From Humble Beginnings to Omnichannel Success: The Ravi Saxena Story

When Ravi Saxena launched Wonderchef in 2009, with celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor as cofounder and public face, he did so with quiet confidence. By then, Saxena had spent two decades building household names like VIP, Sodexo and the Landmark Group. Those years taught him the fundamentals: Understanding customers, finding product-market fit and managing large-scale B2B operations in food services. He had the credentials. Degrees in engineering and management from Delhi Technological University and IIM-Ahmedabad. Years of experience across consumer operations, retail and hospitality. After saving and planning for 15 years, Saxena was ready to build something of his own. Kapoor’s credibility as a brand ambassador strengthened his belief that the venture would succeed. Still, entrepreneurship brought challenges he had not fully anticipated. Raising capital, developing products, creating marketing strategies, breaking into general trade, navigating the rise of ecommerce andQuick Commerce— each demanded business acumen and a willingness to adapt on the fly. “Working capital is always a challenge in any fledgling business,” Saxena said during an exclusive interaction with Inc42. “There was a time when I needed INR 5 Lakh for customs clearance, and I had only 2 Lakh in my account. That’s the only time I had to borrow money from a friend. I returned it within 10 days, but it’s an experience I would rather forget.” Funding was scarce at the time. By 2009, the global financial crisis had dried up venture capital, especially for consumer product companies. Tech startups could still find backers, but traditional businesses had to rely on grit and patience. Saxena saw an upside, though. His years at Sodexo had taught him that such crises were opportunities to build quietly while others pulled back. “You can paddle under the surface and continue to do the hard work, taking small steps every day,” he often said. Wonderchef stayed out of the spotlight for the first five years, steadily laying its groundwork while competitors scrambled for funding and survival. When consumer spending recovered in 2015, the company had already hit INR 100 Cr in sales and emerged as a credible brand in kitchenware. That year, it raised $5 Mn from Zurich-based Capvent, its first institutional funding. Since then, it has raised capital from French group Labruyère Eberlé, Amicus Capital Partners, Sixth Sense Ventures, Godrej Family Office and the Malpani Group. Wonderchef has built a diverse product range, including 200+ SKUs spanning premium cookware, kitchen appliances and accessories. Its flagship is Nutri-blend, a 500W mixer-grinder-blender that chops and juices. It is known for its powerful motor, unbreakable jars and versatile functionality. According to Saxena, its annual sales have exceeded INR 200 Cr in the B2C market. Its innovative product lineup caters to different kitchen needs. For instance, the Chef Magic, an IoT-enabled kitchen robot, automates cooking tasks, and the Chai Magic, an automatic tea maker, has been designed for convenience. Other launches include a Nutri-blend Food Processor with atta kneader and the Bolt 600W mixer with food processor attachments. The brand has reached more than 20K pin codes across India, serving more than 3 Cr customers. Its products are available in 14K+ retail outlets nationwide, including exclusive brand outlets or EBOs. But its real distribution engine is a network of 85K+ self-employed women entrepreneurs or ladypreneurs. They drive a significant share of offline sales, reaching neighbourhoods where traditional retail hasn’t penetrated (more on that later). When the world went into lockdown, few would have expected a kitchenware brand to find its moment of acceleration. Yet, for Wonderchef, the pandemic years became an unlikely turning point — one that tested the company’s digital readiness, expanded its customer base and eventually reshaped its balance sheet through a major restructuring. As Saxena reminisce, during COVID, when households across India were left without domestic help, many consumers began discovering the joys and frustrations of their own kitchens. For Wonderchef, that discovery turned into demand. As people spent more time cooking, they began upgrading their cookware and appliances. The company’s premium positioning, previously confined to urban, upper-middle-class households, suddenly found a much wider audience. “When the retail stores shut down, our website sales went up almost 10x without any marketing investment. Even Amazon was shut for a while, but when it reopened, the momentum continued,” he recalled. This unexpected digital surge became a lifeline. With ecommerce channels taking over and consumers indulging in what Saxena described as “revenge buying,” Wonderchef grew by about 5% in FY21 — modest by its standards, but remarkable in a year when most consumer businesses struggled. The company’s product portfolio — including innovations like the cold-press juicer and a soup maker that delivered healthy meals in minutes — also resonated with a new wave of health-conscious consumers emerging from the pandemic. But even as the company navigated the pandemic with profitability, a different financial story began to unfold in the years that followed. In FY22 and FY23, Wonderchef’s books reflected significant losses — around INR 10 Cr and INR 64 Cr, respectively. On the surface, this seemed like a reversal of fortune. In reality, the figures told the story of a long-overdue merger. Saxena explained that before setting up manufacturing in India, Wonderchef had maintained a separate arm’s-length entity to comply with FDI norms. Over more than a decade, this entity had accumulated operating losses. When it was eventually merged with the main business through an NCLT-approved transaction, those cumulative losses — built up over 12–13 years — were absorbed into Wonderchef’s consolidated accounts. The result: a large one-time accounting impact that distorted what was otherwise a profitable operation. However, on a standalone basis, the company remained in the black in