In a world saturated with sugary temptations and empty calories, C.S. Siddarth is quietly leading a ‘Wild Date‘ revolution, one bite at a time. A certified expert in food nutrition and a seasoned pro-athlete, Siddarth is no stranger to discipline, endurance, and performance. Having conquered grueling feats like Ironman triathlons and ultramarathons, he knows firsthand what the human body truly needs to thrive.

But Siddarth’s journey didn’t stop at the finish line. Armed with science, stamina, and a passion for real food, he founded Wild Date, a snacking brand that fuses nature’s finest ingredients with uncompromising nutritional integrity. From energy bites made with dates, nuts, and seeds to preservative-free bars packed with plant-based power, Wild Date isn’t just a snack, it’s a healthy and fit lifestyle.

Here, in an exclusive interview, C.S. Siddarth speaks to Sumita Chakraborty, Editor-in-Chief, TheGlitz, about founding Wild Date, fuelling the body, building a mindful brand, and why the future of snacking is clean, conscious, and wildly delicious.

Over To C.S. Siddarth, Founder, Wild Date

From Ironman races to Snack Bars and Good for you cookies -what inspired you to turn your personal journey as a pro-athlete and nutrition expert into a clean snacking brand like Wild Date?

My journey as an endurance athlete taught me that what we put into our bodies matters just as much as how we move them. During training for the Ironman races,I struggled to find clean, performance-supporting snacks that were both functional and genuinely tasty. That gap inspired me to create more products for Wild Date -a brand born from lived experience, clean eating and also blending athletic discipline with real-food nutrition. However, I wanted to create something that supported not just athletes, but anyone navigating busy, active lives.

Just wanted to ask you about what triggered the idea of starting Wild Date and the choice of ingredients used?

The idea for Wild Date was born out of a very personal need. From someone who did not get clean snacks on a typical day to training for Ironman races and lived an active lifestyle, I was constantly on the lookout for snacks that were both nutrient-dense and genuinely enjoyable to eat. Most of what I found on shelves was either overly processed, full of hidden sugars, or lacked real nutritional value. That gap really triggered something in me -I knew there had to be a better way.

The products were built around with real nuts, seeds, cocoa and unprocessed ingredients that complement each other both nutritionally and in taste. Every product is designed with the intention of being clean, energizing, and crave-worthy, without compromising on health or flavor.

Many snack brands claim to be “natural ”or “healthy.” What sets Wild Date apart in this increasingly crowded space?

At Wild Date, we don’t just throw around buzzwords like “natural” or “clean.” or “high protein”. Every product is rooted in purpose-driven formulation and crafted with whole ingredients, no refined sugar, and no shortcuts. We are deeply involved from farm to finish for most of our ingredients, and that traceability allows us to maintain integrity. Taste is equally important and we never want consumers to feel like they’re compromising flavor for health. It’s that balance of function, flavour, and transparency that sets us apart.

Dates are your hero ingredient. What made you choose them as the foundation of your brand, and how do they benefit the modern-day consumer?

Dates are nature’s original energy bar. They’re rich in fiber, antioxidants, and naturally occurring sugars that give you a clean energy boost, without the crash. However we also use other ingredients like Coconut sugar, Honey and Jaggery to bring the depth and sweetness to our products without the need for processed sugar. For today’s fast-paced lifestyle, they’re a perfect fit: portable, nutrient-dense, and not ultra processed.

As someone who’s conquered extreme endurance events, what role did smart snacking play in your training and performance- and how does that philosophy shape your products?

Smart snacking was critical to my performance. During endurance training, you need consistent fuel and not just calories, but quality nutrients that your body can absorb and use efficiently. That same thinking guides every Wild Date product. We focus on sustained energy, gut-friendly ingredients, and nutrient synergy, so whether you’re running a marathon or managing a packed workday, our snacks support real-world stamina and recovery. Our cookies can be a great after-work out reward as well!

Tell us about the process behind developing your products. How do you balance nutrition, taste, and clean ingredients?

It starts with intention. Every ingredient in a Wild Date product has a reason to be there – whether it’s for taste, texture, or function. We work closely with nutritionists, chefs, and food scientists to create recipes that excite the palate but also deliver real nutritional value. I myself am a masters of Science in Food Management and I specialised in food nutrition and new product development. We avoid shortcuts like refined sugars or preservatives, even if it makes our process more complex. Our goal is to create snacks that feel indulgent, but serve your body well.

Consumer awareness around clean eating is growing. How is Wild Date educating and engaging customers in this food revolution?

Education is a big part of our mission. We regularly share content that demystifies labels, ingredients, and nutrition myths. Our packaging is transparent, and our community events-from fitness collaborations to pop-ups help people understand where their food comes from and why that matters. We want our customers to feel empowered and informed, not overwhelmed. Clean eating isn’t a trend, it’s a return to basics, and we’re here to make that journey enjoyable. In this process, we want to make eating food fun again! Eating food should not be a chore but something which you enjoy,

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building a farm-to table snacking brand in India, and how did you overcome them?

One major challenge was sourcing consistent – quality ingredients directly from farms while maintaining scalability. Logistics, weather, and quality control can be unpredictable. But we invested early in building strong partnerships and transparent supply chains. Another hurdle was market education, helping consumers understand why clean, unprocessed snacks are worth it. We overcame this by focusing on community-building, authentic storytelling, and product sampling to win trust bite by bite.

What’s next for Wild Date – any exciting new products, collaborations, or expansion plans we should look out for?

We’re currently working on a few exciting launches—including getting into ‘good for you’ beverages that align with our clean label philosophy. We’re also exploring collaborations in the fitness and wellness space to bring experiential sampling and community engagement to new cities. Expansion is definitely on the horizon-both within India and select international markets where demand for authentic, ingredient-first snacks is growing.