurvedic products to get consultation for these products from our vaidyas. This led Maharishi Ayurveda to start its own health centres. Seeing the positive response to our health centres and their growing demand, we were encouraged to undertake expansion of these all over Indian landscape which was decided to be done through franchise route.

AG: How has been the journey of MAPPL so far? What is the USP of the brand?

AS: MAPPL franchise operated clinics have been recently introduced so we will have to wait to comment about their rate of growth. However, we are very positive about it as we are getting encouraging responses from all over India. Our USP is genuine Ayurveda treatments with quality products and systems which have already been tested in our Maharishi Ayurveda centres in India and abroad.

AG: What is your opinion regarding the success of the brand in India?

AS: Being the pioneer in introducing branded Ayurveda health-care centres in India, we expect that Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre will have significant growth.

AG: How many centres does the company has at present? What are the future target locations for the brand expansion?

AS: Presently, we have 11 company owned health centres. We look forward to open health centres in major metros, starting firstly with Delhi.

AG: Does the concept face any competition from Allopathic medicine players? What strategies did the company employ for handling the competition?

AS: All systems of medicine, we believe, compliment each other, rather than being competitors. Our strategy for competitive growth is to provide highly effective treatments and products in our clinics supported by Maharishi Ayurveda trained Vaidyas.

AG: What challenges can be faced while expanding the company through the franchise route? Please share these challenges with us.

AS: Finding the right kind of entrepreneur’s, training of their vaidyas, technicians and other staff where the attrition rates are very high and therefore retention becomes a problem.

AG: What kind of training and support a franchisee would get when partnering with MAPPL?

AS: We will provide complete hand holding and operational training to support this business and to make it profitable. Marketing and promotional guidance and support will be provided by the company.