In this interview, Hersh Shah, CEO, IRM India Affiliate and India라이브 바카라 Youngest Enterprise Risk Expert interacts with Viraj Kapur, Director and Co-Founder, Salt Oral Care.
What라이브 바카라 the Risk? ® is an initiative by the , world라이브 바카라 leading certifying body for Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) examinations across 140 countries. Through audio notes, podcasts, interviews, panel discussions and TV shows, this initiative decodes risks and opportunities across diverse sectors with an objective of elevating the importance of risk intelligence and ERM as a skill, profession and business enabler.
In this interview, Hersh Shah, CEO, IRM India Affiliate and India라이브 바카라 Youngest Enterprise Risk Expert interacts with Viraj Kapur, Director and Co-Founder, . Salt Oral Care has been created and designed to become a way of life. Each of their products are moulded with handpicked ingredients that are added to nurture a smile. The products are backed by science and formulated to be kind to any oral conditions.
Hersh: Tell me something about yourself and your career story — what led you to co-found SALT ORAL CARE?
Viraj: I cofounded Manor Rama Pictures almost a decade ago. It was an exciting time when storytelling was about to take off in the form of OTT. When we were casting for a series, we were confident about an actor but unfortunately, the platform refused to cast him due to his smile and teeth. It was a turning point that made us realize how neglected smiles in general are. Four years later in 2023, we launched Salt Oral Care. Before Salt, oral care was a dull, routine task that no one looked forward to. We knew it could be so much more—and we set out to change that. Our mission was to transform brushing into an experience that people actually look forward to. To make this vision a reality, we dove deep into the world of oral care, collaborating with leading dentists and researching the best possible formulations. We scrutinized global regulations, removed controversial ingredients, and crafted products that are not only safe and effective but also rooted in science and backed by rigorous research. At Salt Oral Care, we wanted to blend the wisdom of natural, traditional oral care with the modern consumer라이브 바카라 craving for sustainability, transparency, and simplicity.
Hersh: What are some of the primary risks you identified in the oral care industry before launching SALT ORAL CARE, and how did these shape your brand라이브 바카라 unique approach and the problems you are solving for the customers?
Viraj: When we set out to disrupt the oral care industry, there were a few glaring risks and challenges I saw that no one was really addressing. First and foremost, there라이브 바카라 this deep-rooted reliance on harsh chemicals and artificial ingredients in the mainstream oral care industry. Think about it: most of the toothpaste on store shelves contains sulfates, parabens, and artificial dyes—ingredients that sound more at home in a chemistry lab than in something we’re putting in our mouths every day. I mean, we're literally slathering these things on our gums and teeth, absorbing them into our bodies. It made no sense to me. The oral care industry was, and still is to an extent, more focused on flashy marketing and whitening promises than on what라이브 바카라 actually best for long-term health. That라이브 바카라 when I identified the next big issue: the complete lack of transparency. Consumers were sold products claiming to be ‘healthy’, without a real explanation of what라이브 바카라 in them or how they’re sourced. It felt like the industry had forgotten that what goes into your mouth can impact more than just your smile—it affects your overall health. The final risk we spotted was an industry that was, quite frankly, stuck in the past. Oral care felt stagnant. You walk into any store and it's the same brands, the same designs, the same promises. There was hardly any innovation happening in the space. So, as a consumer myself, I saw an opportunity for something better: a brand that actually puts health first, embraces transparency, and embraces natural, effective ingredients—without the unnecessary frills. That라이브 바카라 where SALT ORAL CARE comes in. We created a product that solves these problems by stripping away all the unneeded chemicals and focusing on what really works: simple, naturally sourced ingredients like sea salt, which has been used for centuries for its oral health benefits. No synthetic chemicals, artificial colors or flavors—just clean, pure ingredients that do the job. We’ve also been completely transparent about what라이브 바카라 in our products and why it라이브 바카라 there, making sure every customer knows exactly what they're putting in their mouths. Ultimately, the risks we noticed in the industry became the foundation of our brand. We wanted to build something that not only offered healthier alternatives but also fostered trust. And I think that's why SALT has resonated so well with people—it's a return to basics, a reminder that sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones.
Hersh: In a highly competitive and regulated space like oral care, how do you navigate the risks associated with product safety, compliance, and consumer trust?