FY23, FY24, and FY25, with a modest profit of about INR 1 Cr in FY23. Today, Wonderchef is profitable, with an average revenue run rate (ARR) of INR 500 Cr in FY26. It earned INR 430 Cr in FY25, up 13.85% from INR 377.67 Cr in FY24. Net profit also jumped 300% to INR 6 Cr from INR 1.5 Cr in the previous fiscal year. From the outset, Wonderchef’s approach centred on understanding what Indian consumers needed. Saxena noticed that most kitchen appliances in India were of poor quality. Non-stick cookware often wore out within six months, and for many households, a mixer-grinder was the only kitchen appliance they relied upon for daily cooking. Saxena studied factories and production processes through his connections in Italy and Germany. The quality standards he observed there, including proper metal treatment, careful coating and thorough finishing, were often missing in many Indian factories. For him, it was a clear opportunity. The domestic market was ready, provided he could match European-quality standards at affordable prices. To innovate on the mixer-grinder, Saxena took a hands-on approach, similar to what he had done at VIP, and spoke with more than 200 women across India. They soon identified three core issues. The appliance was too bulky, the lid could fly off during use, and the opacity of the steel jars made it impossible to monitor the ingredients inside. It was a critical challenge. Saxena had to solve those pain points without raising prices in a crowded, cost-sensitive market. His solution was adding a blender to a 500W mixer-grinder, creating a compact and convenient appliance for grinding whole spices and making smoothies and chutneys. Traditional mixer-grinders or blenders could not match it. However, the real breakthrough was the unbreakable polycarbonate jars, which were a market first. Steel jars kept users guessing, whereas glass jars often cracked under pressure. Polycarbonate was transparent and tough enough to handle heavy-duty whole spice grinding. “That’s how we developed Nutri-blend, quite an iconic product,” he added. The company also took strategic measures to gain traction. While competitors offered six to 12 months of warranty, Wonderchef offered two years. The extended warranty built trust immediately. Again, most non-stick cookware came in red or black, but Wonderchef launched in blue and pink. The colours stood out on the shelves and attracted shoppers. The launch of Nutri-blend and non-stick cookware set a pattern. “Innovation became our DNA, and we were obsessed with new concepts. In the last 12 years, we have introduced 14-15 iconic products. Most of them were industry firsts, and many are still unmatched,” said Saxena. Marketing, too, took a different route. Saxena never chased large funding rounds or big-budget advertising. Instead, Wonderchef built its brand through product demonstrations and adopted digital marketing early, well before its competitors. The numbers tell the story. As of September 30, 2025, TTK Prestige, a key player in kitchen appliances, had about 80K Instagram followers. Wonderchef had more than 654K. Its massive digital reach helped the brand connect with young consumers and launch new products without spending too much on marketing. When Wonderchef started, general trade (GT is the traditional retail system) dominated distribution in India. Although Saxena was confident about his products, retailers were not. “Nobody would touch our products because our brand didn’t exist then. We were unknown,” he said. Money was tight, and competing against Hawkins, Prestige and a dozen other established brands made little sense. They owned the shelves, and store owners weren’t taking chances on new players. Saxena was not daunted. He balanced the business by leveraging four distribution channels — general trade, modern retail, ecommerce and alternative routes such as exports, corporate gifting, army canteens, direct marketing and the company’s EBOs. “These pillars help us grow even when markets are tough,” he said. Over the past 20 quarters, Wonderchef has been the fastest-growing brand among the top players in this space, a performance attributed to the strength and balance of its distribution network. “This strategy,” said Saxena, “has enabled us to build a sizable company in a relatively short period.” Before exploring these four pillars, here’s a snapshot of the kitchenware brand’s distribution mix that shows how balance has been key to its growth. In fact, general trade, modern trade, ecommerce and alternative channels contribute about a quarter of its overall sales. As Saxena built four distribution channels, each followed a distinct roadmap to drive growth. Here’s how the strategy was rolled out, step by step. Saxena experimented with a distinctive model as early as 2009. He built a network of women entrepreneurs called the Ladypreneur Network. However, unlike multilevel marketing (MLM) firms or traditional door-to-door sales, each woman was trained by Wonderchef and connected directly to the company. They purchased products, demonstrated them at home gatherings and community events, and generated sales through live demos and word-of-mouth marketing. The founder believed these hands-on sessions were far more persuasive than television or print advertising. The model took time to mature. “Today, around 85K women are associated with us across 1K towns in India,” said Saxena. “People often ask how we built this network. The answer is simple — one step at a time. It doesn’t happen overnight, and you can’t buy a network. You have to keep working at it. My team has spent more than a decade holding demos, inspiring women, training them and helping them sell. That network became Wonderchef’s first real distribution channel.” Wonderchef kept expanding into new channels, maintaining steady momentum. TV shopping came first, through HomeShop18 and Shop CJ. As visibility grew, the brand entered modern retail, beginning with department stores such as Shoppers Stop, HomeTown and Home Centre. Large-format retail followed, along with a corporate gifting division that tapped into Saxena’s B2B experience. Institutional channels, including army and police canteens, came