New Delhi:
As Indians grow more cautious about sugar intake, a new beverage brand, Chini Kum, has entered the market with a range of zero-sugar, low-calorie drinks, backed by ₹1 crore in pre-seed funding.
The brand is launching its products through its direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform and has made an exclusive debut on Swiggy Instamart, targeting urban consumers looking for healthier drink options.
Chini Kum’s initial lineup includes carbonated and non-carbonated beverages in Lemon and Mango flavours. The drinks are sweetened naturally using stevia and monk fruit, enriched with prebiotic fibre, and contain only about 7 calories per 100 ml—a sharp contrast to traditional sugary soft drinks.
The funding round attracted several prominent angel investors, including Shobhit Gupta of One8 Commune Restaurants, Varun Sachdeva of boAt, and Eiti Singhal of Eiti Ventures, along with other strategic investors and the founder himself. The company plans to use the funds to develop new products, add more flavours, and expand its presence across India.
Founder Priyank Jain said consumer preferences are clearly shifting. With people paying closer attention to labels and cutting back on sugar, demand for clean, everyday beverages is rising. Chini Kum aims to address this gap by offering drinks that balance taste, transparency, and low calories.
Starting at ₹30 for a 160 ml pack, the brand is positioned to remain affordable while maintaining a clean ingredient profile. For now, Chini Kum is focusing on metro and tier-1 cities, using quick-commerce platforms both for reach and to educate consumers about healthier beverage choices.
With its playful name, functional benefits, and strong anti-sugar stance, Chini Kum has made a confident entry into India’s crowded beverage market. Whether it becomes a regular choice for consumers is yet to be seen, but it has certainly made a refreshing start.
