New Delhi: WickedGud, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) start-up, on Monday announced a significant investment from Bollywood superstar and fitness guru, Shilpa Shetty.
The Mumbai-based company which markets healthy indulgent food products under the WickedGud brand, has raised Rs 2.25 crore from Shilpa, further solidifying its position in the growing health foods sector.
This latest investment from Shetty, a serial start-up investor known for her healthy lifestyle advocacy, follows previous funding from Titan Capital, Mumbai Angels, NB Ventures, Dholakia Ventures, Venture Catalyst, and other marquee founder angels including boAt co-founder Aman Gupta.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shilpa Shetty to the WickedGud family. Her love for food and fitness aligns with our brand values and mission. We believe that her influence will help us reach a wider audience, promoting conscious consumption,” said Bhuman Dani, Founder and CEO of WickedGud.
Shilpa expressed equal enthusiasm, saying, “We’re a family of food-lovers and are always looking for opportunities in the better-for-you indulgent food space. I tried the WickedGud Spaghetti and was not only impressed by the taste and health benefits, but also the fact that my kids loved it too. Grown ups liking it is one thing but when my kids lapped it up, I was sold on the idea. This inspired me to not only endorse the brand but also invest in it. I am excited to support WickedGud in their mission to unjunk India, one kitchen at a time.”
WickedGud, established in 2021 by Bhuman Dani, Monish Debnath, and Soumalya Biswas, is on a mission to “unjunk” India, one kitchen at a time. Its products are made using wholesome, mom-approved ingredients such as atta, dal, chawal, chana, oats, and jowar, and are manufactured using innovative Steaming and Convection Air Drying (SCAD) technology.
WickedGud gained further exposure on ‘Shark Tank India’ Season 2’s grand finale episode, leading to successful expansion into international markets including UAE, Singapore, Mauritius, and Nepal.