Viraj: We don’t believe competition is playing in the same category as Salt. We're trying to create a niche with category-leading products, curated by Dentists and tested relentlessly over time to assure maximum safety and effectiveness. First, safety is non-negotiable. When you’re dealing with products that go in someone라이브 바카라 mouth daily, there라이브 바카라 zero room for error. We approach this from a place of absolute integrity. We work with the best manufacturers, certified labs, and experts in oral health to ensure every product is not only safe but effective. From ingredient sourcing to rigorous testing, every formula is carefully crafted to meet or exceed industry standards. We work tirelessly towards finding effective natural solutions and ingredients that complement our products superbly. We hit the drawing board almost every week to reiterate and improve our existing as well as future product range to improve the unique features each product can offer. As for safety, we prioritise this completely. We offer our iterations of batches to our cohort group of no less than 70-80 people from different walks of life, to gain a detailed understanding of the efficacy of our products. We place customer safety at the highest pinnacle, where any minor problem is taken extremely seriously in order to improve and cater to a larger audience. We’re constantly on top of FDA regulations and work with consultants and regulatory specialists to ensure that every product is compliant—not just with the letter of the law but with the spirit of it. We adhere to the standards for things like safe packaging, labeling, and marketing, and we even go the extra mile by conducting clinical testing on our products to ensure they perform as advertised by us. Consumer trust is another pillar we focus on religiously. Building trust in a space like oral care is key because, let라이브 바카라 face it, people are very particular about what they put in their mouths. There라이브 바카라 a lot of skepticism out there—rightfully so—because the industry has been littered with over-promises and misleading claims. So, we took a different approach: radical transparency. Every ingredient in our products is clearly listed, with no fillers or “proprietary blends” that hide the truth.
We also have a robust line of Dentists onboard to have a custom plan for someone looking to enhance their oral care regimen. We remain in touch with our customers from the day of their purchase to them using it and suggest any additional products to be used to help each and every customer stopping by at Salt. Our data shows that customer queries are typically responded to almost immediately, with issues resolved by the appropriate team member within 24 hours.
Hersh: What strategies do you use to mitigate risks related to supply chain reliability and ingredient sourcing, especially given consumer demand for natural and ethically sourced products?
Viraj: A product launch at Salt is a massive uphill task since we wish to make each and every product stand out and be a robust contender in this crowded market. May it be ingredients, flavor combinations, packaging and more. Sourcing from nature happens to be our loveliest challenge, and we love to play the bartender for the best concoction for your oral care needs.
The process begins months before we hit the road, where every ingredient finally decided is procured and taken through lunges of tests to measure its individual capability. We partner with suppliers who share our commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing. These long-term relationships ensure we get high-quality ingredients from trusted sources. To avoid risk, we diversify our suppliers who stockpile key ingredients. This lets us stay agile and handle unexpected disruptions, so that we never compromise on quality or availability even though manufacturing is a lengthy process.
We then make iterations for each and every batch and pass it through rigorous studies to ensure their cohesive effect. This seemingly short process is a rather long-drawn one because we ensure that each and every ingredient is sourced from the best of the facilities for maximal effect. We often rely on importing certain ingredients from the best manufacturers internationally to improve the efficacy and safety of our products.
Hersh: With an increasing focus on sustainability, what risks do you face in adopting environmentally-friendly practices, and how do you balance these with profitability?
Viraj: Sustainability sits at the heart of our core belief, and we take measures to ensure complete synergy between our products and belief systems. Sustainability seems like an easy transition, but it isn't. We've faced backlashes not just from vendors but also from manufacturers and consumers to comply with our core belief, but we stick to our guns and our core pillar for sustainability. We dream of a complete plastic-free product line, but the battle has been a tedious one. Switching from plastic to aluminium tubes, and offering mouthwashes in glass bottles, we've taken every step to ensure a complete transition to sustainable materials, but all of this comes at a cost, which our ever-growing and loyal customer base understands fully. Our focus on sustainability comes with certain cost escalations and we take it in our stride. Currently, we focus on habit changes rather than monetary benefits, since we see a plastic-free future and we wish to have the first mover's advantage. Going sustainable doesn't mean sacrificing quality—if anything, it enhances it. Our primary packaging like our aluminium tubes are pharma-grade to ensure our products are stored and delivered in the safest, most effective way possible, and our food-grade ingredients are carefully selected for their purity and potency.
Hersh: Consumer health and safety are paramount in oral care. How does SALT ORAL CARE manage the risk of adverse product reactions or customer complaints, and what preventive measures are in place?
Viraj: Customer health and safety is paramount for us and we take this extremely seriously. We have stringent manufacturing practices and product safety standards that need to be met whatsoever. We additionally rely on our robust team of Dentists, who cater to any adverse reactions (if any) and provide quick and effective, easy-to-follow solutions to mitigate any risks. We have a plethora of measures in place, beginning from sourcing, lab testing, clean and sterile manufacturing facilities, ingredient level analysis, cohesive analysis, stability reports, certifications, and much more. We rely on standard and advanced studies on every batch of our products to ensure the purest, cleanest, and safest products reach our customers for a healthy oral care routine.
