Mass-premium pet care brand Nootie made a strong impression on Shark Tank India Season 5, walking away with a ₹1 crore investment after a high-voltage face-off against cat-food startup Smylo. The episode aired on January 12, 2026, and featured a sharp debate around dog-first versus cat-first nutrition in India’s growing pet food market.
Founded by Karan, Anil, and Akshay Mahendru under parent company Pet Point India Pvt. Ltd., Nootie operates across two verticals, its own private-label pet products and The Pet Point, a chain of physical pet stores. While Pet Point has been around since 2003, the Nootie brand represents the founders’ push into modern, mass-premium pet nutrition.
During the pitch, the founders highlighted that all Nootie products use 100% human-grade ingredients, even going so far as to eat a dog biscuit on camera to prove the point.
One of the spotlight products was “Nibblr,” priced at ₹179, along with a ₹10 dog biscuit pack sold on Swiggy Instamart, created specifically so people can affordably feed stray and community dogs. This social initiative drew strong praise from the sharks, especially Namita Thapar, who called it thoughtful and noble.
The pitch wasn’t without its tense moments. Akshay Mahendru faced tough questioning around branding focus and product diversification, particularly the pressure of launching multiple categories to meet quick-commerce demands. At one point, the emotional intensity showed, leading to a rare vulnerable moment on the tank, one that Anupam Mittal responded to with reassurance and empathy.
On the business front, Nootie shared that it serves over 70,000 families, operates eight physical retail stores, has a strong quick-commerce presence, and clocks over ₹24 crore in annual recurring revenue.
The founders initially asked for ₹1 crore for 1.2% equity, valuing the company at over ₹83 crore. After a round of back-and-forth negotiations, Anupam Mittal and Namita Thapar came together with a joint offer, agreeing to invest ₹1 crore for a 4% stake in the company, along with a 1% royalty on sales until their investment is fully recovered, effectively valuing the business at ₹25 crore.
