Beverage startup CHINI KUM raises pre-seed funding

Zero-sugar beverage startup CHINI KUM has raised Rs 1 crore in a pre-seed funding round from angel investors and founder participation. The startup is entering the Indian beverage market with a portfolio of zero-sugar, low-calorie beverages.

The round saw participation from Shobhit Gupta, promoter at One8 Commune Restaurants, Varun Sachdeva, head of ecommerce at boAt, and Eiti Singhal of Eiti Ventures, along with other angel investors.

The startup plans to use the fresh capital to invest in product innovation, expand flavour offerings, and scale distribution across India. A portion of the funds will also be used to strengthen quick commerce and online sales channels.

Founded by Priyank Jain, CHINI KUM is launching its products through its direct-to-consumer website and has made an exclusive debut on Swiggy Instamart across select metro cities. The company is starting with carbonated and non-carbonated beverages in lemon and mango flavours.

According to the company, the drinks are sweetened using stevia and monk fruit extract and contain prebiotic fibre. The beverages are positioned at lower calorie levels compared to traditional sugar-based drinks.

CHINI KUM is pricing its products starting at Rs 30 for a 160 ml pack and plans to expand availability across metro and Tier I markets. The company stated that it is focusing on quick commerce platforms to reach consumers looking for alternatives in the beverage category.