Innovation &
Entrepreneurs
hip
Assignment
Efforts By:
Manan Sethi (1083)
Kanav Jain (1092)
Arjun Prashanth Shaindilya (1118)
1. Lean Canvas Model: Spice
Safe
2. Survey / Questionnaire for
Validation
Customer Survey for Validating the Lean
Canvas Model
SECTION 1: Consent & Basic Information
1.1 Consent
● I agree to participate in this research survey.
● I do not agree. (End the form)
1.2 Name
1.3 Age Group
● Below 20
● 20–30
● 31–40
● 41–50
● 51+
1.4 Occupation
● Farmer
● Spice processor/SME
● Trader/Distributor
● Exporter
● Retailer (offline/online)
● Consumer
● Other (Specify)
SECTION 2: Customer Segments
Validation
2.1 Which of the following describes you best?
● Produce spices
● Process spices
● Sell spices
● Buy spices (for consumption)
● Other
2.2 How frequently do you interact with the spice
supply chain?
● Daily
● Weekly
● Monthly
● Rarely
2.3 What are your top priorities when choosing
spices?
● Purity & chemical-free
● Aroma/flavor
● Price
● Certification (organic, residue-free)
● Traceability (farm origin, lab test)
● Brand reputation
● Convenience (ready-to-use blends)
● Other (Specify)
2.4 Describe your involvement in the spice
ecosystem.
SECTION 3: Problem Validation
(Lean Canvas)
3.1 How serious are the following problems in your
experience?
● Contamination/residue issues
● Unreliable supply chain
● Lack of traceability
● Access to quality testing
● Farmer–processor gaps
● Price fluctuations
● Low market access
3.2 Which problems do you face the most?
● Low-quality raw spices
● No access to labs/testing
● No guaranteed purity
● Poor branding/low margins
● Lack of export compliance
● Limited awareness of premium markets
● Others (Specify)
3.3 Explain the biggest challenge you face
in producing/buying/selling spices.
SECTION 4: Solution Validation
4.1 Would you be interested in…
● Chemical-free, residue-tested spices
● Single-origin premium spices
● QR-based traceability for each pack
● Ayurvedic wellness blends
● Ready-to-cook global cuisine kits
● Spice Tech Park shared facilities
● Weather/pest advisory dashboards
4.2 Rate the usefulness of these proposed solutions:
● Access to modern processing (steam
sterilization, cryogenic grinding)
● Blockchain traceability
● Export documentation support
● Farmer training programs
● On-pack lab test results
4.3 What solution would most improve your current
situation?
SECTION 5: Unique Value
Proposition (UVP)
5.1 How appealing is the idea of “Guaranteed
Pure, Traceable, Premium Indian Spices”?
5.2 Which value proposition resonates with you the
most?
● Purity & chemical-free assurance
● Lab-tested, transparent supply chain
● Premium aromatic single-origin spices
● Wellness-based blends & kits
● Modern processing support for farmers
5.3 What would make this offering stand out
compared to others?
SECTION 6: Channels
6.1 Where do you usually buy/sell spices?
● Local mandis
● Wholesalers
● Export agents
● Retail stores
● Online marketplaces (Amazon, etc.)
● D2C brand websites
● Others
6.2 Preferred channel for buying premium/organic
spices:
● Offline retail
● Online platforms
● Direct from brand
● Subscription-based delivery
SECTION 7: Revenue Streams &
Pricing
7.1 Your willingness to pay for residue-tested,
certified-pure spices:
● Same as regular
● 5–10% higher
● 10–20% higher
● 20–40% higher
● Only if proven necessary
7.2 For farmers/processors: Would you pay for
access to Spice Tech Park facilities?
● Yes
● No
● Maybe, depends on cost
7.3 What pricing model do you prefer?
● Pay-per-use
● Subscription
● Annual membership
● Government-subsidised
SECTION 8: Key Metrics
8.1 Which metrics matter most to you?
● Purity test reports
● Moisture & residue levels
● Origin traceability
● Processing quality
● Delivery speed
● Market price trends
8.2 How would you track improvement in the spice
supply chain?
SECTION 9: Unfair Advantage
9.1 Which of these makes a brand uniquely
trustworthy?
