VMPL

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 1: Ananta Capital has acquired a majority stake in Phitku, one of India's fastest growing personal care brands.

Founded in early 2025 by Sumit Marda, Neha Marda and Rahul Dokania, Phitku is a digitally native personal care brand built around alum (phitkari), a trusted natural ingredient used for generations for odor protection. The company has reimagined the ingredient for modern consumers through a range of clean, effective products free from alcohol, artificial fragrances, and harsh chemicals.

In a little over a year, Phitku has established itself as one of India's leading natural odor protection brands, scaling rapidly across digital commerce platforms while building a profitable business--a rare combination for a brand at this stage. The founders will continue to hold a significant stake in Phitku and will continue to lead the brand and drive its next phase of growth.

Speaking on the investment, Ashutosh Taparia, part of the Taparia family and Founder & Managing Partner of Ananta Capital, said: 'What drew us to Phitku was the category itself. Consumers today are increasingly seeking cleaner personal care products and paying closer attention to ingredients, while odor protection remains a large category with limited innovation. Phitku has modernized a trusted ingredient like alum and built a proposition that resonates with today's consumers. We believe the brand is well positioned to lead this emerging category.'

Sanjeev Taparia, part of the Taparia family, added: 'We have been impressed by what the founders have built in such a short period of time. Going forward, we see an opportunity to build Phitku into a broader clean personal care platform by leveraging our consumer ecosystem, distribution network, product development capabilities, and international presence.'

Sumit Marda, Co-Founder & CEO of Phitku, said: 'Phitku started with a simple mission, to create personal care products that are clean, effective, and easy to trust. We saw an opportunity to bring back a time-tested ingredient in a format that fits modern lifestyles and consumer expectations. The response from consumers over the last year has been very encouraging, and we are excited to partner with Ananta Capital as we enter the next phase of growth.'

Rahul Dokania, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer of Phitku, added 'Our focus has been on creating products with simple ingredients and proven efficacy. With Ananta's support, we look forward to expanding our product portfolio and bringing our philosophy of clean personal care to more consumers.'

Neha Marda, Co-Founder & Brand Voice of Phitku, added: 'Building Phitku has been about earning a place in people's everyday routines through honesty and simplicity.'

Ananta Capital's investment in Phitku further strengthens its presence in the beauty and wellness sector, where it has built a portfolio of category-leading brands across fragrances, nutraceuticals, skincare, haircare, and personal care.

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