Jagadeesh Kumar On The Indus Valley’s Playbook For Building A ₹200 Cr Toxin-Free Cookware Brand

What’s cooking in the modern Indian kitchen? Not merely a facelift recipe, but a makeover, at work. 

What used to be a purely functional buy, like pots, pans, and pressure cookers, picked for durability and price, is now being looked at very differently. Health, safety and long-term wellness are starting to shape these decisions. For a growing cohort of urban consumers, what goes into the food is no longer the only concern, what it cooks matters just as much.

The shift is showing up in the numbers too. As rising disposable incomes, rapid pace of urbanisation and stricter regulations from authorities like the Bureau of Indian Standards are pushing consumers away from the unorganised market, paving the way for branded, certified products to drive the country’s  $2.01 Bn cookware market on 7.27% annual growth rate to reach $2.85 Bn by 2031.

But, beyond these macro factors, there’s a deeper change at play: increasing awareness around the health risks linked to chemical coatings such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

This awareness has led to the rise of what can best be termed as a ‘wellness premium’ in cookware. Materials like stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic are no longer niche preferences; they are becoming mainstream choices, even in value-conscious households. 

At the centre of this shift sits The Indus Valley, a cookware brand that has built its thesis around going back to the basics, minus the chemicals. By swapping synthetic non-stick coatings for traditional materials like cast iron, neem wood and tri-ply stainless steel, the company is trying to bridge old-school kitchen practices with modern design. 

The company has raised a total of $6 Mn in funding from Rukam Capital, DSG Consumer Partners, The Chennai Angels and Whitewhale Ventures.

Founder Jagadeesh Kumar sat down with Inc42 for a freewheeling conversation on spotting the hidden health risks in everyday cookware, the conviction behind building a brand rooted in traditional materials and how the company is scaling in this market. 

Here are the edited excerpts from the conversation…

Inc42: What made you realise cookware could be a hidden health risk, and what were some of the early challenges you faced building in a manufacturing-heavy category without prior experience?

Jagadeesh Kumar: It started with an unexpected kitchen mishap. A plastic container melted in the oven we were using, prompting us to pause and ask: What are we cooking our food in? As we started digging, we realised that most mainstream cookware either came with chemical coatings or used materials that weren’t really safe for long-term use. That gap between rising health awareness and the lack of truly safe options is what turned a personal concern into a business opportunity.

Of course, stepping into this space without a background in metallurgy or cookware came with its own learning curve. One of the biggest blind spots early on was underestimating just how much discipline this category demands at the ground level. We initially approached it more like a D2C brand, rather than a manufacturing-heavy product business. But it didn’t take long to realise that things like consistency in raw materials, material thickness, finish, and compliance with safety standards are non-negotiable, and that supply-chain quality directly defines the brand promise. Learning to balance founder-driven innovation with repeatable manufacturing processes turned out to be one of the steepest parts of the journey.

Inc42: The name Indus Valley evokes heritage and ancient wisdom. Was that a deliberate strategy to position traditional materials as a modern premium lifestyle choice?

Jagadeesh Kumar: Yes, very much so. The name was chosen to reflect a sense of continuity with India’s traditional kitchen culture, while still feeling relevant in a modern, premium context. We wanted to position traditional materials not as a nostalgic compromise but as a modern, health-first choice, one that combines the durability of our grandparents’ kitchens with the performance and design expectations of today’s households.

Inc42: When you talk about toxin-free cooking, what should consumers really be aware of, and how are you educating the market while building demand for traditional materials?

Jagadeesh Kumar: When we talk about toxin-free cooking, we essentially refer to cookware that avoids chemical coatings like PTFE-based non-stick layers and other synthetic surfaces that can break down over time or react with food at high temperatures. Our products are built around natural, non-reactive materials like cast iron, stainless steel, and wood, which do not rely on those coatings.

These materials are fundamentally different because they deliver performance without synthetic non-stick coatings. Cast iron, for instance, retains the heat well and becomes naturally non-reactive with proper seasoning. Stainless steel, when engineered right, is both durable and non-reactive, while wood is inherently non-toxic and breathable.

That said, educating consumers hasn’t been easy, as cookware is often bought out of habit, not scrutiny, so we had to translate complex material science into simple, relatable stories about health and safety.

Inc42: Traditional materials like cast iron are often considered high-maintenance due to seasoning. How did you re-engineer these products to meet the ergonomic and convenience needs of a fast-paced, modern household?

Jagadeesh Kumar: The idea was to retain the core benefits of materials like cast iron while redesigning the user experience to reduce friction. For instance, we introduced pre-seasoned pans so they’re essentially ready to use straight out of the box, improved finishing to make them easier to clean, and shaped them to fit modern kitchen layouts and induction-compatible cooktops.

Across other materials too, the focus has been on optimising weight, improving handle ergonomics, or delivering non-stick-like performance without relying on chemical coatings. The goal was to preserve the heritage-driven performance while making these products genuinely convenient for daily use by busy households.

