The Journey of Geeta Patil, Founder of Patil Kaki

Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | July 04,2025 |  Starting with a small tiffin service, Geeta Patil has established the Patil Kaki brand in the snacks industry and carved a national identity through her hard work and innovation. In 2016, Geeta faced an unexpected challenge when her husband lost his job, pushing the family into financial uncertainty. A homemaker with a passion for cooking, Geeta decided to rely on her culinary skills and the recipes she inherited from her mother, Kamalabai Nivugle.

She once ran a small tiffin service in Mumbai. With just Rs. 5,000 and a 200 sq ft kitchen in Santacruz, Mumbai, Geeta began preparing traditional Maharashtrian snacks like Modak, Puran Poli, Chakli, Chivda, and Laddoo. She started selling them to neighbors and local offices. Her snacks, rich in authenticity and homemade taste, quickly gained popularity. What started as a few orders per month soon turned into hundreds. However, scaling the business remained a challenge for years.

The real turning point came in 2020 when Geeta’s son Vineet Patil and his childhood friend Darshil Savla-both IT-background college dropouts-recognized the brand’s potential. Together, they launched patilkaki.com, introduced vibrant packaging, and leveraged social media and performance marketing to expand their reach. Their digital efforts grew the business from 15-20 daily orders to nearly 3,000 monthly orders, generating revenue of Rs. 1.4 crore by FY 2020-21.

As demand grew, increasing the shelf life of the snacks became a major hurdle for national expansion. Initially, the products had a shelf life of only 25-30 days, restricting sales to Mumbai and Pune. The team invested in nitrogen flushing technology, successfully extending shelf life to 2.5 months, making nationwide delivery possible. By 2022, the brand achieved an annual revenue of Rs. 3-4 crore, serving over 18,000 customers with a continually growing base.

National Recognition through Resilience and Tech-Driven Innovation
Appearing on Shark Tank India Season 2 brought national attention to the family’s dedication and strategic vision. Geeta, along with Vineet and Darshil, presented their journey, backed by impressive sales and profitability. They asked for Rs. 40 lakh for 2.5% equity, valuing the company at Rs. 16 crore. Their business acumen sparked a bidding war among the sharks. Offers came from Vineeta Singh and Aman Gupta, but Anupam Mittal and Peyush Bansal closed the deal at Rs. 40 lakh for 4% equity, valuing the brand at Rs. 10 crore.

This moment was not just a financial milestone, but also brought national recognition for Geeta’s resilience and the team’s tech-driven innovation. The Shark Tank episode aired, and within hours, the Patil Kaki website crashed due to overwhelming demand. Geeta became a household name-recognized on the streets and celebrated as a symbol of patience and determination.

The investment helped the team expand production in a 1,200 sq ft facility in Santacruz, employing nearly 50 people-75% of whom were women entering the workforce for the first time. Additional funding from Cap70 Angels and Bestvantage Investments boosted automation, improved hygiene standards, and expanded the brand to e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Meesho.

A Brand Rooted in Tradition and Authenticity
Despite large-scale expansion, the brand remains deeply rooted in tradition and authenticity. Geeta’s commitment to quality, homemade taste, and cultural pride remains central to every product. With an average order value of Rs. 650, strong profit margins, and steady growth since the end of 2022, Patil Kaki has become more than just a business-it’s a movement blending modern entrepreneurship with tradition. Today, Patil Kaki is valued at Rs. 10 crore, serving Maharashtrian snacks across India, with plans for retail partnerships and international expansion. From an initial investment of Rs. 5,000 to a multi-crore enterprise, the journey of Geeta Patil, Vineet Patil, and Darshil Savla proves that tradition, innovation, and resilience-one modak, one chakli, and one inspired customer at a time-can lead to phenomenal success.

Written & Edited By:

Rajshree Upadhyaya