In early 2025, Shuddh Swad was two teenage friends in Adra, West Bengal, roughly ₹10,000 and one Instagram account. No investors, no shop, no distributor. And yet we decided to say out loud something that sounded impossible for a brand our size:
"We will build a ₹1 crore company in 1 year."
Why we made it public
We put the target on Instagram for everyone to see. Saying it publicly meant there was no quietly giving up. Every follower became a witness, and every order took us one step closer. Our Instagram bio still says it today: "1 Crore company in 1 Year".
What we actually did
- Started small and listened: our first thekua went to people around us, at local markets, fairs and near temples. Their feedback shaped the recipe and the packaging.
- Showed the real journey: instead of polished ads, we posted what was really happening: the kitchen, the packing, the good days and the hard ones.
- Never compromised on taste: growing fast is easy if you cut corners. Keeping a homemade product tasting homemade at scale was the hardest part, and the most important one.
The result: ₹1 crore in about 6 months
We gave ourselves twelve months. We crossed ₹1 crore in sales in about six, completely bootstrapped. It did not happen because of one viral video. It happened because thousands of people tried a pack, loved it, and told their friends.
What the challenge taught us
- Say your goal out loud. A public target keeps you honest.
- Show the kitchen, not just the product. In food, trust comes from transparency.
- Small towns can build big brands. You do not need a metro address or a big cheque, just a real problem worth solving.
- Your customers are your marketing. Every review, story and tag did more for us than any ad could.
What came next
The challenge ended, but the journey did not. Our team has grown from 11 people to around 40. We now make three thekua flavours, Traditional, Jaggery and Elaichi, and we are working on more regional snacks from across India. Read more about the two founders who started it all.
To everyone who ordered, reviewed, shared or simply cheered us on: this milestone belongs to you. Thank you. 🙏
Follow the next chapter on Instagram @shuddhswad49.
