The Indian Startup Show

From Spicy Dreams to Market Domination: Mikhel Rajani co-founder of Naagin Sauce on building India’s No.1 hot sauce brand.

Episode Summary

Chicken and hot sauce are a match made in heaven! Today, I’m joined by Mikhel Rajani, co-founder of Naagin Sauce, India’s first and favourite hot sauce brand. Five years ago, Mikhel and his co-founders spotted a gap in the market, and now Naagin Sauce is a household name, partnering with KFC India and taking Indian Ghost Chillies global. In this episode, we talk about: How they built the brand from scratch. The spicy challenges they faced along the way. Mikhel’s insights from 15 years in the food and beverage business, including branding, hiring, and marketing and raising funding. Plus, Mikhel shares advice for founders, like handling rejection and why India is not for beginners. Why he prefers loyalty over certificates when hiring, the "Naagin dance", and the world’s first pizza delivery by drone! It’s a fun, fiery, and inspiring conversation—let’s dive in!

Episode Notes

Chicken and hot sauce are a match made in heaven! In this episode, II’m joined by Mikhel Rajani, co-founder of Naagin Sauce, India’s first and favourite hot sauce brand. Mikhel and his team spotted a gap in the market about five years ago and have since transformed Naagin Sauce into a household name, now partnering with KFC India and reaching both domestic and international customers.

We dive deep into the story of building Naagin Sauce and what it takes to pioneer a brand in an untapped market. Here's what we cover:

• Why India didn’t have a hot sauce brand before Naagin and how they championed Indian Ghost Chillies.
• The challenges of being first movers in the market—and how they overcame the heat, both figuratively and literally.
• Creating and  testing recipes that balanced nostalgia and innovation.
• Mikhel’s insights from 15 years in the F&B industry: branding, marketing, and growing a team from 3 to 50 employees.
• His hiring philosophy: "Loyalty over certificates."
• Overcoming the challenges of Covid, raising funding, and why every business idea should be stress-tested by smarter people who can punch holes in it.

We also touch on fascinating behind-the-scenes stories:

• The quirky inspiration for the brand name, involving cricket and the iconic "Naagin dance."
• Mikhel’s preference for low-key launches instead of flashy events.
• His incredible marketing innovations, including the world’s first pizza delivery by drone in 2012, which was featured on BBC and CNBC.

Mikhel also shares valuable advice for founders:

• Why India is not for beginners, and how to handle 100 rejections without taking them personally.
• How his management style has evolved over the years and why documenting mistakes is crucial for growth.
• Practical tips on working with co-founders and maintaining healthy partnerships.

Finally, Mikhel’s closing advice for first-time founders:
“Don’t accept defeat. There will always be someone willing to help you on your journey.”

Links 

https://www.naaginsauce.com/