The Meteoric Rise Of Bacca Bucci From INR 50K To INR 66 Cr!

Let’s travel back in time to 2013!

Where? To the PG room of Natwar Agrawal and Anuj Nevatia in Delhi. To the time when these friends from high school were planning to invest INR 50,000 in a show business as a side hustle!

FYI – This INR 50,000 was Natwar’s first salary as a CA.

Little did they know this side hustle would become one of India’s fastest growing footwear D2C brands!

From cash crunches, fundraising disappointments, and overstocking failures to a public rejection on Shark Tank India, the story of Bacca Bucci is nothing short of sensational!

Despite all odds, the brand stands strong, thriving with:

🔷 INR 66 Cr revenue in FY24
🔷 4,000+ daily orders
🔷 8 Mn+ lifetime customers

Although still bootstrapped, rather not able to raise funds, Bacca Bucci is not slowing down, and this is the result of incredible grit and resilience of Natwar and Anuj!

Let’s dive into the growth playbook?

First 6 Years Without A D2C Website 💻

“When we started out in 2013, we wanted to sell fast. Although the e-commerce setup was nascent in India, it showed promise. So, we started with listing products on Ebay, Snapdeal, and Indiatimes Shopping, And later on Amazon, Myntra, and Flipkart,” said Natwar in an interview.

And, this e-commerce-first approach proved to be instrumental in Bacca Bucci’s growth journey!

As per Natwar, 90% of their sales come from online channels, with 60% generated from e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Myntra, and Flipkart.

What worked for Bacca Bucci is their ability to optimise listings and offer competitive pricing.

Remember those high and mighty tops that dominated marketplaces back in 2015-16?

That’s typical Bacca Bucci for you!

And these high and mid-top sneakers still continue to be the brand’s bestsellers!

But not having a D2C website did have its limitations—although the brand was scaling fast in marketplaces, there was an acute lack of direct access to consumer data.

“The lack of consumer data slowed our growth! We could have done so much more if we had a more direct way to understand our consumer cohort better and interact with them!”

Recognising the need for a better understanding of their customer base, Bacca Bucci launched its own website in 2019. This allowed them to interact directly with customers, gather data on preferences, and personalise offerings.

The launch of their own website and app enabled Bacca Bucci to capture 30% of online sales directly, allowing them to run personalised shopping experiences.

An Early Insight: Winning Over Price-Sensitive Indian Customers 💰

Analysing reviews on marketplaces kept Natwar and Anuj busy when they did not have a D2C website for Bacca Bucci.

They realised good footwear was expensive – a hurdle for price-sensitive Indian consumers, especially in the footwear category.

With an average selling price (ASP) between INR 1,500 and INR 2,500, Bacca Bucci positioned itself as an affordable alternative to giants like Nike, Adidas, and Puma, whose products often sell for INR 4,000 and INR 6,000.

This pricing strategy has allowed Bacca Bucci to capture a significant share of India’s mid-market footwear segment, appealing especially to millennials and Gen Z consumers looking for value without sacrificing quality.

Sneakers are the star of Bacca Bucci’s portfolio, accounting for about 50% of their revenue, followed by athleisure footwear at 30% and boots at 15%

How Bacca Bucci Is Targeting Consumers On Social Media 📱

Bacca Bucci has consistently invested in digital marketing to drive traffic to both their e-commerce platforms and their D2C website.

Running ads on Instagram has allowed the company to engage their core audience—primarily consumers aged 18 to 35.

Also, Bacca Bucci partners with micro-influencers to promote their products and reach niche communities.

Shark Tank India: A Blessing in Disguise For Bacca Bucci 🦈

In 2024, Natwar and Anuj appeared on Shark Tank India, seeking INR 2.5 Cr for 1% equity. Despite a strong pitch, they were turned down by the sharks, who questioned their scalability. Yet, this public rejection turned out to be a turning point.

Following the episode, Bacca Bucci witnessed a 50x increase in website traffic as viewers, intrigued by the brand’s story, flocked to check out their products online.

Natwar said, “The Shark Tank experience helped us attract valuable partnerships who reached out to us after the episode aired. This (un)intentional marketing push provided the much-needed visibility and credibility that helped Bacca Bucci scale faster.”

A Conclusion Drawn 🏆

To meet the growing demand after Shark Tank, Bacca Bucci operates a 25,000 sq. ft. warehouse in East Delhi, with additional fulfilment centres spread across India. This has allowed them to cut delivery times and ensure smoother logistics, even as their daily sales hit 4,000 units.

Bacca Bucci has recently entered the Dubai market, eyeing international expansion as the next frontier for growth. The brand’s entry into brick-and-mortar stores is aimed at building trust with consumers who prefer to try footwear in person.

Will Bacca Bucci finally be able to secure funds? What’s your take?

Until the next one!