Mumbai: Bebe Burp, a certified baby food brand from Mighty Steps Pvt Ltd has announced the closure of its latest pre series A funding round, securing Rs 8 crore from the venture capital firm Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund (GCCF). This fund was launched by Gruhas in collaboration with Collective Artists Network earlier this year. This substantial capital infusion marks a pivotal milestone for Bebe Burp, setting the stage to propel the brand to new heights in the baby food industry and reinforcing its commitment to quality, safety, and nutrition.

Mothers struggle to find consistent, healthy, and tasty baby food options that have home-made quality. Store-bought porridges often contain harmful chemicals and preservatives. Recognising the lack of safe and healthy baby food options in the market, parents Shruti Tibrewal and Bharat Tibrewal, along with Chirag Gupta founded Bebe Burp in 2018 with a vision to introduce nutritious alternatives that provide easy, healthy solutions for kids, making healthy eating a reality from birth. Utilising grandma’s secret recipes, developed by expert nutritionists and chefs, the company prepares instant mixes, cookies, and snacks like multi-flavoured porridge mixes, 100 per cent millet puffs, ragi cookies, organic jaggery powder, and more. These products harness the goodness of natural, high-quality ingredients sustainably sourced to provide optimal nourishment for children during their crucial growth stages. Bebe Burp has successfully delivered smiles to over 1,50,000 mothers and counting, enhancing the well-being of children and setting a new standard in the baby food industry.

Bebe Burp followed its principle of ‘GIVES’, which stands for growth, involvement, visibility, efficiency, and stability to acquire this funding. The brand will utilise 60 per cent of the fund for growth, 20 per cent for operations, 10 per cent for product development, and the remainder for team building for a coherent production. The fund will be channelled into diverse aspects of the business like expansive market growth, advanced product development, targeted marketing campaigns, strategic hiring and talent acquisition, groundbreaking innovation and R&D, and seamless technology integration.

It plans to allocate more resources to regions with higher market potential and strong competition to solidify its entry into the market. For a better ROI, Bebe Burp’s focal point will be scalable

marketing channels and expansion strategies to widen the reach across potential markets. The funding will also aid in technological innovation in the baby food sector in the form of improved packaging, tracking, and faster delivery methods, proving beneficial for both consumers and the business.

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The baby food market is witnessing growth undercurrents with organic and natural product trends ensuing in the industry. Due to betterment in the standard of living with hyper-awareness regarding nutrition and a growing inclination towards organic foods, the next five years look healthy for the industry. It is estimated that by 2027, the industry will reach around $109 billion, growing at a CAGR of 6.1 per cent from 2021 to 2027. As for the Indian baby food market, it was valued at around USD 6.5 billion in 2023. During the forecast period between 2024-30, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 14%. Bebe Burp can capitalise on these trends due to its high-quality and organic baby food, and thereby, establish a dominant position in the market.

Bebe Burp’s five-year growth strategy is ambitious and comprehensive, focusing on increasing brand awareness through robust digital marketing campaigns, strategic influencer partnerships, and active engagement with parenting communities. With a primary focus on tier-one and tier-two cities in India, specifically targeting millennials and working parents, the company plans to achieve substantial e-commerce growth and strong quick commerce penetration, establishing a formidable market presence. Besides, Bebe Burp is poised to enter major international markets such as the Middle East, Europe, and Southeast Asia, thereby extending its global footprint. Retail expansion is a key priority, with a target to establish a presence in over one lakh retail stores across India, complemented by significant R&D investments aimed at continuously developing cutting-edge products.

Bebe Burp co-founder Shruti Tibrewal said, “We’re thrilled with the recent round of investments because it will significantly accelerate the growth of Bebe Burp. Being a mother, I have always found it difficult to find organic and healthy alternatives to the products already existing in the market. I wanted to bridge that gap by creating a brand like Bebe Burp. It’s been my vision to make healthy food alternatives accessible to mothers across the globe and, at the same time, inspire and promote the idea of women leading businesses. I consider this show of faith by our investors a win for my vision, and I will continue in my efforts to establish Bebe Burp as a major player in the baby food industry.”

Bebe Burp co-founder Bharat Tibrewal said, “As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve always focused on creating innovative business ideas and understanding the market’s needs. Bebe Burp’s products have been created using traditional Grandma’s recipes, and the ingredients used are completely organic. It’s the need of the hour to shift focus towards healthier products without chemical combinations that help in infants’ overall development without causing side effects.”

Bebe Burp co-founder Chirag Gupta said, “Our focus will be to expand into new domestic and international markets through the recently acquired funds. To increase brand awareness and visibility, we will employ diversified strategies ranging from influencer partnerships to creative campaigns. Bebe Burp has a vision in place to penetrate e-commerce and quick commerce to fortify its presence in the market while investing in R&D to improve innovation. This funding will pioneer our position as a leading Indian brand in the global baby food market, potentially attracting more international investment and interest.”

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Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund (GCCF) general partner and Gruhas co-founder Abhijeet Pai said, “We are excited to announce our investment in Bebe Burp, a startup whose natural, millet-based products are redefining the baby food industry. Bebe Burp combines traditional Indian recipes with modern quality standards to provide essential baby feeding options that are both convenient and nutritious. Founded by parents who deeply understand the importance of a healthy diet from their own experiences, Bebe Burp is set to lead the way in offering wholesome choices for infants and toddlers.”

“With India’s young population and a growing global interest in healthy, natural foods, we believe Bebe Burp is uniquely positioned to make a significant impact on the infant food market worldwide. We are optimistic about Bebe Burp’s ability to enhance the well-being of countless children and proudly represent Indian innovation on the global stage.” Pai said.

Collective Artists Network founder and group CEO Vijay Subramania commented, “At GCCF, we are deeply committed to fostering innovation and supporting visionary entrepreneurs like those at Bebe Burp. This funding round not only underscores the remarkable potential of Bebe Burp in the baby food market but also aligns with our mission to back ventures that bring significant value and positive impact to consumers. We are excited to see Bebe Burp’s journey unfold and are confident that their dedication to quality and nutrition will set new benchmarks in the industry.”