There was a small lab in Delhi. Here the smell of bottles and flavors was present in the air. Two brothers and sisters were trying to make a big dream come true. His dream was to change the party culture of the Indian people forever. Party means food, drink and lots of fun. Both of them focused on ‘drinking’, but not alcohol. You must have noticed that whenever there is a party, or friends gather at home, the biggest need is for a great ‘mixer’ drink. Drinks that are something other than sugary soda, or boring juice. Rajnandini and Divya Shakti caught this very flaw. They thought, why not make something that is fun to drink, but also not bad for health? He decided that now only cola or lemonade will not suffice in parties, but the world will get a new, cool, and desi flavored mocktail. This is where PEEYO started.
The childhood of Rajnandini and Divya Shakti was a little different from that of other children. In his family, discussions about business and entrepreneurship were discussed daily at the table. He had inherited the art of understanding the ins and outs of business, but this did not mean that the path to success was easy. Both of them completed their studies. While Divya Shakti understood the intricacies of business, Rajnandini had a creative mind that could give a new visual and flavor to things. Divya Shakti’s emphasis was on the market and numbers, and Rajnandini’s focus was on the ‘feel’ and ‘taste’ of the product.
Space had to be made between Coca-Cola and Pepsi
After graduation, both of them tried traditional paths, but their minds were always focused on doing something new. He saw that today’s young generation is health-conscious. He does not like drinks with sweet, artificial flavors. There is a huge void in the market if there are no premium, great-tasting and healthy mocktail mixers. But launching a new drink in a market dominated by big companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi was like a mountain to climb for any small start-up. His first struggle started from here. Taking your idea out of just a dream and putting it in a bottle.
How did the idea of Peeyo come about?
One night both the brothers and sisters were sitting after a family dinner. The point was the same, “There is nothing good to drink these days.” Then the divine power remembered a home remedy. He said, “Jaljeera made by my grandmother was so amazing, why is it not available in these fancy bottles?” Rajnandini immediately said, “Yes! And why can’t fancy flavors like blueberry and mixed berry also be given a desi twist and become a premium drink rather than a soda?” At that very moment, he realized that his idea was not just a drink, but a wonderful blend of ‘desi’ and ‘premium’. They decided to create India’s first ‘ready-to-drink mocktail and mixer’, which was made with natural flavors and did not contain unnecessary sugar. That night, the first sketch of ‘Peyo’ was made in his diary. It was not just a name, but a voice calling for a drink.
Tasty drink made after spending hours in the lab
The journey started like any small startup. Less money, a small testing lab in Delhi and countless late nights. Divyashakti focused all her attention on business planning and funding, while Rajnandini spent hours experimenting with taste and flavor combinations. His goal was clear – the product should be such that in the first sip one feels ‘Wow! Had fun’. He worked on unique flavors like Jaljeera, Blueberry, Spiced Ginger Ale and Green Apple. These flavors may sound strange, but converting them into a premium and refreshing taste was the biggest challenge. There was support from the family, but there was also fear. Big players in business always scare new startups. But
The determination of both the brother and sister was amazing. They decided that their business model would be simple – they would go direct to consumer (D2C), and also sell their ‘mixer’ to large restaurants, hotels and premium retail stores. This was a smart move, as it made their product not just a beverage but an essential part of high-class parties. ‘Pio’ became not just a drink in a bottle, but a ‘lifestyle’.
First taste for free
Initially, get your product tested for free at some small parties and events. People liked the taste. They liked the fact that it was less sweet, and the flavor was very real. This initial success proved to be a big energy booster for him. Soon, small orders started coming in and then big investors also noticed them. Peo was supported by many investors, which helped them expand their manufacturing, reach new cities and most importantly, make their packaging more attractive.
The one who made fun gave the order!
The journey of growth was like a roller-coaster ride. A big decision was that they kept their packaging very premium. They knew that the customer was paying not just for the taste, but for the ‘experience’. An interesting incident is that in the initial days, when he went to meet a big distributor, the distributor made fun of his desi flavored Jaljeera. But when he tasted it, he was so impressed that he immediately placed a big order. This was the moment that transformed defeat into victory.
He did not lose courage even during the COVID-19 pandemic. When everything was closed, people resorted to small parties at home, and ‘Peyo’ became the perfect companion for them. People started liking this ‘cool’ and ‘different’ mocktail mixer instead of boring soda. Rajnandini and Divyashakti also did marketing in a very smart way. He presented his drink as a ‘party starter’ and ‘game changer’ on Instagram and other social media platforms.
Drink: Products and Sales Channels
Peo has launched its ‘Ready-to-Drink’ (RTD) products in three main categories in the market: Mocktails, Cocktails, and Mixers for various drinks. Their product portfolio features a wonderful blend of ‘Desi’ and ‘Global’ flavors – like Spiced Ginger Ale, Green Apple Mojito, and Citrus Tonic Water, as well as unique flavors like Blueberry Mojito and Jaljeera. They offer multiple pack options to suit customer needs, including combos like ‘Build Your Own Box’ (6, 12, or 24 packs) and ‘Celebration Box’, offering a ready-made solution for every occasion, from small get-togethers to large parties. Their main focus is on ‘party drinks’.
Peeyo: Market Presence and Expansion
Pio has primarily adopted a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model to sell its products. Customers can purchase directly from their own online store peeyo.in. Apart from this, their products are also easily available on big online marketplaces like Amazon, which makes their reach visible pan-India i.e. throughout India. Even though their official contact address is in Madhya Pradesh (Indore), their online sales and strong social media presence (especially on Instagram) clearly target the youth across the country.
Where did the funding come from?
For your information, let us tell you that the exact valuation or funding information of PEO is not available anywhere. PEO has not yet done any formal funding round, which is a process of raising money from investors. Pio is an unfunded company. Meaning that he has not yet taken any major investment from Venture Capital (VC) firms or big angel investors. Rajnandini and Divyashakti have so far paid more attention to the bootstrapping model. That is, the company is run with its personal money or business income. As of March 31, 2024, the company’s revenue was approximately 25.2 thousand dollars (approximately Rs 20-21 lakh).
