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

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/

The Indian Startup Show is hosted and produced by Neil Patel

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilpatel2/

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https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV