The Inspiring Journey of a Billion-Dollar Babycare Startup

In June 2016, Malika Sadani turned her dream into reality by launching her bootstrapped startup, investing Rs 15 lakh. The inspiration for her successful business idea came from a personal experience – the struggle to find a suitable moisturizer for her daughter’s skin. After speaking with over 200 mothers, she identified a common issue – the lack of natural products in the market. This led her to leave her lucrative finance job behind and start a business with an initial investment of Rs 15 lakh.

The company officially launched its products in March 2017, starting with a turnover of Rs 2 lakh, which impressively grew to Rs 24 lakh the following year, achieving annual growth at three times the previous rate.

To address mothers’ problems effectively, Malika engaged in extensive conversations with the same group of 200 mothers, shaping the startup’s direction. As it gained traction, The company secured a substantial investment of 1 million dollars, leading to further expansion, including physical stores to cater to customers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The company store concept took off in 2018 with 100 stores, resulting in a revenue surge to Rs 7.6 Crore.

In 2020, the company accelerated its growth, opening 250+ stores and increasing annual turnover to Rs 22.3 crore. By 2021, The business expanded to over 1,500 stores and achieved a remarkable revenue of Rs 150 Crore in just 4.5 years. This impressive success caught the attention of a rising unicorn in the skincare segment, which sought to acquire a brand in the mom-and-baby segment. As a result, they acquired her company for Rs 500 Crore.

–Re-reported from the article originally published in Zee News