later, rounding out a broad-based distribution network that strengthened Wonderchef’s market reach. The company applied the same momentum to ecommerce. Wonderchef launched a commerce-enabled website when most competitors were still testing the waters and forged an early partnership with Amazon. The year 2017 was a turning point as Wonderchef had earned enough credibility to enter general trade. However, building a strong team and appointing reliable distributors were essential to succeed in that segment. Besides, the classic challenge around credit soon emerged. Offer credit and risk payment delays; withhold credit, and distributors would not stock your products. Saxena moved cautiously, testing in small steps and carefully observing the results. “Luckily, we never faced that issue because we were no newbies. We had already invested in branding through our product demos. People knew it, and our association with Sanjeev Kapoor gave the brand sufficient exposure,” he said. The measured approach worked. Wonderchef avoided the losses that hit many D2C brands attempting similar expansions. The company now operates across 10+ distribution channels, establishing a strong omnichannel presence. When Saxena approached quick commerce platforms, they were initially sceptical. Durable products were not considered suitable for compact dark stores. He demonstrated the economics, nevertheless, showing that even with conservative sales estimates, q-commerce platforms could generate profits by listing consumer goods like mixer-grinders and cookware. The approach paid off. Wonderchef became one of the first durable brands to gain traction on those platforms. What was the reason behind the business decision? Straightforward, but with significant implications. Unlike impulse purchases, appliances are bought out of need rather than curiosity. Customers often turn to quick commerce when something breaks down and they need a rapid replacement. Wonderchef was well-positioned to meet that requirement. The team began designing products specifically for this channel, from rice ladles to milk frothers. In fact, a simple frother, previously a niche accessory, now sells 600-700 units per day through these platforms. “Quick commerce works very well for us. This year, we may hit INR 100 Cr in sales via this channel. When people trust a brand and it knows how to ensure a product-market fit, it can do a lot. That is what is happening,” said Saxena. Wonderchef opened its first standalone experience brand outlet (EBO) in Bandra nearly a decade ago. And the move was a calculated gamble. After all, kitchen appliances are not impulse buys like fashion or footwear. Customers typically compare prices across shops and websites before making a purchase. Saxena saw it differently. “Intuitively, one might think customers will compare everything. But why doesn’t he do that when he goes to an Aero Shirts outlet? Because he is going there for experience. So, I wanted to build an experiential store,” he recalled. The Bandra experiment worked. Customers came in, engaged with products and sales followed. Wonderchef currently runs around 32 EBOs. These outlets are profitable, but expansion has been measured, curated. The company is not chasing rapid franchising, which can dilute the brand experience. These outlets do more than sell. They bring the brand to new markets, serve as training centres for distributors and internal teams, and allow customers to go through the entire product range. Dealers often visit these stores and discover products they had not considered stocking, thus sparking curiosity and driving demand. As Wonderchef charts its path for the next three years, Saxena eyes growth with discipline. The company targets INR 800 Cr in sales by FY27-FY28, with an EBITDA of INR 60-70 Cr. But for the founder, what matters most is a leading position in India’s$11.4 Bn kitchen appliances market. It is estimated to reach $16.2 Bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 7.2%, fuelled by rising disposable incomes and household preferences for convenience-led cooking. Interestingly, innovation will drive that ambition as much as distribution. As Saxena noted, Chef Magic, a single appliance designed to replace many, sells only a few hundred units every month. Yet each sale adds to the INR 10-15 Cr moat the company has carefully built. Given their future potential, automated tea makers, smart coffee machines, cold press juicers and high-end soup makers will continue to anchor the brand that focusses on convenient and healthy cooking. However, Saxena remains disciplined about growth. “External funding is needed for working capital. But our growth is measured, predictable and focussed on unit economics,” he said. Scale matters, but not at the expense of business focus or financial discipline. Does he find competition equally challenging? Not exactly. New players will continue to flood the D2C and ecommerce space, but Saxena remains unfazed. “We may hold around 25% share, while the rest is split among 50 different players. But [consumer] trust matters most, and our brand has held on to it.” That trust stems from a brand that resonates. Consumers perceive Wonderchef as premium, not because of price — its products cost only INR 200-300 more than competitors — but because of design, quality and reliability. “Our brand is bigger than the business we are doing,” Saxena said. It is a sentiment that echoes through every innovation, every store and every digital campaign. For young entrepreneurs eyeing general trade, Saxena offers a word of caution. Unlike ecommerce, which a young tech team can manage, retail demands experience. “Retail business is all about level-headedness and years of exposure. You need a mature team because the people you deal with have 20-30 years of brand experience.” Wonderchef is targeting 15-20% annual growth, planning an IPO and is committed to constant innovation. Yet for Saxena, the true measure of success lies not in projections or market share but in building a brand story rooted in trust, convenience and foresight. A story that has lived in tens of thousands of kitchens for years and keeps people coming back for more.