The Journey of Teafit’s Founder, Jyoti Bharadwaj

Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | July 09,2025 | With a determined mind and a mission to create a health-friendly beverage, Jyoti Bharadwaj, the founder of Teafit, has carved a name for herself across India and beyond. Her entrepreneurial journey began in 2015, when her body began resisting insulin, pushing her to the brink of pre-diabetes. Coming from a family where diabetes was common, Jyoti knew she needed to rethink her dietary choices-especially beverages.

While exploring supermarket aisles, she noticed a troubling pattern-almost every packaged drink was loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Years earlier, a trip to Japan had introduced her to a variety of unsweetened herbal teas, a memory that quickly resurfaced. Determined to create a healthier drink for herself and others, she began experimenting in her Mumbai kitchen, blending Indian tea with Ayurvedic herbs sourced from Assam, Kerala, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Armed with a dual MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Indian School of Business, Jyoti brought strategic vision and resilience from her previous roles at UrbanFresh and Housing.com. The formulation process was labor-intensive, requiring over 130 iterations to balance taste, health benefits, and zero sugar content.

Focusing on quick-commerce platforms like Amazon, Zepto, and Blinkit
Teafit’s first small batch in 2021 started with just 2,000 bottles, supported by a Rs. 10 lakh seed fund from her mother-in-law, Dr. Urmila Pandey, a quiet yet strong believer in the mission. However, the initial production phase was anything but smooth-warped bottles, clogged filters, power outages, and limited shelf space all posing serious challenges.

Jyoti quickly adapted, especially when the second wave of the pandemic disrupted retail. She shifted focus to quick-commerce platforms like Amazon, Zepto, and Blinkit, allowing Teafit to gradually establish its presence despite the chaos. The real breakthrough came in 2023 with her appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2. Entering the tank with her two young sons, Jyoti confidently pitched Rs. 50 lakh for 3% equity, valuing the company at Rs. 16.7 crore.

Her presentation not only highlighted the health benefits of the product but also impressed the sharks with her deep understanding of pricing, sourcing, packaging, and logistics. Although the sharks initially countered with a lower valuation, Jyoti stood her ground and ultimately secured Rs. 50 lakh for 8% equity-valuing the company at Rs. 6.25 crore. All four sharks-Aman Gupta, Peyush Bansal, Vineeta Singh, and Anupam Mittal-joined in, recognizing the brand’s strength and mission.

Reaching over 400 retail outlets
The impact of the episode was immediate and immense. Within 30 minutes of the broadcast, Teafit surpassed its monthly sales target. Its Amazon listing went out of stock, backend systems crashed, and Jyoti struggled to meet the soaring demand. Aman Gupta personally stepped in to help with fulfillment logistics. That visibility drove Teafit’s revenue from Rs. 15.5 lakh in FY2022 to Rs. 90 lakh in FY2023, with projections reaching Rs. 3.4 crore.

Teafit expanded to over 400 outlets including 7-Eleven, Spencer’s, Nature’s Basket, Wellness Forever, and major pharmacy chains, while also entering international markets such as Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, the UAE, and the USA.

Despite this growth, Jyoti’s journey wasn’t free of obstacles. In the male-dominated manufacturing environments, she was often overlooked unless accompanied by a junior male colleague. Instead of being discouraged, she used these biases as fuel. She was determined to build a company that not only offered a healthy product but also redefined leadership roles for women.

Expansion strategy focused on quality, lean operations, and community-driven marketing
Today, Teafit offers a diverse product line including Iced Black Tea, Lemon Barley, Peach Green Tea, Saffron Infusion, Turmeric Tea, Ginger Blend, and Matcha-all made without sugar, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives. The company operates with over 11 SKUs and serves more than 1.25 lakh customers. About 70% of sales come from online channels, while 30% are offline-Mumbai alone contributes over 23% of total revenue.
Jyoti emphasizes long-term sustainability over aggressive scaling. Her expansion strategy is rooted in quality control, lean operations, and community-driven marketing. She remains deeply involved in R&D, packaging design, and supply chain oversight. To her, Shark Tank was more than just a funding platform-it was a defining milestone in her entrepreneurial journey, transforming a kitchen-table idea into a national movement.

Teafit is not just a sugar-free tea brand; it’s a reflection of its founder’s grit, empathy, and uncompromising vision. Jyoti Bharadwaj’s journey reminds us that innovation can be deeply personal-and when driven by purpose, it has the power to inspire a healthier path forward.

Written & Edited By:

Rajshree Upadhyaya