'High revenue, low trust': Why Sharks rejected Ayuvya despite Rs 51 crore sales on Shark Tank India

On Shark Tank India Season 5, Ayuvya walked into the Tank with numbers that would usually stop the room, but walked out without a deal after the discussion shifted from revenue to responsibility.

Founded by Tanishk Pandey, Astha Jain, and Pawanjot Kaur, Ayuvya is an ayurvedic wellness brand that pitched alongside its sister brand, ImFresh. The founders sought Rs 1 crore for 0.5% equity, valuing the two businesses together at Rs 200 crore.

The pitch began strongly. The founders revealed that Ayuvya had generated Rs 51.5 crore in revenue in FY24–25, with projections of Rs 70 crore for the following year. The numbers immediately caught the Sharks’ attention and set high expectations.

However, the conversation soon moved beyond topline growth. Kunal Bahl questioned whether the growth rate was slowing compared to previous years and asked about customer repeat behaviour—metrics the founders were unable to clearly explain. The lack of clarity raised early concerns about long-term sustainability.

The discussion then turned to marketing. Aman Gupta criticised the brand’s social media advertisements, calling them poor in quality. When Tanishk defended the approach by saying that “ugly ads” were trending because they felt more authentic, the Sharks remained unconvinced.

The turning point came when the panel realised that none of Ayuvya’s ayurvedic products had undergone clinical trials. Pawanjot argued that the formulations were based on ancient texts and traditional practices, but the Sharks pushed back, stressing the importance of validation in health-related products.

Kunal Bahl opted out, saying that while the founders had built an impressive business, trust had to come before treatment. “Pehle vishwas banao,” he said, a line that summed up the panel’s concern.

Ritesh Agarwal echoed the sentiment, while Aman Gupta pointed out that despite the valuation, Ayuvya had not yet become a brand consumers could truly rely on.

In the end, Ayuvya exited the Tank without an investment.