From Kerala’s Kitchens to Global Markets: The Remarkable Rise of Beyond Snack

In a world dominated by mass-produced snacks, Beyond Snack has emerged as a breath of fresh air, revolutionizing the humble Kerala banana chip into a global sensation. What started as a mission to preserve the authentic taste of traditional Kerala snacks has now attracted a staggering $8.3 million in Series A funding—a testament to how local flavors can achieve worldwide recognition when quality meets innovation. Led by 12 Flags Group and backed by industry titans like Rakesh Kapoor, former CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, this investment signals extraordinary confidence in Beyond Snack’s potential to disrupt the entire snack industry.

How did a regional delicacy from Kerala capture the attention of international investors and find its way into over 20,000 retail outlets across India and 12 countries worldwide? The answer lies in Beyond Snack’s unwavering commitment to quality, sustainability, and authenticity. By sourcing locally grown bananas, eliminating artificial additives, and embracing eco-friendly packaging, the brand has created a healthier alternative that resonates with today’s conscious consumers while staying true to its traditional roots.

In this comprehensive case study, we’ll explore Beyond Snack’s remarkable journey through 2025, from its Kerala origins to its recent funding milestone, examining its expanding market presence, unique competitive advantages, and ambitious growth strategy for the future. Discover how this brand is not just selling banana chips—it’s reimagining how traditional Indian snacks can conquer the global marketplace.

A. Origin story and commitment to authentic Kerala flavors

Beyond Snack emerged in 2020 when three friends—Manas Madhu, Gautam Raghuraman, and Jyoti Rajguru—united with a shared vision to revolutionize the banana chips market. Their journey began with Manas Madhu’s early entrepreneurial attempts, which evolved into a focused mission after extensive market research revealed a significant demand for premium quality banana chips. The founders identified a gap in the organized snack sector and aimed to elevate Kerala’s traditional banana chips to a global snacking option.

The company’s commitment to authentic Kerala flavors starts with sourcing high-quality Nendran bananas directly from Kerala’s farmers. This direct farm-to-packaging approach not only ensures the finest ingredients but also supports rural employment and community development in the region.

B. Unique selling proposition: quality, hygiene, and traditional taste

Beyond Snack distinguishes itself in the crowded snack market through three core elements. First, their uncompromising focus on quality begins with premium Nendran bananas, known for their distinctive taste and texture. Second, the brand employs a hygienic, hands-free production process from farm to packaging—a significant departure from traditional unorganized sector practices.

The company offers cholesterol-free and GMO-free products that maintain the authentic taste of Kerala while meeting modern health-conscious consumer demands. Their product range includes traditional favorites like classic salted banana chips alongside innovative offerings such as spicy masala, positioning them as a superior alternative to conventional potato chips in the premium snack category.

C. Appeal across diverse consumer demographics

The brand’s “24 Carat Taste” campaign effectively positions Beyond Snack’s banana chips as a premium snacking option with universal appeal. By focusing on quality and authentic flavors, the company has successfully attracted consumers across various demographics who seek healthier alternatives to conventional snacks.

Beyond Snack’s market reach extends well beyond India’s borders, with products available in the United States, UAE, UK, Singapore, Qatar, Nepal, and Mauritius. Within India, the company has established a strong retail presence in Maharashtra while developing a robust online platform to reach consumers nationwide.

With this growing popularity and market penetration, Beyond Snack has set the stage for significant expansion. This impressive trajectory naturally led to their recent $8.3 million Series A funding milestone, which we’ll explore in the next section.

Building on Beyond Snack’s remarkable journey in revolutionizing Kerala’s traditional banana chips, the company has now achieved a significant financial milestone that sets the stage for its ambitious growth plans.

Key investors: 12 Flags Group, NAB Ventures, and Enrission India Capital

Beyond Snack successfully raised an impressive USD 8.3 million in Series A funding, with 12 Flags Group emerging as the primary investor. This substantial investment highlights the growing interest in India’s snack market, which has expanded from approximately INR 500 billion in 2015 to INR 751 billion by 2022. The funding round also featured significant contributions from existing investor NAB Ventures and Japanese venture capital firm Enrission India Capital, among others like Faad Network. This diverse investor portfolio reflects both domestic confidence and international appeal in Beyond Snack’s premium banana chips offering.

Leadership backing: Rakesh Kapoor’s (former Reckitt CEO) strategic involvement

A particularly noteworthy aspect of this funding round is the leadership backing from Rakesh Kapoor, the former global CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, who founded 12 Flags Group. Kapoor’s involvement brings substantial industry expertise and strategic vision to Beyond Snack’s operations. His support represents more than just financial investment—it signals strong faith in the company’s business model and growth potential from one of the world’s most respected consumer goods executives.

Previous funding history and financial growth trajectory

Before this Series A round, Beyond Snack had already established a track record of successful fundraising, having secured investments through its memorable appearance on Shark Tank India Season 1, where it attracted backing from prominent figures like Ashneer Grover and Aman Gupta. To date, the company has raised a total of INR 192 crore (USD 23.3 million) from various investors, including NAB Ventures and 100X.VC. This latest funding round has elevated Beyond Snack’s valuation to approximately INR 300 crore (USD 36.3 million), highlighting its impressive financial growth trajectory in the competitive snack industry.

With this substantial financial backing secured, we’ll next explore how Beyond Snack has established its market presence and built an extensive distribution network that now spans across India and international markets.

Having secured an impressive $8.3 million in Series A funding, Beyond Snack has leveraged these resources to dramatically expand its market footprint, establishing a robust distribution network that reaches consumers across India and beyond.