Inc42: In the early days, how did you manage the tension between maintaining artisanal quality and the need for a standardised, high-volume supply chain?

Jagadeesh Kumar: Early on, it was a constant balancing act. We wanted to retain the authenticity and quality associated with traditional cookware, but we also had to establish repeatable standards for thickness, heat distribution, finish, and compliance so that every batch looked and performed the same.

Getting there required tighter vendor management, detailed specifications, and in-house quality checks before we could even think about scaling. Over time, the focus shifted from “artisanal” to “artisanal-quality at scale”, where the brand promise is delivered consistently, not just occasionally.

Inc42: Why was a digital-first, D2C distribution model essential for The Indus Valley’s early success compared to the traditional offline distributor-retailer route used by legacy giants?

Jagadeesh Kumar: A digital-first D2C model was essential because this was a new category that needed education as much as distribution. In offline retail, cookware is usually sold to consumers who already know what they want. In our case, we first had to convince people that what they cook matters just as much.

Going direct-to-consumer gave us that control. We could shape the narrative, test products quickly, capture feedback, and build trust through content, reviews, and repeat engagement. That foundation made it easier to eventually expand into broader retail and quick commerce.

Inc42: Beyond the financial infusion, how has the partnership with Rukam Capital specifically sharpened your strategy for brand positioning and scaling the consumer business?

Jagadeesh Kumar: The partnership with Rukam Capital has helped validate and sharpen our core thesis that toxin-free cookware isn’t just a niche wellness product, but can be built into a long-term consumer brand.

Their experience with scaling consumer businesses pushed us to think more clearly about positioning, founder–market fit, and how to grow without diluting the core promise of health and safety. That strategic input has been just as valuable as the funding itself, influencing how we build the brand, tell our story and prioritise different growth levers.

Inc42: Your positioning blends health, tradition, and modern design. In your view, which of these has become a key enabler of consumer adoption?

Jagadeesh Kumar: Health is the primary trigger, that’s what brings people in. There’s a growing consumer intent to cook in safer, non-toxic vessels.

Tradition adds depth to that decision, especially in an Indian context where people relate to the materials and cooking practices of earlier generations. However, modern design is what keeps the brand relevant in daily use, from ergonomics to aesthetics and compatibility with modern cooktops.

In reality, it’s the intersection of all three at work:  health that feels familiar, safe, and convenient enough to use every day.

Inc42: How has the rise of ‘conscious consumerism’ in Tier II and III cities changed your growth strategy? 

Jagadeesh Kumar: Very clearly, yes. Wellness-led kitchenware is no longer just a metro story. As digital access improves and both health awareness and disposable incomes rise in Tier II and III cities, we see strong demand for toxin-free, durable cookware that delivers on both safety and value.

That shift has pushed us to rethink pricing, product assortment and fulfilment efficiency, to ensure we’re serving these markets just as effectively as metros. For us, the next phase of growth is closely tied to this broader, tier-agnostic shift in consumer behaviour.

Inc42: What has been the most effective growth lever for the brand — marketplace, D2C, content-led education, or influencer-driven cooking communities? How did you double down on that growth? 

Jagadeesh Kumar: Content-led education, combined with digital commerce, has been the most effective lever for us. Marketplaces and D2C channels work best when consumers understand the why behind switching to toxin-free cookware.

So, we leaned heavily into creating educational content around materials, cooking safety, and long-term health, and then connecting it back to the product through reviews, user experiences, and community-driven storytelling. Influencer-driven education amplifies the message, but at its core, our growth has been driven by the synergy of education, trust, and convenient purchase.

Inc42: Looking back at the journey towards the ₹200 Cr milestone, what was the toughest operational challenge, something that consumers rarely see but defines whether the business succeeds or fails?

Jagadeesh Kumar: Maintaining consistency at scale, while staying true to a safety-first promise, has been the toughest part. A lot of the rigour happens behind the scenes, so consumers may not see it, but they can immediately tell when something feels off in terms of performance or finish.

At scale, every SKU, raw-material batch, vendor and QC checkpoint becomes critical. That operational discipline in materials sourcing, production and quality control is what ultimately defines whether the brand can credibly claim to be the go-to for toxin-free cookware at scale.

Inc42: Do you see toxin-free cookware as a niche wellness category, or do you believe it will eventually become the default choice for Indian kitchens?

Jagadeesh Kumar: I believe it has the potential to move from a niche wellness category to a default consideration in Indian kitchens. As awareness grows, what people cook in will matter just as much as performance, convenience, and price when making a purchase decision.

For that shift to happen, brands will need to make toxin-free cookware more accessible, easier to use, and backed by clear, consistent education. If we get that right, I see a future where these products aren’t seen as a “special” choice anymore, but simply the normal one for most Indian households.

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