Cookie Cartel Shark Tank India Episode Review
In Shark Tank India Season 5, Episode 21 (aired Monday, February 2, 2026), the premium dessert brand Cookie Cartel—founded by Hisham Sunehra—presented its “New York–style” chunky and stuffed cookies. Sunehra initially sought an investment of ₹75 Lakhs for 5% equity at a ₹15 crore valuation. Despite being currently loss-making due to high marketing spends, the brand impressed the Sharks with its 65% gross margins and a high repeat purchase rate (up to 42% on food aggregators).
After a round of negotiations, a deal was finalized at ₹80 Lakhs for 12% equity (valuing the company at ₹6.67 crores), with Anupam Mittal, Kanika Tekriwal, and Vineeta Singh teaming up to back the venture. Cookie Cartel differentiates itself through its “smuggling” narrative and nitrogen-flushed packaging that ensures a 30-day shelf life for its thick, gooey cookies like “The Godfather” and “Notorious Blackie.”
Website Information
- Website:- Cookie Cartel
- Build on Shopify
- Poor SEO Performance, SEO Improvement Needed.
- ORGANIC TRAFFIC: 336 visitors per month
Cookie Cartel Founder
- The brand was founded by Hisham Sunehra, who envisioned bringing a specialized New York–style cookie experience to the Indian market.
- Starting as a small, bootstrapped online bakery, Sunehra has successfully scaled the business into a tech-enabled dessert venture, positioning cookies as a premium everyday treat.
Cookie Cartel Brand Overview
- Cookie Cartel is a premium D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) dessert brand based in India that specializes in freshly baked, chunky, and stuffed cookies.
- The brand has carved a niche for itself by moving away from traditional biscuits and focusing on a “bold and gooey” experience.
- It operates primarily through its official website and a network of cloud kitchens, utilizing a unique “cookie smuggling” marketing concept that adds an element of fun and intrigue to the customer journey.
Cookie Cartel Shark Tank India Appearance & Ask
During his appearance on Shark Tank India Season 5, Hisham Sunehra presented a clear growth trajectory for Cookie Cartel.
- Original Ask: ₹75 Lakhs for 5% equity.
- Initial Valuation: ₹15 Crores.
- Pitch Highlights: The founder emphasized the brand’s asset-light model and its ability to scale nationwide using a centralized kitchen hub that services multiple cloud kitchen spokes.
Cookie Cartel Season and Episode Air Date
- Season: 05
- Episode: 21
- Episode Air Date: Monday, 02 February, 2026
Cookie Cartel Product Overview
- The Cookie Cartel product line features artisanal, New York–style cookies known for their thick texture and molten centers.
- Priced between ₹190 and ₹330, the products are categorized as premium indulgences.
- To ensure freshness during Pan-India shipping, the brand uses specialized nitrogen-flushed, oxygen-barrier packaging, which extends the shelf life to 30 days without compromising the “freshly baked” quality.
Cookie Cartel Investor Reactions
- The Sharks were impressed by the brand’s 65% gross margins and its efficient operational model.
- They noted that Cookie Cartel successfully tapped into the rising D2C trend where consumers are willing to pay more for quality and innovation.
- The high repeat purchase rate (up to 42% on food aggregators) served as a strong proof of concept, convincing the investors of the brand’s long-term viability and customer loyalty.
Cookie Cartel Customer Engagement Philosophy
- Cookie Cartel prioritizes a seamless and interactive customer experience.
- This includes offering flexible payment options (UPI, Credit Cards, etc.) and maintaining a robust support system via phone and email.
- The brand actively engages its community on social media and uses creative product naming—like the “Cartel Sweet’s Sale”—and bulk-order discounts to encourage higher order values and frequent interactions.
Cookie Cartel Product Highlights
The brand’s success is driven by its signature “Best-Sellers” and curated gift sets:
- Top Flavors: The Godfather (Reese’s Peanut Butter), Notorious Blackie (Nutella Sea Salt), and El Chappo (Lotus Biscoff).
- Specialty Boxes: The Ultimate Gift Hamper and Movie Night Cartel Box are designed for gifting and social occasions.
- Quality Standards: Use of premium chocolate, high-grade fillings, and a strict quality control process that keeps product write-offs below 10%.
Cookie Cartel Future Vision
- The future of Cookie Cartel involves aggressive expansion of its cloud kitchen footprint across India.
- With revenue growing from ₹30 Lakhs in FY24 to a projected ₹3.5 Crores in FY26, the brand aims to dominate the premium cookie segment.
- The vision is to evolve from a niche bakery into a household name for gifting and celebrations, backed by the strategic guidance of the Sharks to achieve profitability while maintaining high-speed growth.
