Peyush Bansal Asks, “Are You Solving a Problem That Doesn’t Exist?”: Zenma on Shark Tank India

Coffee is more than just a beverage—it’s a ritual. And Zenma, a Delhi-based brand, set out to bring barista-style coffee to home kitchens without expensive machines or complicated techniques.

Founded by Karan Khurana and Sheena Khurana, Zenma offers a unique instant coffee solution where users simply melt a coffee shot and mix it with water or milk to create cappuccinos, americanos, mochas, and other café-style drinks.

The idea was simple: bridge the gap between high-quality specialty coffee and the convenience of instant coffee. But despite its innovative approach, Zenma struggled to convince the sharks that the market was big enough for their product to succeed.

Building a brand from scratch isn’t easy, and Zenma’s journey has been financially challenging.

• Over five years, the founders have lost ₹51 lakh trying to establish the brand.
• They’ve already raised ₹1.25 crore in investments to keep the business running.
• Personal savings were used—Karan borrowed from his parents, and Sheena invested her own money.
• Even now, the company burns ₹10 lakh per month, raising concerns about sustainability.

While passion and perseverance kept them going, the sharks weren’t convinced that Zenma had found the right product-market fit.

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Despite showing steady growth, the numbers weren’t enough to assure the sharks of long-term scalability.

Zenma’s Monthly Sales Growth

• April 2024: ₹1.5 lakh
• May 2024: ₹3.5 lakh
• September 2024: ₹8 lakh

Zenma’s Sales Channels

• B2B (Bulk Sales): 2%
• Quick Commerce (Instant Delivery Platforms): 10%
• Own Website (Direct-to-Consumer Sales): 88%

The heavy reliance on direct sales through their website raised concerns about scalability and brand visibility in offline markets.

Zenma’s Enit Economics

Breakdown for a ₹599 Selling Price:

• GST: ₹91
• Discounts: ₹56
• COGS (Cost of Goods Sold): ₹275
• Shipping Fees: ₹66
• Transaction Charges: ₹12
• Marketing Costs: ₹200

With an EBITDA of -101, the company was losing more than it earned per unit. This high burn rate made it difficult for investors to see a path to profitability.

The founders walked into the Shark Tank India set with confidence, hoping to secure an investment that could help scale their brand.

But things didn’t go as planned.

Karan and Sheena’s pitch quickly turned into one of the most talked-about moments of the episode when Karan asked Aman Gupta, “Aman, kick mili kya?” referencing whether he felt excited by the product.

The sharks laughed, but the mood soon changed as they dove into serious discussions about the brand’s potential.

The sharks appreciated the taste of Zenma, but they weren’t convinced that there was a real problem to solve.

• Shark Aman Gupta admitted that he’s happy with regular instant coffee and doesn’t feel the need to switch.
• Shark Kunal Bahl, surprisingly, revealed that he’s already a daily Zenma drinker having discovered it through online ads.
• Shark Peyush Bansal questioned if they were trying to solve a problem that didn’t exist.
• Shark Anupam Mittal said that serious coffee drinkers wouldn’t mind buying a proper coffee machine.
• Shark Vineeta Singh pointed out that Zenma costs ₹60 per cup, the same as a premium pour-over coffee, but much higher than ₹10 for regular instant coffee.

And then came a critical realization—Zenma had to be stored at sub-zero temperatures.

• Shark Peyush Bansal was visibly surprised, admitting he had no idea about this requirement.
• The sharks laughed, but the storage challenge was a serious concern.

With so many barriers to scaling, none of the sharks could justify making an offer. At the end of the discussion, not a single shark made an offer.

Their main concerns were:

1. A Niche Market – The product didn’t seem to solve a widespread problem.
2. High Price Point – Competing with ₹10 instant coffee or ₹60 café coffee was tough.
3. Storage & Logistics Issues – Freezing requirements made distribution complex.
4. Negative Unit Economics – Losing money per sale meant long-term profitability was uncertain.

Peyush Bansal advised the founders to pivot their strategy suggesting they start kiosks instead of focusing solely on D2C sales. In the end, Zenma left Shark Tank India without an investment.

For startups considering pitching on Shark Tank India, Zenma’s experience offers important takeaways:

1. Product-Market Fit Is Critical – Even great products can fail if there’s no clear market demand.
2. Scalability Matters – If a business can’t scale efficiently, investors won’t bite.
3. Unit Economics Can Make or Break a Deal – Losing money per unit sold is a major red flag.

Zenma entered Shark Tank India with an innovative approach to instant specialty coffee.

While the sharks loved the taste, the business model raised too many concerns for them to invest.

But this isn’t the end of the road. If the founders can adapt, fix their pricing, and solve the storage issue, Zenma could still carve out a niche in India’s growing coffee culture.