Parenthood can be a transformative journey, filled with joy and wonder. Yet, it often comes with the daunting task of choosing the right products for your little one. Vishal Mittal and Madhurima Rungta, a dynamic husband-wife duo, embarked on their entrepreneurial journey to make this process more accessible and affordable for Indian parents. Their brainchild, HunyHuny, founded in 2019, has quickly become a trusted one-stop destination for all things related to parenting.
Vishal and Madhurima‘s journey into entrepreneurship was sparked by a deeply personal experience – the birth of their twin babies. As they scoured both online and retail stores for the best baby products, they encountered a significant challenge. Parenting, they discovered, had become a luxury, with premium baby products often beyond the budget of the average Indian middle-class family.
For instance, when they sought to purchase a baby cot, they found that only a handful of brands were available, and the starting prices ranged from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 – a hefty sum for most Indian parents. This realization sowed the seeds of HunyHuny, with the vision that no Indian parent should have to compromise on providing essential products for their babies. Vishal Mittal, formerly associated with Rackspace and Tricore Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Madhurima Rungta, a qualified company secretary and a visionary mom, decided to bootstrap their venture with an initial investment of Rs 35 lakh. HunyHuny, headquartered in Gurugram, offers approximately 170 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) spanning seven categories: baby essentials, baby wear, baby furniture, baby transport, baby accessories, maternity lingerie, and maternity wear.
The startup has enjoyed robust sales across these categories, with its baby cots and strollers emerging as hot-selling items. HunyHuny operates through its website and boasts three physical stores in Delhi-NCR. To expand its footprint nationwide, the company has partnered with Franchise India, intending to set up stores in Tier 1 cities.
A Remarkable Growth Journey:
HunyHuny’s growth since its inception has been nothing short of remarkable. The start-up began with 180 customers and has now catered to the needs of over 15,000 babies, representing a staggering 400 percent growth. The majority of its customers are new parents and grandparents, with a significant share of orders originating from women in Tier 1 cities. The start-up attributes its success to the quality of its products and competitive pricing. To ensure customer satisfaction, HunyHuny offers services like video calls, allowing parents to see and experience products remotely. Additionally, the company’s direct-from-factory delivery model minimizes third-party costs, translating into savings for customers.
HunyHuny manufactures its products in various locations worldwide, including Delhi. The startup collaborates with small job workers to create premium-quality, international-standard clothing and essentials. Baby transport and furniture are sourced from China, Europe, and New Zealand.
The baby products market in India is on a growth trajectory, with a market size of $1.6 billion in 2020, expected to witness a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.9 percent. Despite competition from both domestic and international players like Chicco, Graco, Fisher Price, Mothercare, and FirstCry, HunyHuny believes it stands out due to its attractive pricing, quality, and uniqueness. Closing this year’s balance sheet at around Rs 4 crore, with a revenue of Rs 80 lakh for FY21, HunyHuny primarily generates 80 percent of its revenue from online sales, with the remaining 20 percent originating from offline sources. The startup takes pride in its widespread reach, serving customers from small towns in Odisha like Jharsuguda to those in Jammu and Kashmir, largely fueled by word-of-mouth publicity.
Looking ahead, the founders have ambitious plans. They aim to raise an investment of Rs 20 crore to facilitate the opening of franchise stores across India, spanning both Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities over the next five years. Furthermore, they intend to explore international markets, beginning with the Middle East and Europe, signalling an exciting chapter in the journey of Vishal Mittal and Madhurima Rungta and their visionary brand, HunyHuny.