In one of the most notable D2C startup news developments within India’s rapidly evolving healthcare and lifestyle sector, medical apparel and lifestyle brand Knya is aggressively expanding its offline retail footprint with plans to scale to 100 stores across India by 2027. Backed by rising demand for organised medical wear, strong omnichannel growth, and increasing healthcare professional adoption, Knya is rapidly strengthening its position within India’s emerging medical lifestyle and D2C wellness ecosystem.
Founded in 2019 by Vanshika Kaji, Knya initially began as a workwear-focused company before strategically expanding into medical apparel through Knya Med. Over the past few years, the brand has emerged as one of the fastest-growing D2C brands India operating within the healthcare lifestyle category, offering products such as scrubs, lab coats, stethoscopes, and medical essentials designed specifically for healthcare professionals.
Within today’s D2C ecosystem India and Indian D2C updates landscape, Knya’s expansion highlights a larger shift toward specialised, category-focused consumer brands that are building strong communities around professional identity, functionality, and lifestyle-driven product experiences. The company is now building an organised retail network in a category that has historically remained fragmented and underserved.
Knya has already launched 13 new stores during the first five months of 2026, taking its total store count to 26 stores nationwide. Its latest retail expansion includes cities such as Vellore, Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kochi, Thrissur, Delhi, Bhopal, Udaipur, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, and Chennai. By targeting key healthcare hubs with dense concentrations of hospitals, clinics, and medical institutions, the company is creating a highly focused omnichannel D2C strategy designed around direct engagement with doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals.
The company’s aggressive expansion reflects broader D2C market trends 2025 where specialised consumer brands are increasingly blending digital-first scale with physical retail experiences to strengthen customer trust, improve product accessibility, and deepen community engagement. Across D2C business India, offline retail is becoming a major growth lever for premium and lifestyle-oriented brands looking to build long-term customer loyalty.
According to Knya Co-Founder Abhijeet Kaji, the company is witnessing strong store-level footfall and growing demand for high-quality medical wear across India. That momentum is helping Knya accelerate its retail strategy as it works toward its ambitious 100-store target over the next two years.
Knya’s rise also reflects evolving D2C consumer behavior India trends where healthcare professionals are increasingly seeking functional, premium-quality, and aesthetically designed products that improve everyday work experiences. Much like premium D2C brands India across fashion and lifestyle, Knya is positioning medical apparel as both a utility-driven and identity-driven category.
The company continues strengthening both its offline retail network and digital commerce infrastructure simultaneously. This balanced omnichannel approach aligns closely with how fastest-growing D2C brands are scaling across India today — integrating ecommerce, community-driven branding, offline discovery, and category-specific retail experiences.
Importantly, Knya’s growth journey has also attracted strong investor confidence. In 2022, the company raised seed funding from DSG Consumer Partners alongside healthcare-focused investors including promoters of Narayana Health and Cipla Health. The funding support highlights rising investor interest across niche D2C wellness startups, healthcare-focused consumer brands, and specialised retail categories.
As India’s healthcare ecosystem expands rapidly and organised retail penetration deepens across newer segments, Knya is positioning itself at the intersection of healthcare, fashion, and lifestyle commerce. The company’s category-focused approach, strong retail expansion strategy, and healthcare-first product ecosystem are helping it emerge as one of the most promising names within India’s rapidly evolving D2C industry news landscape.
With 100 stores targeted by 2027, rising consumer demand, growing omnichannel reach, and strong brand recall among medical professionals, Knya is building far more than a medical apparel business. It is creating a new-age healthcare lifestyle brand designed specifically for India’s next generation of healthcare professionals.