Current reach: 20,000+ retail outlets across India

Beyond Snack has experienced remarkable growth in its physical retail presence, evolving from its initial distribution network in Mumbai to encompassing more than 20,000 retail outlets nationwide. This extensive expansion has been strategically orchestrated through partnerships with over 70 distributors spanning multiple states. The brand’s commitment to quality and consistent product integrity has facilitated this rapid scaling, allowing Beyond Snack’s Kerala Banana Chips to become increasingly accessible to consumers throughout India.

E-commerce integration and digital marketplace strategy

Beyond Snack demonstrated exceptional adaptability during the COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting toward digital distribution channels. The company has established a significant presence on major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart, making its premium banana chips available to online shoppers nationwide. This digital marketplace strategy has proven instrumental in reaching consumers beyond physical retail limitations, particularly during periods of restricted movement. The brand’s innovative multi-layer packaging, which extends shelf life and preserves product integrity, has proven especially valuable for e-commerce operations, ensuring customers receive fresh, high-quality products regardless of shipping distances.

International footprint across 12 countries

Beyond the domestic market, Beyond Snack has successfully established an international presence, distributing its Kerala Banana Chips across 12 countries including the USA, UK, and Canada. This global expansion has strategically targeted regions with significant Indian diaspora populations, leveraging the nostalgic appeal and established popularity of authentic Kerala Banana Chips. The company’s emphasis on hygiene, consistent quality, and authentic taste—marketed through its “24 Carat Taste” campaign—has resonated with international consumers seeking premium Indian snack options.

As we examine Beyond Snack’s impressive distribution network, we can now turn our attention to understanding how these market advantages contribute to the company’s competitive edge in the increasingly crowded snack industry.

While Beyond Snack has established an impressive distribution network across India and e-commerce platforms, its true strength lies in its competitive advantages that set it apart in the crowded snack marketplace. The company has carved a unique niche by focusing on several key differentiators that resonate with today’s consumers.

Locally sourced ingredients ensuring freshness and authentic flavor

Beyond Snack has built its reputation on using farm-fresh bananas sourced directly from Kerala. This commitment to local sourcing not only ensures the authenticity of their banana chips but also delivers the genuine flavor that has made Kerala banana chips famous. By maintaining close relationships with local farmers, the company guarantees consistent quality while supporting local agriculture. This farm-to-package approach is central to their premium positioning in the banana chips category, allowing them to deliver a product that stands out from mass-produced alternatives in the $12 billion Indian snack market.

Health-conscious positioning: no artificial additives

In alignment with growing consumer demand for cleaner labels, Beyond Snack has committed to preservative-free products. As highlighted by founder Manas Madhu, the brand emphasizes high-quality, preservative-free banana chips that appeal to health-conscious consumers. This positioning is particularly significant as market trends increasingly favor health-conscious snacking options. By avoiding artificial additives while maintaining taste and quality, Beyond Snack appeals to modern consumers seeking guilt-free indulgence in the premium banana chips segment.

Eco-friendly packaging and sustainable practices

Beyond Snack has integrated sustainability into its core business model, recognizing that today’s consumers value environmental responsibility. The company’s commitment to sustainable practices extends from sourcing to packaging, further differentiating it from competitors. This eco-conscious approach not only reduces environmental impact but also resonates with a growing segment of environmentally aware consumers, particularly in premium markets where Beyond Snack operates.

With these competitive advantages firmly established, Beyond Snack is well-positioned to execute its ambitious growth strategy for 2025 and beyond, leveraging its distinctive market position to expand both domestically and internationally.

Having examined Beyond Snack’s competitive edge in the snack industry, let’s now focus on their ambitious growth strategy for 2025 and beyond, which leverages their unique market position.

Expansion into tier-2 and tier-3 Indian cities

With the recent $8.3 million Series A funding, Beyond Snack is strategically positioned to extend its market reach beyond metropolitan areas. The company plans to scale operations by penetrating tier-2 and tier-3 cities across India while simultaneously strengthening its presence in metro regions. This geographical expansion aims to introduce premium Kerala banana chips to previously untapped markets, capitalizing on the growing demand for healthy snack alternatives throughout India. The funding will enable increased production capacity and enhanced distribution networks necessary to support this ambitious expansion.

Global market penetration: Middle East, Europe, and US targets

Beyond Snack’s growth strategy includes significant international ambitions, with specific focus on markets in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. The brand recognizes the global appeal of exotic snacks and sees substantial opportunity to introduce authentic Kerala banana chips to international consumers. The funding round, which attracted notable investors including 12 Flags Group and former Reckitt CEO Rakesh Kapoor, demonstrates confidence in Beyond Snack’s potential for global success. This international expansion aims to establish Kerala’s banana chips as a worldwide household name, showcasing how local flavors can achieve global recognition.

Product innovation: new flavors and variations while maintaining traditional roots

While expanding geographically, Beyond Snack remains committed to product innovation that honors its traditional heritage. The company plans to develop new flavors and variations to meet diverse consumer preferences across different markets. This innovation strategy focuses on creating healthier options while maintaining the authentic taste that distinguishes Beyond Snack from mass-produced alternatives. Despite these innovations, the brand will stay true to its core principles of using farm-fresh bananas, advanced processing methods, and avoiding artificial additives. This balanced approach to innovation enables Beyond Snack to appeal to contemporary consumer tastes while preserving the traditional Kerala snack-making legacy that forms the foundation of its identity.