Brands
Viraj Bahl backs kids care brand Awenest after Shark Tank India pitch
Startup eyes Rs 30 crore next year as toxin conscious kids care demand rises
MUMBAI: Kids home and personal care startup Awenest is riding a wave of growing demand for toxin conscious products designed specifically for children, and it has now found a backer in Veeba founder Viraj Bahl after featuring on Shark Tank India.
The brand, which focuses on routine based care products for children, has quickly built a Rs 3.5 crore business and is now targeting Rs 10 crore in revenue in FY26. The momentum has prompted the startup to set an even bigger goal of Rs 30 crore in the next fiscal year as it scales distribution and launches new products.
Awenest’s growth has been steady. The company reported net sales of Rs 1.6 crore in FY24, which rose to Rs 3.52 crore in FY25. In the current financial year so far, the brand has already clocked Rs 2.8 crore in revenue and expects to close FY26 with Rs 10 crore in net sales.
The business has also strengthened its margins while expanding sales. Gross margins have climbed from around 50 percent in FY25 to nearly 65 percent year to date, while the brand touched a monthly run rate of about Rs 70 lakh in October 2025.
Founded by Kinshuk, Atul and Jahangir, Awenest is positioning itself around a simple idea: children need products designed for their routines, not diluted versions of adult formulations. The founders say the children’s home and personal care category in India represents a Rs 30,000 crore opportunity.
Kinshuk, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, previously managed businesses with revenues exceeding Rs 3,000 crore. Atul, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow, brings experience in marketing and digital growth, including scaling platforms with more than 10 million subscribers. Jahangir leads operations and has handled P and L responsibilities across businesses worth over Rs 2,500 crore.
The startup’s appearance on Shark Tank India gave it a national spotlight, where its routine led approach to children’s care products attracted interest from the panel and led to an investment offer from Bahl.
Even before the show, Awenest had been quietly gaining traction online. Several of its products have emerged as top sellers on Amazon, reflecting rising interest among parents looking for safer everyday products for children.
The company follows a digital first distribution strategy. Around 45 per cent of its sales come from Amazon, while another 45 per cent comes from quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit and other q commerce channels. Modern trade currently contributes about 3 per cent of revenue, though the company expects this to grow as it expands its retail footprint.
The idea behind Awenest stems from how childhood routines have evolved. With children moving between school, activities and indoor environments, the founders believe many everyday products expose them to hidden toxins, allergens and harsh chemicals.
Awenest aims to address that gap with products designed for children’s daily routines using non allergenic ingredients, while still delivering performance that parents expect.
With fresh visibility from Shark Tank India and backing from Viraj Bahl, the startup is now preparing for its next phase of growth by widening its presence in modern trade, strengthening quick commerce distribution and rolling out new products tailored to children’s everyday routines.
Brands
Reliance Retail FY26 revenue rises 11.8 Per Cent to Rs 3.7 lakh crore
Q4 revenue up 11.1 Per Cent, hyperlocal orders surge 4x, PAT steady
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail isn’t just ringing up sales, it’s ringing doorbells faster than ever. Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) reported a steady FY26 performance, with growth powered by store expansion, a sharp surge in hyperlocal commerce, and consistent traction across grocery, fashion and jewellery. For the full year, revenue rose 11.8 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,70,026 crore. In the January–March quarter, revenue from operations climbed 11.1 per cent to Rs 87,344 crore, up from Rs 78,622 crore a year earlier.
Operating performance remained stable, with Q4 EBITDA inching up 3.1 per cent YoY to Rs 6,921 crore from Rs 6,711 crore. However, quarterly profit after tax held steady at Rs 3,563 crore. For the full fiscal, PAT grew 11.7 per cent to Rs 13,842 crore.
Expansion remained a key lever. RRVL added 1,564 new stores during FY26, while simultaneously scaling its digital and hyperlocal commerce play. The latter emerged as a standout, with daily orders surging more than fourfold year-on-year in Q4, underlining a clear shift towards faster, localised fulfilment.
In grocery, large-format stores maintained momentum, aided by festive demand and the expansion of Smart Bazaar, which crossed 1,000 stores. Promotional campaigns such as ‘Full Paisa Vasool’ delivered record results, with sales rising 26 per cent YoY.
Digital commerce also picked up pace. JioMart added 5.8 million new users in Q4, nearly doubling its registered base year-on-year. Hyperlocal orders grew 29 per cent sequentially and over 300 per cent annually during the quarter.
Fashion and lifestyle saw steady traction. Ajio recorded a 23 per cent YoY rise in average bill value, while fast-fashion platform Shein crossed 11 million app installs, scaling rapidly with expanding product lines.
The jewellery business added further shine, with average bill value jumping 53 per cent YoY, largely driven by rising gold prices and sustained consumer demand.
Commenting on the shift, RRVL executive director Isha Ambani said hyperlocal commerce has become a structural growth driver, with orders rising more than fourfold over the year.
Looking ahead to FY27, the company is betting on technology to deepen engagement. The focus, Ambani noted, will be on AI-led merchandising, sharper pricing strategies and disciplined execution turning scale into sustained customer value.
In short, the carts are fuller, the clicks are quicker, and the next phase looks less about reach and more about precision.
