Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | August 04,2025 | G. D. Prasad never intended to build a startup when he longed for the aroma of filter coffee and the crunch of murukku that once defined his grandparents’ Chennai home. But nostalgia has a way of inspiring purpose, and in 2020, that purpose took shape as VS Mani & Co-an attempt to bottle not just South Indian flavors but also the memory and emotion that came with them. Named after his grandfather, V. Subramanyam “Mani,” the brand began with a simple goal: to bring authentic South Indian filter coffee and snacks to the modern Indian household in a way that felt rooted, relatable, and real.
Though Prasad had a background in advertising, having worked with agencies like Webchutney, it was the emotional pull of cultural memory that guided the early stages of the brand. Soon, his former colleagues Rahul Bajaj and Yashas Alur joined him as co-founders. Together, they built a direct-to-consumer brand that combined clean aesthetics with rich cultural undertones, offering not just products but a sense of belonging. Their product lineup included traditional filter coffee blends, banana chips, murukku, peanut chikkis, and spice mixes, all wrapped in packaging that echoed the warmth of Tamil kitchens.
By the end of FY22, VS Mani & Co had already crossed 1.5 crore in annual revenue and built a loyal customer base with over 30% repeat purchases. The online-first brand had 85% of its sales coming through digital channels, with its appeal rooted in the blend of heritage and convenience. Yet, like many early-stage startups, the team needed capital, visibility, and broader validation. Shark Tank India Season 2 became that moment. In early 2023, Prasad and his team stepped onto the stage asking for 60 lakh in exchange for 1.5% equity, valuing the brand at 40 crore. What they delivered, however, was more than a pitch-it was a story of Chennai mornings, filter coffee rituals, and generational continuity.
Anupam Mittal, who had already invested in the company prior to the show, immediately connected with the narrative. Namita Thapar also resonated with the authenticity and the product’s emotional positioning. The final deal was 19 lakh for 1% equity and 41 lakh as debt at 10% interest-a structure that wasn’t financially aggressive but came with immense strategic value. More importantly, the brand’s visibility exploded overnight. Amazon sales jumped over 10x and sustained at 5x in the weeks that followed, website traffic surged, and offline retail presence expanded rapidly to more than a thousand outlets across southern India.
Prasad’s emotional LinkedIn post after the episode aired summed up the journey-a heartfelt thank you to customers, Sharks, team members, and early believers who had carried the idea from a home kitchen to national shelves. But the work was far from done. Behind the scenes, VS Mani & Co had already raised $370,000 from a strong set of angel investors including Ashish Hemrajani, Rana Daggubati, Haresh Chawla, and others. These funds helped the team expand operations, refine logistics, and prepare for a broader retail footprint.
What truly set VS Mani & Co apart was its insistence on doing things right, even when growth was pressing. When a customer raised concerns about palm oil being used in a chips batch despite the switch to rice-bran oil, Prasad himself responded and resolved the issue within hours. That kind of personal accountability wasn’t just rare-it was deeply respected by customers who saw the brand as more than just a product on the shelf.
VS Mani & Co’s journey so far is a story of cultural preservation turned into commercial success. It’s about memory meeting modernity, about turning a craving into a company, and about serving something as timeless as filter coffee to a generation that is learning to pause and remember where it came from.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
