Shark Tank India Season 5 delivers one of its most wholesome Face-Off episodes yet, bringing two distinct pet food philosophies head-to-head. The second week of this season brings a battle for pet food supremacy between Smylo, a cat-first nutrition brand, and Nootie, a legacy name in dog food. Winning the toss, Smylo chose to lead the charge, followed closely by Nootie.
As India witnesses around 35% annual surge in pet adoptions, the pet food market has evolved into a massive opportunity. With one brand tapping into the specialised rise of cat parenting and the other focusing on mass-premium accessibility for pets, the question remains, which approach will strike a more paws-itive chord with the Sharks?
Smylo, founded by Abhishek Agrawal (IIT Delhi) and Kartikeya Gupta (BITS Pilani), is a research-led cat food brand launched in late 2024, inspired by the founders’ personal loss of their pet. Targeting India’s growing cat-parenting segment, it offers fresh, meat-based recipes through subscription-led plans. Taking them on is Nootie, a 27-year-old mass-premium pet-care brand led by Anil, Akshay, and Karan Mahendru, serving 70,000+ families with a wide portfolio spanning nutrition to grooming.
Smylo, the nimble challenger, is seeking ₹68 lakh for 1% equity, backed by premium positioning. Nootie, which is asking ₹1 crore for 1.2% equity, brings the muscle of revenue business and category-leadership ambitions, pitting specialised nutrition and furr-influencer advocacy against scale, retail reach, and quick-commerce strength.
Reflecting on their vision, the Smylo team shared, “With Shark Tank India S5, we are here to prove that cats aren’t an afterthought in pet nutrition. They have unique nutritional needs that the Indian market has long overlooked. Smylo is our mission to give every cat a longer, healthier life by offering India’s first natural cat food.”
Meanwhile, the Nootie team remarked, “With a legacy of 27 years in making premium pet care accessible to the common man, it’s an honour to bring our brand on Shark Tank India S5. We don’t just sell quality food, we build a community that cares for every pet, from the ones in our homes to the ones on our streets.”
Shark Tank India 5 is streaming on Sony LIV at 8 pm and airing on Sony Entertainment Television at 10 pm.
