The entrepreneurship-wave is blowing strongly in India and many young people are establishing their business and are trying to make it a brand. TV show Shark Tank India has worked as a catalyst in spreading the idea of entrepreneurship. Multiple companies from Punjab have also appeared at Shark Tank India and have also secured investment from sharks.
One of the companies from Punjab who featured in Shark Tank India was Burger Bae. Founders of Burger Bae featured in Shark Tank India Season 4 and got Rs 2 crore investment from sharks. Interestingly, their original ask was Rs 1 crore, but instead they secured an investment of Rs 2 crore.
Rohan Kashyap and Ojasvee Kashyap are founders of Burger Bae. They hail from Ludhiana, Punjab. On other hand, Janvi Sikaria is an influencer and she joined Burger Bae in 2021. She is also dating Rohan Kashyap, founder of Burger Bae.
During the pitch at Shark Tank India Season 4, Janvi Sikaria said, "In earlier times, fashion studios and fashion magazines used to tell us that what is trending and what should we wear. Today, our runway is our Instagram feed where by likes, comments and shares we decide what is trending. Our loyal customer and influencers' community give latest insight of pop-culture. We use their content and make clothes like that you like it. We make outfits that you want to wear."
Ojasvee Kashyap explained Burger Bae company and said, "Burger Bae is an Instagram driven community-based D2C clothing brand where we manufacture clothes inspired by new trends that are high quality, stylish, yet functional. Till now we have served over 2.5 lakh customers and we have build a strong Instagram community with 2.67 lakh people in it (then). Our ask is Rs 1 crore for 2.5% equity (Valuation Rs 40 crore)."
Rohan Kashyap said, "Social media has democratized fashion and influencers are our representatives. It is influencers who are making brands today, adding virality, and on that virality power-based is Burger Bae. India's biggest gold is its manufacturing capacity. And, by using this capacity we want to make a big lifestyle brand."
Telling about his background to the shark, Rohan Kashyap said, "I took my first share when I was in 9th standard. I used to love finance, markets and numbers. I always loved Narayan Murthy way of building the business where he just did not build Infosys, he put Bengaluru on the map. He is known as Father of IT sector. So, I had a very delusional aspiration that I want to become 'Narayan Murthy of Ludhiana'. I want to become 'Naran Murthy of Fashion'. I started Burger Bae company in November 2019."
"Ludhiana is famous for two things- cycle manufacturing and clothing. Once I went to a factory of one of my friends who make T-shirt for a global brand. I saw him putting a price tag of Rs 5500 on the tshirt. He used to get Rs 56 to stitch a tshirt. So, I was blown away that Ludhiana only get 1% of total supply-chain. Ludhiana makes best fleece in the whole world. Why are we making it for only foreign brands, why can't we have brand of our own?"
Ojasvee Kashyap said, "We both are siblings (Rohan). I studied Fashion Design from NIFT Kolkata. After graduation, I worked for fashion designer Anamika Khanna. During COVID, I took a sabbatical. I came home. I joined Burger Bae in 2021."
Janvi Sikaria, "I am an influencer myself. I was a customer, I saw a very cool brand on Instagram. My first experience was amazing. But, they screwed up my second order. I did not get the order despite paying it."
"2 months I could not reach them but finally I got a hold an Intern. Then, I got a call from him (Rohan) and he said sorry and offered me that whenever she will shop from Burger Bae, I will give unreleased merchandise. That's how we became friends. Our friendship then turned into love. It's been 2 years since we are dating. I joined Burger Bae in 2023."
Burger Bae finally secured Rs 2 crore investment in exchange of 20% equity i.e. Rs 10 crore valuation by Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal and Kunal Bahl.