Tushar and Ravi Mundada, founders of Aquapeya, lately revealed their distinctive technique of doing enterprise whereas pitching their enterprise concept on Shark Tank Season 4.
The duo, who entered the FMCG sector since 2007, constructed their technique round an uncommon however simple philosophy: “The patron just isn’t the king. The channel accomplice is the king.”
The 2 doubled down on their relationships with sellers and retailers as a substitute of shopper preferences making certain that the individuals who moved their product have been motivated, engaged and worthwhile.
“Shark Tank India wasn’t simply concerning the funding. It was an entrepreneurial schooling that offered insights that went past the monetary help,” Tushar mentioned whereas talking about visibility of the model on nationwide tv.
With the backing from the platform, Aquapeya is now poised to develop its manufacturing capability by 50% at its present facility by 2025. The goal is to scale up operations and attain a income goal of Rs 20 crore.
“We’re cracking the market on tendencies,” he declared, defending his technique amid investor debates. With merchandise spanning 75% water, 13% jeera soda, 7% mango juice, and simply 2% carbonated drinks, Tushar’s clear concentrate on shopper preferences has fuelled profitability from day one. The corporate closed FY2024 closed at Rs 9 crore, and with an EBITDA of 16%, the model is focusing on Rs 12 crores for FY 2025.
The founders advised the judges that the bottles are offered at Rs 20 and a seller value is at Rs 6.5, leaving a 20% margin and Rs 1.25 working revenue per unit. Nonetheless, the model’s method sparked intense discussions.
Piyush critiqued the pitchers saying “You’re a copy model,” arguing the enterprise couldn’t scale profitably.
“The corporate’s experience in distribution must be copied and pasted pan-India,” Namita Thapar argued, emphasising the power of Aquapeya’s mannequin. Thapar additionally highlighted that the packaging of their merchandise is similar to pre-existing merchandise within the markets. “Aapka toh pura ka pura copy kiya hai, itna kyu copy kiya?”
One the founders defined that they don’t see themselves as such. “We comply with buyer tendencies,” he mentioned, elaborating on the colour-coding methods.
The corporate began with a modest Rs 30 lakh in month-to-month income and a community of 25 sellers. At this time, it generates Rs 1 crore in month-to-month income, supported by 90 sellers and roughly 10,000 retailers. Regardless of setbacks such because the COVID-19 pandemic, which price the corporate vital gross sales through the summer season seasons, Aquapeya has reportedly maintained an annual progress price of 20-25% when it comes to quantity.
Tushar credit their success to their concentrate on constructing long-term relationships with channel companions. “Our progress is a direct results of the belief we’ve constructed with our companions. In robust instances, they’ve stood by us, and we’ve centered on ensuring that our progress is sustainable,” he mentioned.
