Shark Tank India Season 5 Episode 1 Review
Introduction
The highly anticipated Season 5 of Shark Tank India premiered with a compelling episode that showcased the diverse entrepreneurial landscape of India. Episode 1 brought three distinct ventures to the tank, each representing different industries and founder journeys—from a viral dessert sensation to a controversial wellness brand, and a heartfelt children’s apparel story. The episode featured all five Sharks evaluating pitches that ranged from wildly successful to deeply problematic, offering viewers a complete spectrum of what entrepreneurship entails: innovation, ethics, passion, and the harsh realities of building a sustainable business.
Episode Summary
Total Pitches: 3
Successful Deals: 1
Total Investment Made: ₹2.5 Crore
Featured Sharks: Kunal Bahl, Mohit Yadav, Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta, and one additional Shark
Pitch 1
The Croffle Guys Shark Tank India Episode Review
The Croffle Guys appeared on Shark Tank India Season 5, Episode 1, seeking ₹1 Crore for 1% equity, valuing their company at ₹100 Crore. After a competitive bidding war involving all five Sharks, the founders successfully closed a deal for ₹2.5 Crore for 5% equity (valuation of ₹50 Crore) with Sharks Kunal Bahl and Mohit Yadav.
The Croffle Guys is a Mumbai-based dessert brand pioneering the “croffle” category in India—a unique culinary hybrid that combines the flaky texture of a croissant with the structure of a waffle. Founded by four friends with diverse backgrounds in engineering, film, and business—Amay Thakkar, Rahul Vohra, Veer Pinto, and Annanya Agarwal—the brand achieved impressive first-year sales of ₹1.5 Crore. The startup focuses on building a community-driven brand through cinematic storytelling, humor, and social media engagement, targeting Gen-Z and millennial customers who seek Instagram-worthy, premium dessert experiences. Their vision is to scale this homegrown concept from the streets of Mumbai to global markets while creating “moments of joy” for every customer.
Pitch 2
Lewisia Wellness Shark Tank India Episode Review
Lewisia Wellness appeared on Shark Tank India Season 5, Episode 1, with founder Dr. Manoj Das seeking ₹1 Crore for 1% equity, valuing the company at ₹100 Crore. However, the pitch ended with no deal finalized, as all five Sharks unanimously refused to invest in the venture.
Lewisia Wellness is a natural skincare, haircare, and healthcare brand founded by Dr. Manoj Das, an aromatherapist and natural therapist who transitioned from being a beauty influencer to entrepreneur. Launched officially in 2020 after building a massive YouTube following since 2017, the brand offers four product categories—Skin Affairs, Lewisia In-organics, Wellness Beat, and Tatvam—all claiming to be entirely natural and chemical-free. Despite achieving claimed sales of ₹5 Crore and attracting 22,221 monthly organic website visitors, the pitch turned highly confrontational when the Sharks questioned the scientific validity of the founder’s health claims, criticized his use of the “Doctor” title as misleading, and accused him of using provocative, baseless marketing to exploit consumer insecurities. The investors collectively deemed the business unethical, with Anupam Mittal warning that the founder was “fooling Indian consumers,” Aman Gupta calling the practices “fraud,” and all Sharks advising him to change his business practices rather than pursue investment.
Pitch 3
Guugly Wuugly Shark Tank India Episode Review
Guugly Wuugly appeared on Shark Tank India Season 5, Episode 1, with founder Ravi Kumar Gupta from Lucknow seeking ₹50 lakh for 5% equity, valuing the company at ₹10 crore. Despite an emotional pitch where he was accompanied by his 5-year-old daughter and shared his personal sacrifices of investing ₹80-90 lakh, selling family gold, and taking a loan against his home, the pitch ended with no deal finalized as all Sharks opted out due to concerns about profitability and sustainability.
Guugly Wuugly is a kids’ apparel brand launched in November 2022 that focuses on providing durable, affordable clothing for children aged 1-12 years. Positioned in the gap between low-quality “use-and-throw” items and expensive luxury brands, the company offers products at an average selling price of ₹549 and has served over 25,000 customers through its D2C website and presence on Myntra and FirstCry. Operating under the philosophy “From a parent to a parent,” founder Ravi Kumar Gupta—himself a father—built the brand to solve the common parental dilemma of choosing between quality and affordability. However, despite achieving ₹96 lakh in revenue in the first six months and projecting ₹2-2.5 crore for the year, the business faces challenges with a -28% EBITDA and a high customer acquisition cost of ₹550. While the Sharks were moved by Ravi’s dedication and humility, they cited lack of a unique selling proposition and financial viability as reasons for not investing, though Aman Gupta and Mohit Yadav offered mentorship and left the door open for future investment if the business shows a turnaround.
Episode Highlights:
- A rare bidding war involving all five Sharks for The Croffle Guys
- One of the most confrontational pitches in show history with Lewisia Wellness
- An emotional moment as a father’s entrepreneurial journey touched the Sharks despite financial concerns
- Key business lessons on product-market fit, ethical marketing, and the importance of unit economics
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