● Traceability + on-pack lab reports
● Strong farmer-producer network
● Proprietary processing tech
● Certification from global agencies
● AI-based quality checks
● Heritage/single-origin identity
9.2 What could give this model a real competitive
edge?
SECTION 10: Final Feedback
10.1 Any suggestions for improving the
proposed spice innovation model?
3. Survey Responses
To validate the assumptions of our initial Lean Canvas, we conducted an
online survey targeting potential customers in the Indian spice market.
The survey was shared digitally and received 26 responses. The questions
focused on customer profile, purchasing behaviour, current problems,
preferred solutions, and willingness to pay, etc.
Cronbach’s Alpha
Based on the reliability test conducted on the multi-item Likert-type
sections (Problem Validation, Solution Validation, and UVP), the survey
achieved an overall Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.81, indicating strong internal
consistency across the items intended to measure perceived challenges,
solution usefulness, and value-related attitudes. While categorical sections
such as demographics and single-choice preference questions were
excluded from the calculation due to their non-scalar nature, the core
analytical sections demonstrated sufficient item correlation to validate the
questionnaire as a reliable tool for assessing customer insights in the
spice ecosystem. These results confirm that the survey responses can be
confidently used for refining the Lean Canvas model and guiding further
iteration of the Spice Safe concept.
4. Insights from Survey
Responses
Validated Assumptions
Purity matters more than price. Respondents consistently
ranked purity, residue-free assurance, and aroma above cost,
confirming our assumption that quality-conscious buyers exist and
are willing to pay more.
Lack of traceability is a real pain point. Multiple respondents
highlighted the absence of transparent sourcing and testing,
validating the need for QR-based traceability and lab reports.
Demand exists for premium and single-origin spices. People
showed strong interest in higher-quality, origin-specific products,
supporting our premium positioning.
Modern processing support is seen as useful. Solutions like
steam sterilization, cryogenic grinding, and shared processing
facilities were rated highly, confirming the need for infrastructure-
led interventions.
Invalidated Assumptions
Assumption: Price is the biggest barrier.
This didn’t hold — many respondents were fine paying 5–20% extra
for validated purity. Price resistance was lower than expected.
Assumption: Farmers won’t pay for facilities.
Farmers/processors did not outright reject the idea of Spice Tech
Park usage; many chose “maybe depending on cost,” showing
openness rather than resistance.
Assumption: Offline channels dominate premium purchases.
Customers actually prefer online and direct-from-brand channels
for premium/organic spices, contradicting the assumption that
physical retail drives this category.
New Customer Insights
Lab reports on-pack are a major trust booster. Respondents
consistently selected traceability + lab results as the strongest trust
factor.
Consumers care about moisture and residue levels, showing
that technical quality parameters influence buying decisions more
than expected.
Buyers want convenience. Ready-to-use blends, global cuisine
kits, and wellness-based spice mixes attracted interest, indicating
demand for value-added products, not just raw spices.
Digital transparency is becoming non-negotiable. People
prefer buying premium spices online because digital channels offer
clearer information and comparison.
Revised Understanding of Problems
The main issue isn’t just “low-quality spices” — it’s the lack of
proof of quality.
Customers aren’t asking for new spices; they’re asking for
verification.
Supply chain gaps hurt all stakeholders, especially in:
o Testing access
o Standardized processing
o Consistent quality
Branding and market access remain weak for farmers and
processors, suggesting a deeper ecosystem issue, not just a
consumer-side problem.
Potential Improvements to Solution / UVP
Emphasize on-pack lab results more strongly. Customers
clearly value scientific assurance.
Expand QR-traceability content to include:
o Farm location
o Testing parameters
o Processing steps
Introduce convenience-forward SKUs like blends, kits, and
wellness mixes.
Offer tiered access to the Spice Tech Park (e.g., pay-per-use for
small farmers, membership for processors).
Strengthen the farmer network positioning, since respondents
see it as a major trust driver.
Market Fit Indicators
High interest in residue-tested and premium spices shows a strong
product–market fit for quality-driven offerings.
Majority willingness to pay 5–20% extra suggests healthy pricing
power.
Positive reception of modern processing, traceability tools, and lab-
backed assurance signals readiness for tech-enabled solutions.
Preference for online/direct brand channels indicates a clear go-to-
market pathway for premium SKUs.