Smylo's Shark Tank Triumph: A Game-Changer for India's Cat Nutrition Scene

India's pet care landscape just witnessed a milestone as Smylo, a pioneering brand in fresh, natural cat food, clinched a high-profile deal on Shark Tank India Season 5. This investment underscores the rising investor confidence in specialized pet nutrition startups amid booming pet ownership among urban millennials.

Funding Breakdown

Smylo's founders, Abhishek Agrawal from IIT Delhi and Kartikeya Gupta from BITS Pilani, sought ₹68 lakh for 1% equity in a tense Face-Off round against rival Nootie. Sharks Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, and Varun Alagh countered with ₹75 lakh for 1% equity and 2% advisory shares, pegging the brand at a robust ₹75 crore valuation. The pitch highlighted Smylo's impressive ₹2.3 crore in total sales, 20% monthly growth, and stellar 4.8-star ratings from over 10,000 users.

Brand Origins and Traction

Born in November 2024 from the founders' grief over a pet's health struggles, Smylo delivers vet-approved, preservative-free meals tailored for cats as obligate carnivores—filling gaps left by carb-laden competitors. Available on getsmylo.com, Amazon, Flipkart, and quick-commerce sites, the brand has delivered 400,000+ meals, boasts 45% subscriber retention, and enjoys 75% margins on stars like bone broth. Future moves target new products, R&D boosts, wider reach, and cat health awareness campaigns.

Surging Market Opportunity

The ₹10,000 crore Indian pet food sector expands at double-digit rates yearly, with cat nutrition outpacing dogs due to Gen Z and millennial adoptions—cats now grow at double the canine rate. Smylo stands out with bold transparency, including a co-founder taste-test on live TV, countering obesity risks affecting 60% of pets. Sharks lauded its niche mastery and loyalty-building edge.

PetPitch India Viewpoint

At PetPitch India, we see Smylo's deal as a bullish signal for cat-focused innovators in a dog-dominated market. Their science-backed formulas and rapid scaling position them to disrupt legacy giants—watch this space for more feline-first breakthroughs shaking up pet nutrition.