Cookie Cartel Deal Finalized or Not
- Yes, a deal was finalized. After a round of negotiations and a counter-offer from the founder, Cookie Cartel secured an investment.
- Final Deal: ₹80 Lakhs for 12% equity.
- Final Valuation: ₹6.67 Crores.
- Investors: The deal was a joint investment by Sharks Anupam Mittal, Kanika Tekriwal, and Vineeta Singh.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Website | Cookie Cartel (Built on Shopify) |
| SEO Performance | Poor SEO, improvement needed |
| Organic Traffic | ~336 visitors/month |
| Founder | Hisham Sunehra |
| Founder Vision | Bringing New York–style premium cookies to India; scaled from a bootstrapped online bakery to a tech-enabled D2C dessert brand |
| Brand Type | Premium D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) Dessert Brand |
| Core Offering | Freshly baked, chunky, gooey, stuffed New York–style cookies |
| Brand Differentiation | Focus on “bold & gooey” cookies vs traditional biscuits; unique “Cookie Smuggling” brand narrative |
| Primary Sales Channels | Official website + cloud kitchens |
| Shark Tank Season | Season 5 |
| Episode Number | Episode 21 |
| Episode Air Date | Monday, 02 February 2026 |
| Original Ask | ₹75 Lakhs for 5% equity |
| Initial Valuation | ₹15 Crores |
| Pitch Highlights | Asset-light hub-and-spoke cloud kitchen model; scalable nationwide operations |
| Final Deal Status | Deal finalized |
| Final Deal | ₹80 Lakhs for 12% equity |
| Final Valuation | ₹6.67 Crores |
| Investors | Anupam Mittal, Kanika Tekriwal, Vineeta Singh |
| Product Price Range | ₹190 – ₹330 |
| Product Positioning | Premium indulgence desserts |
| Packaging Technology | Nitrogen-flushed, oxygen-barrier packaging |
| Shelf Life | Up to 30 days |
| Gross Margins | ~65% |
| Repeat Purchase Rate | Up to 42% (on food aggregators) |
| Customer Engagement | UPI & card payments, phone & email support, social media engagement, creative product naming, bulk discounts |
| Top Flavors | The Godfather (Reese’s PB), Notorious Blackie (Nutella Sea Salt), El Chappo (Lotus Biscoff) |
| Specialty Products | Ultimate Gift Hamper, Movie Night Cartel Box |
| Quality Standards | Premium ingredients, strict QC, <10% product write-offs |
| Revenue Growth | ₹30 Lakhs (FY24) → ₹3.5 Crores (FY26 projected) |
| Future Vision | Become a household gifting & celebration brand while maintaining high-growth profitability |
| Market Opportunity | Indian cookie market projected at $3.05B by 2025 (7.2% CAGR) |
| Industry Trend | Premiumization & “Treat Yourself” economy |
| Cloud Kitchen Market | Expected to reach $1.9B by FY26 |
| TAM | $15.05B (Indian Bakery Market) |
| SAM | $450–600M (Premium & artisanal cookies) |
| SOM Target | 1–2% of premium urban D2C dessert market |
| Target Audience | Gen Z & Millennials (18–35), Tier-1 cities |
| Socio-Economic Class | NCCS A (Upper Middle Class) |
| Behavioral Traits | Tech-savvy, Instagram-focused, gifting-oriented |
| Gifting Segment | Corporate & boutique gifting alternative to mithai |
| Digital Marketing Strategy | SEO overhaul, mafia-style storytelling, short-form “pull test” videos, influencer unboxings |
| SEO Goal | Scale traffic from 336 → 5,000+ monthly visitors |
| Distribution Model | Hub & spoke (1 central kitchen + 15–20 cloud kitchens) |
| Central Kitchen CAPEX | ~₹15 Lakhs |
| Omnichannel Presence | D2C website, Swiggy/Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart |
| Key Advantages | Asset-light ops, strong brand identity, high margins, repeat customers |
| Key Challenges | High pricing, consistency across kitchens, dependence on performance ads |
| Success Drivers | Anti-mithai trend, premium gifting demand, strong storytelling |
| Mitigation – Pricing | Introduce ₹99 bite-sized trial packs |
| Mitigation – Logistics | Cold-chain + oxygen-barrier packaging |
| Mitigation – Competition | Shark mentorship & prime platform placements |
| Future Roadmap (FY26) | ₹3.5 Cr revenue, expand to Bangalore & Delhi |
| Future Roadmap (FY27) | Launch bake-at-home frozen dough |
| Valuation Goal | ₹50 Cr+ valuation with EBITDA positivity |
Cookie Cartel Shark Tank India Business Plan
Cookie Cartel: Business Potential in India
- Market Opportunity: India’s cookie market is projected to reach $3.05 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.2%.
