Build story · India · Shark Tank India Season 1
Wakao Foods Shark Tank India: deal, valuation & business model
A plant-based food brand using jackfruit to make ready-to-cook meat alternatives.
By Shivam Bhandari · Reviewed 31 October 2026 · How we write
by the numbers
- Deal
- ₹75 lakh for 21% equity
- Implied valuation (equity portion)
- about ₹3.57 crore
- Season
- 1 (aired 20 December 2021 – 11 February 2022)
- What they sell
- Jackfruit-based meat alternatives
What happened
Young jackfruit has a texture similar to shredded meat and is abundant in India, with much of it wasted. Wakao Foods makes ready-to-cook products such as jackfruit-based dishes as alternatives to meat.
Plant-based foods attract health-conscious and vegetarian customers, but must taste good and be priced sensibly to move beyond early adopters. Using an underused local crop can also lower ingredient costs.
On Shark Tank India Season 1, Wakao Foods closed a deal of ₹75 lakh for 21% equity. The equity portion implies a valuation of about ₹3.57 crore for the business.
Timeline
- 2021–22
Pitched on Shark Tank India Season 1.
- Deal
₹75 lakh for 21% equity.
the lesson
An underused local ingredient can become the basis of a modern product — if taste and price win over mainstream buyers.
Apply it to your business
- 1Look for local resources that are wasted or underused.
- 2Taste and price matter more than the story for repeat buyers.
- 3Target flexible eaters, not just strict vegetarians.
Laws at work in this story
Figures are rounded and drawn from public reports, company filings and widely cited coverage at the time. Check the company's latest filings before relying on any number.