Two cousin sisters from Ahmedabad have recently won a Rs 25 lakh offer on Shark Tank India for their brand Nuutjob. Ananya and Anushree Maloo formed the business to sell intimate hygiene products for men.
Two women marketing a brand that only sells male intimate hygiene products is certainly unusual. However, Ananya and her cousin Anushree Maloo, who just secured a contract of Rs 25 lakh for 20% stake on Shark Tank India, may have benefited from this anomaly.
The Ahmedabad-based sisters’ last pitch on the Indian version of the US reality show saw them demonstrate their business endeavour Nuutjob, which provides a line of items geared at male intimate hygiene.
The 26-year-olds, who introduce themselves as “the Maloo sisters,” have turned a lot of heads with their audacious business proposal.
They have been each other’s best friends since they were children, despite the fact that they were born only 15 days apart.
Anushree oversaw business operations for a modular kitchen firm while Ananya worked as a marketing professional in the entertainment industry.
They claim that the inspiration for Nuutjob came from witnessing the males around them struggle to find a worthy answer to maintain proper cleanliness. This was compounded by the fact that male hygiene is less discussed, they note. Ananya says, they got the idea from the fact that men do not have as much choices as women have when it comes to intimate hygiene products.
Even though they had a clear business plan, there were several obstacles they had to overcome as they progressed.
“Our family members were concerned that if we went ahead with this venture, we would not receive marriage proposals,” Anushree explains.
“When someone says or does anything that is considered taboo in our society, it is difficult for our community to accept it,” Ananya noted.
But both sisters, who were adamant about their plan, didn’t want to give up on their business because of the fear of ‘What would society think?’ They presented their company’s concept to the family and eventually persuaded them.
“As a mater of fact, our fathers stood by us the entire time. They were convinced that we were enthusiastic about our business strategy.” she continues.
Anushree claims that when the goods first became available, their fathers were the first to try them.
“They were pleased with the outcome. They not only gave us feedback but also helped us develop the items while we were working on the formula,” she says.
‘Shark Tank altered our life,’ says one contestant. The couple, who came up with their company idea during the 2020 shutdown, spent around a year conducting intensive research and testing the items. Ananya says they ultimately launched their products online in July 2021 after bootstrapping the business with an initial investment of nearly Rs 5 lakh. Then, after a few months, Shark Tank came along and altered their lives.
When asked about their experience, she says, “It was an incredible opportunity.” We were so moved by the sharks’ reactions that we burst into tears. They spotted our potential and encouraged us. The show boosted our self-esteem and transformed our lives for the better.”
She says, “Since Shark Tank, our sales have increased, and we’ve gotten such positive feedback from customers.”
Nuutjob now offers three products: an intimate wash, a deodorant, and an intimate moisturiser.
“The products function to avoid chafing, irritation from sweating, unpleasant odour and itching, and help maintain a decent pH balance,” Ananya explains.
The Maloo sisters, who are first cousins, were raised together in Ahmedabad in a close-knit joint household.
