Lickicious Raises Rs. 19 Crore to Push India’s Pet Food Market Forward

Lickicious has raised Rs. 19 crore in growth capital, and the move shows how quickly India’s pet care market is changing. The company is not just trying to sell more pet food. It wants to build a stronger, wider business around nutrition, manufacturing, and distribution.

Founded in 2024 by Shashwat Sahai and Chandan Jha, Lickicious operates under Nuvexo Wellness Pvt Ltd. The brand is built around a simple idea – pet parents want better nutrition, better quality, and more trust in what goes into their pets’ bowls. That is the gap Lickicious is trying to fill.

Funding Details

The round was led by Prath Ventures, with participation from ISV Capital, Atomberg Technologies founders, and senior industry executives. The money comes as a mix of equity and institutional debt, which gives the company fresh capital while also helping it stay flexible on how it uses the funds.

Lickicious says the goal is to grow from a digital-first pet food brand into a broader omnichannel pet nutrition business. In plain terms, that means it wants to sell through more than just one channel. It wants to be present online, in retail, and in other sales formats that pet owners actually use.

The company also has a clear revenue target. It is aiming to reach Rs. 100 crore in annual revenue, which shows that this is not a small brand testing the waters. It is thinking about scale.

Aim of Startup

Pet food is becoming a more serious category in India. More people now see pets as family members, not just animals in the house. That usually changes buying habits. Owners start paying more attention to ingredient quality, digestion, protein levels, and brand trust.

Lickicious says it focuses on real chicken first, high protein, no fillers, and tight quality control. Its own website also highlights dog food, cat food, treats, supplements, and superfoods. That wider range matters because pet owners often buy more than one product once they trust a brand.

A good example is this – a customer may begin with dog food, then later add treats or supplements if the experience is positive. That kind of repeat buying is what makes a pet nutrition brand valuable over time.

Purpose of funding

Lickicious plans to use the funding across three main priorities – capacity, capability, and category expansion.

Capacity means more manufacturing and distribution strength. The company is working toward a 60,000 sq ft footprint, which should help it make and move products more efficiently.

Capability means stronger R&D, quality systems, supply chain work, brand building, and commercial operations. That part is easy to miss, but it is important. A pet food brand can only grow if the product stays consistent and the supply chain does not break.

Category expansion means the business wants to go beyond its current offering and build a wider product portfolio. That is how a consumer brand becomes more defensible over time.

Competitors if any

Lickicious is entering a field that already has strong names like Pedigree, Drools, and Royal Canin. Those brands have wider reach and deeper awareness, but that also proves the market is big enough to support more players.

Lickicious is trying to win with sharper nutrition positioning, direct customer connect, and tighter control over quality. That can be a strong angle if it keeps execution disciplined.

Conclusion

Lickicious’ Rs. 19 crore raise is a useful reminder that pet care is no longer a side market. It is becoming a real consumer category with room for premium products, better nutrition, and stronger brands.

For Lickicious, the next step is clear. Use the money to build more capacity, improve the product line, and reach more customers without losing quality. If it can do that well, the company may become one of the more interesting names in India’s pet food space.

Key takeaways –

• Lickicious raised Rs. 19 crore in growth capital.
• The round was led by Prath Ventures.
• The startup was founded in 2024 by Shashwat Sahai and Chandan Jha.
• The company wants to expand manufacturing, strengthen operations, and grow into an omnichannel pet nutrition brand.
• Lickicious is targeting Rs. 100 crore in annual revenue.
• Competitors include Pedigree, Drools, and Royal Canin.

Reference- BWDisrupt