WickedGud, a leading direct-to-consumer food products company sponsored by Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, has recently raised ₹20 crore in the latest round of funding. This is a capital inflow by a unit of existing investors as it is an indication that it still believes in the quest of the brand to revolutionize the Indian food market. Some prominent players in this round are the Orios Venture Partners, Asiana Fund, and Shilpa Shetty herself. Individual investors who participated in the funding include Shajikumar Devakar, Ajay Mehta, Sonika Ravula, and Rahul Colaco. 

Capital infusion and mission

This fund will be used to finance several strategic growth projects that will expand the operations of the brand. WickedGud is scheduled to allocate the capital to increase physical and web presence in modern trade, general trade, and other online platforms. A large part of the investment will be invested towards building the supply chain and backend of the company to achieve a smooth distribution when the brand expands.

The company aims to speed up its innovation in high-velocity product lines. This involves product development and expansion of products like cup noodles and Korean-style spicy noodles. With these popular segments in mind, WickedGud can gain a major market share while preserving its intentions to offer a healthier choice to typical convenience foods.

This recent financial achievement has been achieved after a steady growth path of the Mumbai-based startup. WickedGud had previously raised ₹20 crore with the same set of investors in December of the previous year, followed by a $250 000 round in June 2023. With this new capital, the company can be well-positioned to consolidate its presence in the extremely competitive and fast-changing food and beverage industry.

WickedGud was established in 2021 by Bhuman Dani with a particular aim of unjunking India, one kitchen at a time. The brand aims at producing healthy and luxurious food items that are balanced as to nutrition and Great taste. The products offered by the company are determined by the application of wholesome ingredients and a distinct manufacturing process.

The Steaming and Convection Air Drying technology is the key to the production of WickedGud. This approach enables the brand to make already-prepared staple foods such as noodles and pasta without undergoing the usual deep-frying procedures common in the sector. With such technology, the startup is confident that its products will be rich in nutrients and still provide the consumer with the convenience and taste that one want.

Operation and the global market

WickedGud competes within the huge instant noodles and pasta sector, which is characterized by high competition with price sensitivity and convenience provided as the major drivers of scale. WickedGud has chosen a better-for-you approach to everyday staples, unlike most health-conscious brands, which focus on their niche role or are exclusively high-end. This strategy has enabled the brand to attract a significantly larger consumer base, where people are now able to enjoy healthy eating.

The brand has been able to implement a multi-channel distribution approach in order to access its target market. WickedGud products are found on popular online and fast-commerce stores and platforms, such as Amazon, Blinkit, Instamart, Zepto, BigBasket, and Flipkart. The digital-first strategy is supported by a vast offline presence of over 5,000 retail locations in India. This physical presence consists of positioning in more than 1,500 Reliance Smart Bazaar stores and 50 DMart stores.

Trying to push more volumes in the price-sensitive markets, the company has recently introduced a ₹20 value pack of Masala Noodles just to the general trade segment. New flavors like Korean Fiery 2x Spicy, Korean Chilli Cheese, and Korean Chilli Chicken have been added to meet the rising demand for spicy and international flavor profiles.

Conclusion

As this ₹20 crore round of funding closes successfully, WickedGud will enable its market share in the Indian D2C food industry to increase. With celebrity endorsement, new production technology, and a firm emphasis on affordability and health, the company is successfully arguing with the conventional food standards. With its ever-growing retail presence and product diversification, WickedGud still sticks to its original idea of offering luxurious, but healthy, foods to the contemporary Indian family.