Revant Himatsingka, the prominent health activist and content creator known as Food Pharmer, revealed that he rejects advertisement offers worth an estimated ₹15 crore annually to maintain his independence from the food industry.
Himatsingka, who has gained a massive following for exposing high sugar content and misleading labels in Indian packaged goods, stated that his refusal to accept food-related brand deals is essential to remain an unbiased voice for consumers.
Despite the massive financial loss, Food Pharmer emphasised that his primary goal is to foster a movement toward conscious capitalism, an economic system where businesses prioritise social and environmental impact alongside profits, within the Indian market.
The creator shared that for the first few years of his journey, he generated zero revenue and relied entirely on personal savings from his previous career in the United States.
As his influence grew, so did the legal pressure from major corporations, leading to rising costs for lawyers and independent laboratory testing. To sustain the movement without compromising his integrity, Himatsingka has begun accepting non-food brand deals, which he claims represent only 5% of the total offers he receives.
These paid collaborations are specifically selected from outside the food and beverage sector to avoid any conflict of interest. Himatsingka explained that the revenue generated from these deals is reinvested directly into public interest projects.
This includes funding expensive lab tests for India’s top honey and paneer brands, and hiring elite legal counsel to defend against defamation threats from multi-billion dollar companies.
Himatsingka also addressed the emotional toll of creator-led activism, noting that he feels he is in an awkward position where he can criticise brands freely but cannot praise “clean” brands without the audience doubting his motives.
He expressed frustration that while traditional celebrities earn crores promoting junk food or tobacco products, influencers who try to do good are often scrutinised more harshly for earning a living.
The activist admitted that while he is currently unsure if he will ever accept food brand deals in the long run, he remains committed to transparency. He encouraged his audience to correct him if he makes mistakes, reinforcing that he is not perfect but is driven by the intent to make India healthier.
Revant Himatsingka currently boasts over 2.5 million followers on Instagram and has become a household name in India following his viral video about the sugar content in Bournvita, which led to significant changes in how the product was categorised.
His content focuses heavily on reading nutrition labels, a skill many health experts believe is the first line of defence against lifestyle diseases.
