At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Jayatii Khurana for an exclusive interview with us. Jayatii is an Entrepreneur and Founder at Hungry Boo. Let’s learn more about her background, journey and her advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Jayatii:
What inspired you to start Hungry Boo?
I was a mother standing in a supermarket aisle, reading label after label, and walking away empty-handed every time. The so-called “healthy” options weren’t actually healthy.
I realised there was a huge gap between what brands promised and what parents truly needed. Instead of waiting for someone else to solve the problem, I decided to build the brand I wished had existed one that parents could genuinely trust.
How did your parenting experiences influence Hungry Boo?
My daughters were my first and most honest product testers. If they didn’t enjoy eating something, it simply wasn’t good enough to go to market. That one principle has guided every decision we’ve made at Hungry Boo.
Parenting gave me firsthand insight into what children need and what parents struggle with, making the brand deeply personal.
What advice would you give parents struggling with picky eaters?
I truly believe most children aren’t “fussy eaters” they just haven’t found food that genuinely excites them yet. The biggest thing parents can do is take the pressure off the dining table.
A calm and stress-free mealtime is just as important as a nutritious plate. Also, keep introducing children to new flavours, textures, and foods. Research shows it can take anywhere between 10 to 15 exposures before a child accepts something new.
Why does introducing global flavours early matter?
The years between 6 months and 3 years are incredibly important because they shape a child’s taste preferences for life. If we only expose children to familiar foods, we unintentionally limit their curiosity and openness.
A child who grows up experiencing diverse flavours often becomes more adventurous, adaptable, and open-minded not just in food, but in life.
What were the biggest challenges in building trust with parents?
Trust in this category is not built overnight it is earned. Coming from a marketing background, I knew every trick in the playbook, but I consciously chose not to rely on any of them.
Instead, we focused on being genuinely transparent and accountable. Parents deserve honesty about every ingredient and every claim we make, every single time.
How do you balance nutrition, taste, and convenience?
For us, there can be no compromise between the three. Nutrition is non-negotiable because health comes first. Taste is equally critical because even the healthiest product serves no purpose if children refuse to eat it.
And convenience matters because healthy eating has to fit into real family life if something takes too long to prepare, parents will naturally turn to easier alternatives.
How have you managed being both a mother and an entrepreneur?
I stopped trying to “balance” the two and instead learned to integrate them. My daughters see me building something meaningful every day, and I believe that’s one of the greatest lessons I can offer them.
In many ways, Hungry Boo hasn’t taken me away from motherhood it has actually made me more intentional and better at it.
How conscious are today’s parents about ingredients?
Far more conscious than the industry often gives them credit for. Today’s parents read labels carefully, ask tough questions, and expect brands to be transparent.
They no longer want to be marketed to; they want honesty and accountability. The standard is rising, and brands that fail to meet it will struggle to stay relevant.
What has been your most rewarding moment?
One message stands out deeply. A mother once wrote to tell me that her daughter, who had refused to eat for weeks, finally finished an entire bowl of Hungry Boo.
She said she was in tears while typing the message. Moments like that make every difficult day worth it because they remind us why we started this journey.
What is your long-term vision for Hungry Boo?
My vision is to transform how an entire generation of Indian children relates to food not just what they eat, but how they feel about eating. I want children to grow up feeling curious, adventurous, and genuinely nourished.
We are still only at the beginning, but the goal is to create a lasting shift in the way healthy food is experienced.
At BrilliantRead, we don’t just share startup stories; we bring you journeys that challenge perspectives, spark ideas, and fuel ambition. Every story we feature is carefully chosen to add real value, inspire action, and ignite possibility within our growing community of entrepreneurs and dreamers.
If you have a powerful story, one that can inspire, educate, or create impact, we want to hear from you.