Hersh: As an emerging brand, what are the reputational risks that keep you up at night, and how do you plan to ensure SALT ORAL CARE maintains a strong, trusted brand identity?
Viraj: Great question—reputational risk is one of those things that라이브 바카라 always looking for a founder, especially as an emerging brand in a competitive space like oral care. The biggest concern, hands down, is product quality. If something were to go wrong with our products—whether it's an ingredient sourcing issue, contamination, or a product that doesn't perform as expected—it could have a significant impact on consumer trust. We’ve built our brand on the promise of safe, effective products, so any slip-up here would hit hard. Luckily at Salt, we’re obsessed with quality control. We work with trusted suppliers, have stringent testing protocols, and regularly audit our production processes. We also keep a direct line of communication with our customers, so if something were to go wrong, we can address it swiftly and transparently. If we ever receive negative feedback or a complaint, we don’t just resolve it—we learn from it and make improvements to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
As a young brand, we’re especially sensitive to how our messaging is received. With the rise of social media, misinformation can spread like wildfire, and any misstep in how we communicate about our products could lead to reputational damage to the brand. Whether it라이브 바카라 over-promising product benefits or not being clear enough about ingredients, it라이브 바카라 essential to be 100% transparent at all times. Our social media resources work closely with our product manager to be extremely careful of our messaging. We prioritize clear, accurate communication in everything we do. We regularly update our educational content, ensuring it라이브 바카라 rooted in facts and science. If there라이브 바카라 ever a misunderstanding or if we need to clarify something, we’re quick to correct the record and take accountability. Transparency is our best defense here. Given the increasing consumer demand for ethical practices, we’re very aware that any lapse in our environmental or sourcing practices could damage our reputation. If customers felt that we weren’t living up to our promises in terms of sustainable sourcing or eco-friendly packaging, it would undermine the trust we’ve worked hard to build. However at Salt, we take a proactive approach to sustainability, from ingredient sourcing to packaging, and we make sure our customers understand the steps we’re taking to minimize our environmental footprint. But we also recognize that there라이브 바카라 always room for improvement, so we continually evaluate our processes and seek out new, innovative ways to reduce our impact. We’ll always be honest about where we stand and what we’re doing to improve—because that honesty builds credibility. This is also why we are launching products at a slower pace than other players in the market.
As a founder, there라이브 바카라 a temptation to expand too quickly or to diversify our product offerings beyond what we do best. I often stay up at night deliberating whether we are growing fast enough to keep the engines going. However, this has a risk associated with diluting the brand identity or losing focus on the core values that have made us successful. If we stray too far from our mission of providing natural, effective, and premium oral care products, we could confuse or alienate our customers. We’re committed to sustainable, deliberate growth. We won’t rush to release new products until we’re absolutely certain they align with our brand values and meet the high standards we’ve set. We maintain a singular focus on oral care and make sure every new product we introduce stays true to our core mission.
One thing that doesn’t keep me up at night is the competition even though the oral care market is crowded, and as a new player, we know we're constantly being compared to larger, more established brands. There라이브 바카라 always a risk that if we don't perform at a consistently high level, or if we fail to deliver on customer expectations, we could be overshadowed by the competition, particularly the “big players” who have more resources. I have learned to embrace competition, but we don’t let it define us. Our strategy is to focus on delivering real value to our customers—not just competing on price or flashy marketing. We focus on building a loyal community around our brand and offering products that truly stand out in terms of quality and effectiveness. Instead of reacting to competitors, we stick to what we know works: providing superior, natural products with a commitment to clean practices.
To build a brand that people trust, we’re all about consistency, transparency, authenticity, and engagement—and we’re passionate about getting it right every time. We’re committed to delivering top-quality products, clear messaging, and exceptional service so our customers always know they can count on us. From day one, we’ve been open about everything—from the ingredients in our products to where they come from—so our customers can make choices they feel confident about. To reiterate, we’re a brand that라이브 바카라 all about simplicity, nature, and sustainability, and we stay true to those values in everything we do. And we don’t just talk at our customers—we engage with them, listen to their feedback, and make sure they feel truly valued. By staying true to our roots and always focusing on what matters most, we’re building a brand that people can trust for years to come.
Explore more audio notes, podcasts, interviews, panel discussions and TV shows onthe IRM India website. To join IRM라이브 바카라 global community of risk-intelligent leaders and earn the global ERM designation / charter or to assess your organisation라이브 바카라 risk culture and enhance it through trainings, contact the IRM India Exam Reservations Team.