Salytu is a health-focused food e-commerce business based in Mexico, offering fresh and organic meal kits, snacks, and pantry essentials. Founded by a passionate entrepreneur we met via LinkedIn, Salytu aims to make healthy eating accessible and affordable for busy professionals and families.

Project Objective

Build a clean, fast, and conversion-focused e-commerce platform tailored to the Mexican market, supporting local deliveries, dynamic product variations, and seamless checkout.

Target Audience

1. Health-conscious individuals
2. Fitness enthusiasts

Working professionals in Mexico looking for ready-to-eat meals and organic products

Discovery Phase

Identifying the Problem

The client initially used a low-code builder which lacked:

1. Custom checkout flows
2. Inventory control
3. Multi-language support
4. Proper SEO structure

They needed a custom-built solution with Laravel as backend, tailored for local logistics, and optimized for mobile use.

Competitor Analysis

We reviewed platforms like Rappi, MercadoLibre, and local Shopify stores, identifying gaps in:

1. Niche product personalization
2. Organic food branding
3. Delivery date scheduling options

User Personas

1. Working mothers seeking healthy weekly plans
2. Gym-goers looking for quick protein-packed meals
3. Corporate clients ordering in bulk

Goals and KPIs

1. Reduce bounce rate to <40%
2. Improve page load speed under 2 seconds
3. Enable delivery date and time selection
4. Secure admin dashboard with product/stock/order management

MVP Features

1. Product listing with filters
2. Cart and checkout with COD and card options
3. Delivery area check via pincode
4. Admin dashboard for order, category, product, and coupon management

Tech Stack

1. Backend: Laravel 10
2. Frontend: Blade + Bootstrap 5
3. Database: MySQL
4. Hosting: DigitalOcean
5. Payment Gateway: Conekta (Mexico)

Roadmap

1. Week 1: Wireframing and DB structure
2. Week 2–3: Development of frontend and backend
3. Week 4: Payment, logistics integration
4. Week 5: QA and deployment

Design Process

UI/UX Strategy

1. Color palette inspired by organic foods – green, beige, and white
2. Mobile-first approach
3. Sticky cart for frictionless experience
4. WhatsApp floating CTA for instant support

Tools Used

1. Figma for mockups
2. FontAwesome and Bootstrap icons
3. Google PageSpeed audit tool

Iterative Improvement

Initial designs were updated based on real user feedback. For example, we redesigned the product detail page to highlight macronutrients and benefits better.

Development Process

Backend Highlights

1. Laravel's built-in features leveraged for authentication, email, stock control
2. Order summary with tax calculation
3. Coupon management module

Frontend Highlights

1. Dynamic filters (e.g. "gluten-free", "vegan")
2. AJAX-powered cart for seamless experience
3. Delivery calendar popup

API and Integration

1. Conekta for payments
2. Google Maps API for delivery validation
3. Cron jobs for sending reminders on abandoned carts

Challenges and Solutions

🇲🇽 Localization

Mexico-based payment gateways required extra validation. We customized Conekta integration and ensured proper tax formatting (IVA).

Custom Cart Flow

Users wanted to schedule delivery for different items. We added grouped product ordering logic and delivery scheduling at checkout.

Mobile Optimization

Early tests showed 80% traffic from mobile. We restructured the product grid and added collapsible filters for better experience.

Testing and QA

1. Manual testing on Android, iOS, Chrome, Safari, Firefox
2. Speed optimized to score 90+ on PageSpeed
3. Browser testing on both English and Spanish versions
4. Order simulation across all delivery zones

Deployment and Launch

Hosting & Infrastructure

1. Hosted on DigitalOcean with Laravel Forge
2. Daily backups via cron
3. CDN support via Cloudflare

Launch Activities

1. Shared across Instagram, WhatsApp business list, and newsletter
2. Ran early bird offer with coupons to track conversion
3. Monitored through Hotjar & Google Analytics for user behavior

Post-Launch Insights

Results in First 2 Months

1. 40% increase in returning users
2. 120+ successful orders
3. 3x more WhatsApp inquiries from product pages

Client Feedback

The founder praised the platform’s ease of use, admin panel simplicity, and performance. She was able to process all orders efficiently and scale without additional help.

Key Takeaways

Lessons Learned

1. E-commerce in food needs precision — delivery times, expiry dates, freshness matter
2. WhatsApp still dominates in Latin America for customer support

What We’d Do Differently

1. Introduce nutrition-based filters earlier
2. Implement email campaigns from day one using MailerLite or Brevo

Advice for Others

If you're building an e-commerce business in a niche like food, focus on convenience, trust-building (like testimonials), and mobile optimization.

Conclusion

The Salytu project is a great example of blending local culture and global tech standards. Built with Laravel, hosted on a modern infrastructure, and optimized for mobile and SEO — it empowers a small business in Mexico to reach customers faster, better, and more efficiently.

Today, Salytu is growing steadily with repeat customers, strong brand recognition, and a tech system that scales with it.