Peping, a fast-growing functional beverage startup, has raised ₹2.5 crore in a funding round led by IAN Angel Fund, the evergreen investment arm of IAN Group, with participation from several angel investors. The funding marks an important milestone for the emerging Direct-to-consumer India beverage brand as it scales distribution, strengthens supply chain infrastructure and accelerates product innovation in India’s rapidly evolving D2C ecosystem India.
The investment reflects growing momentum in D2C funding news and highlights increasing investor confidence in D2C food and beverage brands that are innovating around wellness, nutrition and functional ingredients. As health-conscious consumption rises across urban India, functional beverages are emerging as one of the most promising segments within the D2C industry news landscape.
Founded by Chirag Maheshwari and Prateek Maheshwari, Peping is building a new-age beverage brand designed for modern Indian consumers who want healthier alternatives to traditional carbonated drinks. The company focuses on functional beverages that combine taste, nutrition and convenience, positioning itself within the rapidly expanding D2C wellness startups category.
Peping’s product portfolio includes low-calorie prebiotic fizzy sodas and probiotic digestive shots that are designed for everyday consumption. Unlike niche kombucha brands or clinical probiotic capsules that often cater to limited audiences, Peping aims to deliver great-tasting, affordable and shelf-stable functional sodas tailored to Indian taste preferences. This approach allows the brand to address a much broader consumer base and capture everyday consumption occasions.
The brand’s dual-format product strategy plays a key role in its positioning. While its prebiotic sodas are designed for casual refreshment and daily hydration, the probiotic digestive shots target specific digestive health needs. This product strategy enables Peping to cater to multiple usage occasions while strengthening its presence within India’s growing D2C food and beverage ecosystem.
Distribution has been a major focus area for the startup’s early growth. Peping currently sells its products across leading quick commerce D2C and ecommerce platforms, including Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and BigBasket. The brand has also expanded its offline retail footprint through partnerships with First Club, Namdhari’s and Ratnadeep, and is available across more than 200 retail outlets in Bengaluru.
Beyond retail and ecommerce channels, Peping has also adopted an experiential distribution strategy by entering gyms, cafés and corporate offices through catering partnerships. This approach allows the brand to reach health-focused consumers in environments where wellness-driven beverages are naturally aligned with customer behaviour. Such diversified distribution reflects the evolving D2C go-to-market strategy used by many latest D2C startups scaling within India’s competitive consumer market.
On the operational front, Peping has invested in strengthening its manufacturing capabilities to support long-term scalability. The company has developed its production facility using off-the-shelf components and has brought soda canning operations in-house, a move that improves margins, enhances quality control and strengthens supply chain efficiency. This operational strategy highlights how emerging D2C brands India are building vertically integrated capabilities to support sustainable growth.
According to the founders, the fresh capital will be used to accelerate distribution expansion, brand building initiatives and new product launches, including additional flavours. The funding round also brings strategic backing from investors such as Signal Ventures, Eleven Eleven and other angel investors, who are expected to support the company’s long-term scaling strategy.
India’s beverage market is undergoing a transformation as consumers increasingly seek healthier alternatives to sugary drinks. Functional sodas, probiotic beverages and wellness-focused drinks are gaining traction among urban consumers, shaping the D2C market trends 2025 and creating new opportunities for emerging brands.
For observers following D2C daily news, D2C startup news, and India’s D2C market news and insights, Peping represents a strong example of how young consumer brands are building innovative product categories within the country’s rapidly expanding Direct-to-consumer ecosystem.
With fresh funding, a strong product proposition and expanding distribution across both digital and physical channels, Peping is positioning itself as one of the promising latest D2C startups shaping the future of functional beverages in India.
