The D2C scene in India is still going strong, as brands making food with simple, clear ingredients are changing how we eat every day. In other startup news, Kilrr, a brand making meat marinades without preservatives, got money from Anupam Mittal on Shark Tank India. This shows investors are confident in the growing direct-to-consumer food and wellness market in India.
Kilrr was started by Hitesh Bhagia, an engineer and IIM Kozhikode graduate. It’s a D2C brand that’s all about making meat cooking easy for people in India today. The brand’s straightforward message, Slay the mess, savour the taste”, means it’s convenient, nutritious, and tasty—with no bad stuff added.
Bhagia asked for ₹1 crore for 1% of the company, which would value it at ₹100 crore. He said Kilrr is adding more products, with 11 kinds of powdered meat marinades and three gravy mixes. They cost ₹70 each, and people usually order about ₹660 worth of stuff. Even though the products are for meat, they’re made with all vegetarian ingredients, like dried veggies mixed right into the spices. This makes them stand out among other D2C food and beverage brands in India.
Kilrr is serious about clean ingredients, so there are no preservatives, artificial flavors, additives, or added sugar. Because of this, the products last for six months, which is not as long as other packaged foods, but it fits with the brand’s promise of being natural and open about what’s in them. This fits with what people want these days: they care about what’s in their food and want to make healthy choices.
Kilrr started making its products in March 2024 and quickly started selling them. They shared that they made ₹2.6 crore in sales in FY24–25, and they did well in FY25–26, making ₹2.5 crore in both the first and second quarters. They expect to make ₹13 crore in sales this year but are losing 25% on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization because they’re spending a lot on growth, getting the word out, and distributing their products. This is normal for many fast-growing D2C brands.
Most sales come directly from customers, with 55% coming from Kilrr’s website and 35% from quick commerce platforms. This shows that quick commerce is becoming a big way for people to discover and keep buying D2C food.
After talking it over, Anupam Mittal made the deal, investing ₹1 crore for 1.06% of Kilrr, which values the company at about ₹94.3 crore. The deal is subject to the usual checks. This investment means Kilrr joins the list of D2C brands backed by venture capital and shows that investors are getting more interested in clean-label, protein-focused food startups in India’s D2C market.
As the D2C market in India is shaped by people wanting to eat healthy, cook conveniently, and buy online, Kilrr’s time on Shark Tank is a big step in building a D2C business that can grow, be trusted, and be different—one that combines taste, transparency, and what people want today.
