Protein focused snack brand Stroom closed a funding deal on Shark Tank India Season 5 after navigating a sharp round of questioning on product claims, taste, and transparency. The founders walked into the Tank with the aim of building everyday Indian snacks with added protein, but the pitch quickly turned into a detailed examination of how nutrition brands communicate with consumers.
Stroom was founded in May 2022 by Darshan Gattani, Shiven Chaturvedi, and Rohan Shah, who left established careers to build a homegrown nutrition brand. The company sells protein enriched bars and wafer snacks designed to appeal to consumers who want familiar formats without moving to traditional supplements. The founders said their recipes use a mix of milk protein and soy protein to improve mouthfeel and flavour, a key challenge in the protein snack category.
During the tasting session, the Sharks had mixed reactions to the products, with feedback centred on flavour balance and texture. The conversation then shifted to packaging and marketing claims. Concerns were raised over the use of the term “no refined sugar” on packs, even though ingredients such as honey and flavoured inclusions were present. The founders accepted the feedback and committed to correcting the communication on labels to avoid misleading shoppers.
Despite the tough grilling, Stroom’s early traction helped keep investor interest alive. The company reported net sales of Rs 2.42 crore in FY25 and pointed to strong demand coming from quick commerce platforms and online channels, where protein snacks are seeing faster adoption among urban consumers.
Stroom had sought Rs 1 crore for 2 percent equity, implying a valuation of Rs 50 crore. After a series of negotiations and revised offers, Vineeta Singh and Kunal Bahl came together to invest Rs 1 crore for 2.5 percent equity, along with an additional 2 percent advisory stake. The final deal valued the startup at about Rs 40 crore.
The episode highlighted growing scrutiny around nutrition claims in packaged foods, even as investor interest in high protein snacking continues to rise in India.
