- The Ayurveda Co and its sister brand Khadi Essentials have shut down after a seven-year entrepreneurial journey, as announced by co-founder Param Bhargava on LinkedIn.
- Operations for both brands stopped in July 2025, and the companies' assets have since been liquidated with a formal winding-up process now underway.
- Bhargava stated, “We expanded too fast, too wide, and way too many senior folks too early, before the system was ready.”
- The Ayurveda Co was founded in 2021 by Param Bhargava and Shreedha Singh, while Khadi Essentials was launched earlier in 2019.
- The company raised ₹125 crore from investors including Sixth Sense Ventures and Wipro Consumer Care Venture.
- At its peak, the company scaled to ₹250 crore in net revenue, serving 20 lakh consumers through 20 stores, 800+ counters, and 110 distributors.
The Ayurveda Co, co-founded by Param Bhargava and Shreedha Singh, has officially shut down after a tumultuous journey marked by rapid expansion. Bhargava revealed that the company expanded too quickly, hiring too many senior staff before the infrastructure was ready.167
“We expanded too fast, too wide, and (hired) way too many senior folks too early, before the system was ready,” he stated, reflecting on the ambitious growth that ultimately outpaced the business's capacity.45
The startup, which launched in 2021, raised ₹125 crore and served 20 lakh consumers, but faced significant challenges, including a tripling of losses to ₹68 crore in FY24, as expenses soared to ₹109.5 crore.8910
Bhargava and his team fought to keep the business afloat, even mortgaging their parental property and forgoing salaries for over a year.
“We fought very, very hard to keep the boat afloat,” he said, acknowledging the toll it took on their mental and physical health.
The Ayurveda Co's closure adds to the growing list of Indian startups that have ceased operations in 2026, highlighting the challenges faced by many in the startup ecosystem.
Bhargava expressed pride in their achievements despite the outcome, stating, “I take full responsibility for what did not work, and I am still incredibly proud of what we built together.”
“The closure follows a year after operations ceased in July 2025, with assets liquidated and entities undergoing formal winding-up. Bhargava revealed the founders mortgaged parental property and went without salaries for over a year to try to keep the business afloat.”
