What does it take to build a differentiated cookware brand in a market dominated by legacy players?

In this episode of Building, Actually with Abhishansa Mathur, Niharika Joshi, Co-founder of Cumin Co., discusses building a healthy cookware brand from the ground up; from product innovation and developing enamel-coated cast iron cookware to scaling from five products to over 200 SKUs.

We also explore consumer education, manufacturing, D2C distribution, quick commerce and the business decisions involved in building a new-age kitchenware brand, rooted in Indian aesthetics and functionality.

What does it take to build a fashion brand that puts the planet before fast fashion?

Apurva Kothari, Founder of No Nasties, joins Abhishansa Mathur to talk about turning a concern for India’s cotton farmers into a purpose-driven clothing brand, championing organic and fair-trade fashion, and navigating the challenges of making sustainability work as a business.

How do you turn a love for beautiful spaces into a growing home and lifestyle brand?

Aditi M Agrawal, Co-Founder of Nestasia, joins Abhishansa Mathur to talk about spotting a gap in the home décor market, building a distinctive design identity, expanding across online and offline channels, and balancing creativity with the realities of scaling a business.

Pratik Gupta, CEO & Co-Founder of Pluckk, joins Abhishansa Mathur to explore the journey of building a fresh, clean-label food brand in India. From rethinking how consumers buy fruits and vegetables to building a made-to-order model around freshness, traceability, technology, and quality, the conversation looks at what it takes to build in a complex, supply-chain-heavy category.

Pratik shares insights into changing consumer preferences around health and nutrition, scaling across D2C, marketplaces, and quick commerce, balancing growth with profitability, using technology across the supply chain, and building consumer trust through education and content. He also discusses Pluckk’s approach to expanding across categories and geographies, including acquisitions and the decisions behind building versus buying capabilities.

Vishakha Bhaskkar, Co-Founder of Angrakhaa, joins Abhishansa, Founder of Local Samosa, to talk about building the fashion brand she couldn’t find for herself.

From Love Them Curves to Angrakhaa, Vishakha shares her journey of creating inclusive fashion for real bodies, including the brand’s “no fat tax” approach.

The conversation gets into what it really takes to build and scale a fashion brand: starting with a made-to-order model, using customer data to drive decisions, navigating performance marketing and AI, and growing without losing sight of the community that started it all.

Listen to the full conversation on Building, Actually with Abhishansa.

Comment “ANGRAKHAA” and we’ll DM you the episode link.

Yash Goyal, Founder, and Anant Bhardwaj, Co-Founder of Krvvy, join Abhishansa, Founder of Local Samosa to talk about the journey of building a comfort-first innerwear and shapewear brand for Indian women. From spotting gaps in the market to creating products focused on fit, comfort, and functionality, the conversation explores changing consumer needs, building trust in a personal category, and balancing quality, affordability, and growth. They also share insights on product development, scaling through D2C, marketplaces, and quick commerce, raising capital, and building a fast-growing fashion brand in India.

Udit Toshniwal, Founder of The Pant Project, joins Abhishansa to explore the journey of building a category-first menswear brand in India. From launching with custom-made trousers during the pandemic to redefining bottom wear through fit, fabric, and functionality, the conversation dives into changing consumer expectations, building loyalty in a traditionally overlooked category, and balancing customization, quality, and scale. Udit also shares insights into fabric innovation, why comfort has become a key driver of purchase decisions, scaling through D2C, marketplaces, and retail stores, raising capital after achieving product-market fit, and balancing long-term brand building with the demands of a fast-growing fashion business.

Satyajit Hange, Co-Founder of Two Brothers Organic Farms, joins Abhishansa to explore the journey of building a brand in an organic food category. From leaving a banking career to return to the family farm to championing regenerative agriculture, the conversation dives into building trust in a highly scrutinized category, reviving native crops, educating consumers about clean food, and balancing quality, ethics, and scale. Satyajit also shares insights into the economics of organic food, why consumers are willing to pay a premium for quality, scaling through D2C and quick commerce, working with thousands of farmers, raising capital, and balancing long-term agricultural practices with the demands of a fast-growing consumer brand.