- Shift to Premiumization: There is a documented “shrink and sharpen” revolution where consumers prefer smaller, high-quality portions of hyper-indulgent treats over mass-produced biscuits.
- The “Treat Yourself” Economy: With 70% of urban consumers seeking “mindful rewards,” Cookie Cartel taps into the emotional satisfaction segment of the bakery industry.
- Cloud Kitchen Surge: The Indian cloud kitchen market is estimated to reach $1.9 billion by FY26, providing Cookie Cartel with a low-capex infrastructure for nationwide scaling.
Cookie Cartel: Total Addressable Market (TAM)
- TAM (Total Addressable Market): The overall Indian Bakery Market, valued at $15.05 billion in 2025.
- SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market): The premium and artisanal cookie segment, which accounts for approximately $450–600 million of the urban bakery spend.
- SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): Cookie Cartel aims to capture 1-2% of the premium urban D2C dessert market, targeting ₹3.5 Crores in FY26 and scaling to ₹25+ Crores in the next 3-4 years.
Cookie Cartel: Ideal Target Audience and Demographics
- Primary Demographic: Gen Z and Millennials (Ages 18–35) residing in Tier-1 cities (Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore).
- Socio-Economic Profile: NCCS A (Upper Middle Class) with a high propensity for impulse “cravings-based” ordering via apps.
- Behavioral Traits: Tech-savvy users who prioritize “Instagrammable” food experiences and look for gifting options for festivals and birthdays.
- Gifting Segment: Corporate professionals and individuals looking for “boutique” alternatives to traditional sweets (Mithai).
Cookie Cartel: Content and Digital Marketing Strategy
- SEO Overhaul: Transition from 336 visitors/month to a target of 5,000+ by optimizing keywords like “Best New York Cookies India” and “Gourmet Cookie Delivery.”
- The “Smuggling” Narrative: Lean into the “Cookie Cartel” brand identity with “top-secret” drops, “illegal” flavor combinations, and mafia-themed storytelling in video ads.
- Short-Form Video (Reels/TikTok): Focus on “The Pull Test”—slow-motion videos showing the gooey, molten centers of the cookies to trigger sensory hunger.
- Influencer Collaboration: Partner with lifestyle and food vloggers for unboxing experiences of the Ultimate Gift Hamper Box.
Cookie Cartel: Distribution Strategy
- Hub and Spoke Model: Utilize a single central kitchen (CAPEX: ₹15 Lakhs) to supply dough and fillings to 15–20 cloud kitchen spokes across major cities.
- Omnichannel Presence:
- Direct-to-Consumer (D2C): Official Shopify website for Pan-India orders (nitrogen-flushed packaging for 30-day shelf life).
- Quick Commerce: Strategic tie-ups with Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto for 10-minute “instant craving” satisfaction.
- Food Aggregators: Presence on Swiggy/Zomato from local cloud kitchens for same-day delivery.
Cookie Cartel: Advantages and Challenges
| Category | Cookie Cartel Advantages | Cookie Cartel Challenges |
| Operations | Asset-light cloud kitchen model with 65% margins. | Maintaining consistency across 20+ kitchen locations. |
| Product | Unique “gooey” texture and 30-day shelf life. | High price point (₹190–₹330) limits mass-market penetration. |
| Brand | Strong “Cartel” identity and high repeat rate (42%). | Heavy reliance on performance marketing for visibility. |
Cookie Cartel: Success Factors and Mitigation Strategies
- Reason for Success: Cookie Cartel addresses the “Anti-Mithai” movement where urban Indians prefer modern desserts for festive gifting.
- Mitigation for High Prices: Introduce “Bite-sized Cartel” packs at lower price points (₹99) to lower the barrier for trial.
- Mitigation for Logistics: Implement oxygen-barrier packaging and cold-chain partnerships to ensure cookies arrive “gooey” even in hot climates.
- Mitigation for Competition: Use the Shark Tank mentorship (Vineeta, Anupam, Kanika) to secure prime placements on retail shelves and Quick-Com apps.
Cookie Cartel: Future Roadmap and Valuation Growth
- Phase 1 (FY26): Reach ₹3.5 Crore revenue by expanding to 10 additional cloud kitchen locations in Bangalore and Delhi.
- Phase 2 (FY27): Launch a “Bake-at-Home” frozen dough line, increasing the brand’s reach to supermarkets and retail stores.
- Phase 3 (Valuation Increase): Aim for a ₹50 Crore+ valuation by achieving EBITDA positivity and increasing organic website traffic by 10x through aggressive SEO and brand loyalty programs.
Cookie Cartel Shark Tank India Episode Review