Founded by Geeta Patil in 2016 in Mumbai, Patil Kaki was a way to support her family. It was the time when her husband lost his job and Geeta (then-47) was a homemaker. Facing financial issues and finding it hard to make ends meet, she decided to start something.
Since she was a homemaker and good at cooking, she started making traditional Maharashtrian snacks-such as modak, puran poli, chivda, ladoos, and chaklis-in her home kitchen, with an investment of just ₹5,000. Eventually, she started selling them to neighbors and friends.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2016 | Geeta Patil starts Patil Kaki with ₹5,000 |
| 2020 | Vinit Patil and Darshil Savla join, launch website |
| 2023 | Sales approach ₹4 crore; over 18,000 customers
Featured on Shark Tank India S2; ₹40 lakh investment at ₹10 crore valuation Over 18,000 customers served, with thousands of monthly orders. |
Early Growth
In the beginning, the business grew organically through word-of-mouth, as Geeta’s snacks gained popularity for their authenticity and taste. Orders increased from a handful each month to thousands, and this laid a strong foundation for the brand.
Next Generation Joins: Building the Team
In 2020, after 4 years, Geeta’s son, Vinit Patil, and his friend, Darshil Savla, joined the business. Both kids were college dropouts with IT backgrounds. Putting their skill to use, they built a website and used digital marketing. This way, they started expanding Patil Kaki beyond the local community, and soon they were receiving online orders nationwide.
Struggles and Challenges
- Lack of Business Knowledge: Geeta did not have any prior business experience because the business was born out of necessity during a period of financial instability, with minimal initial capital.
- Scaling Production: Working alone, it became difficult to maintain consistent quality with an increase in orders. Also, scaling up production from a home kitchen to a larger operation was a significant challenge.
- Digital Transition: Geeta did not have higher education, so her business was limited to word-of-mouth marketing. However, with Vinit and Darshil joining the business, the home business expanded online.
- Market Competition: With industry giants already ruling the market, Patil Kaki had to differentiate itself through authenticity, quality, and storytelling.
Rapid Revenue Growth
By 2023, Patil Kaki’s sales approached ₹4 crore, reflecting the brand’s popularity and effective scaling strategies. The business has served over 18,000 customers and processes thousands of orders monthly.
Shark Tank India
Patil Kaki’s success is evident by their appearance on Shark Tank India Season 2, where Geeta, Vinit, and Darshil impressed the judges with their journey and business metrics. This helped them in securing an investment of ₹40 lakh for 4% equity from sharks Peyush Bansal and Anupam Mittal. Eventually, taking the company’s valuation at ₹10 crore.
Brand Building and Recognition
Patil Kaki’s approach combines traditional recipes with modern marketing and vibrant packaging, emphasizing quality and sustainability. Their performance marketing and storytelling on social media have built strong brand trust and customer loyalty.
The story of Patil Kaki is widely celebrated as an example of resilience and the power of combining traditional skills with digital innovation, inspiring many aspiring entrepreneurs.
Key Insights from Founders’ LinkedIn Posts
- Resilience and Adaptability: Founders emphasize starting small and remaining resilient in the face of adversity. They highlight the importance of leveraging both traditional skills and modern tools to grow.
- Teamwork: The partnership between Geeta, Vinit, and Darshil is often cited as a key driver of success, blending culinary expertise with tech and marketing skills.
- Community and Networking: Through founder’s LinkedIn posts, her participation in business events and networking, is evident, which helped the brand learn, collaborate, and grow.
Patil Kaki’s journey is a testament to resilience, family collaboration, and the power of blending tradition with technology to build a multi-crore brand from a home kitchen.
