profile-arjun

Where most people would focus on the doors opened through high-profile early success, Arjun Rajyagor is calmly succinct regarding how others see his teenage win of BBC’s Junior Apprentice programme. “Simply put,” he says, “it raises expectations.”

Those expectations have not only been met but exceeded in a career which has seen Arjun rise through the ranks at Goldman Sachs, as well as founding and driving more than one successful independent enterprise of his own. Watching his parents move forward with their own business inspired Arjun from an early age. His early fascination with technology was invaluable in setting up his own computer repair business initially, but latterly this thrill of the new and technical inquisitiveness allowed Arjun the creative space required to create efficient, effective logistics systems from scratch. Automating his way around problem solving was one of the chief attractions that saw Arjun join Sana Life Science as Chief Operating Officer.

Part of Sana Life Science, Sana Lifestyle is Europe’s premier wellness CBD and cannabis product distributor, offering a wide-range of trusted brands in this emerging sector to retailers across the region. Sana’s mission is to offer a full-service solution from manufacturing through regulation management and all the way to the point of purchase. It’s not a simple channel to navigate which is where Arjun’s ability to grasp and interrogate intricate detail has been invaluable.

Working closely with the rest of the team, Arjun has helped build the technical side of the business from the ground up, overcoming many of the classic issues encountered across the FMCG supply chain. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a market undergoing a huge shift currently, but the team at Sana Lifestyle is determined to offer products in line with all current regulation and which consumers trust. “Experts are the key,” says Arjun. “Everyone just wants into this market currently, but it’s essential to work as transparently as possible to build that trust. Of course, there are challenges, but like any business I’ve worked in its about breaking down the problem and then identifying the core components of those creative solutions.”

One of the challenges of opening up any new category is managing the rules effectively – and it’s put many off, but not  Arjun. “We like regulation, in fact, we welcome it. Anything that helps us to highlight the positive attributes of our brands – and to make sure that every CBD product on UK shelves has been tested rigorously – is a good thing.”

It’s a good job that Arjun thrives on detail. The CBD category is not only complex and high regulated, it also has the added complexity of falling under the EU Novel Foods status. As the resident expert in Novel Foods and what that means for the category, Arjun sees a dynamic future for this remarkable category. “ Today this is one of the busiest categories in the world. As we see regulation kick in across Europe and around the world, we are sure to see a contraction of brands, but not of innovation. This means that for those who stay the course, the rewards can be significant. We work with the most dynamic brands across this industry. They are the most trusted and they will be at the forefront of innovation. At Sana Life Science, we apply the same rigour to all our process so that our customers can trust that we will deliver what we say on time, every time.

With experience across technology and banking combined with boundless passion and enthusiasm, Arjun is committed to making Sana Lifestyle the best in the business when it comes to the business of CBD. As he concludes himself “CBD is a huge opportunity which hasn’t really had a technological approach taken to it – until now! It’s the right category, at the right time and we’re confident of success.”