D2C CXO Meet Kolkata: Redefining the Future of Direct-to-Consumer Growth

The D2C CXO Meet Kolkata was more than an industry gathering. It was a powerful convergence of visionaries, entrepreneurs, and changemakers...

The D2C CXO Meet Kolkata was more than an industry gathering. It was a powerful convergence of visionaries, entrepreneurs, and changemakers shaping the future of direct-to-consumer brands in India. Hosted at the iconic Tollygunge Club on 16th August, the event was marked by energy, insights, and collaboration, reminding everyone that the next chapter of India’s consumer story will be written together.

The theme for the evening, “The New Growth Playbook: Building Scalable and Profitable D2C Brands in 2025,” captured the spirit of the discussions. Every conversation focused on real stories, hard-earned lessons, and strategies that are shaping how D2C startups in India can grow with resilience, authenticity, and profitability.

A Powerhouse Panel of Leaders

The highlight of the evening was a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring some of the most dynamic founders in the Indian D2C ecosystem:

• Sunil Chandra Saha – Co-Founder & CEO, Blue Tea India

• Udayan Bubna – Co-Founder, Chase Labs (Miss Chase)

• Stuti Kothari – Co-Founder, WishCare

• Deepak Kumar – Founder & CEO, Wah! Puchka & Wah! Litti

• Mayank Bindal – Founder & CEO, Snap-E Cabs

• Shivani Agarwal – CMO & Co-Founder, Uptownie

• Suyash Saraf – Dot & Key Skincare

• Shitanshu Jhunjhunwalla – Turtle Limited

• Vineeta Agrawal – Vinzberry

The discussion was moderated by Alkesh Agarwal, Co-Founder & CEO of Refeel Cartridge Engineering, who steered the conversation toward frameworks for scaling, sustainable growth, and building profitable D2C business models.

Real Stories, Real Lessons

What made the CXO Meet Kolkata truly inspiring was the authenticity of the conversations. Instead of polished pitches, founders shared the raw realities of their entrepreneurial journeys—sleepless nights, pivots, experiments, and breakthrough moments.

• Blue Tea India spoke about the challenge of building a wellness-first brand from scratch, educating consumers while creating an entirely new category.

• WishCare showcased the rise of a young, homegrown beauty brand from Kolkata that scaled rapidly through digital-first strategies.

• Miss Chase highlighted the balancing act of scaling fashion while ensuring profitability in a competitive market.

• Wah! Puchka & Wah! Litti inspired the audience by demonstrating how hygienic, organized street food can become a national and profitable business model.

• Snap-E Cabs shared lessons on agility and resilience in India’s dynamic mobility sector.

• Uptownie revealed how a sharp playbook in fast fashion can achieve 75% direct-to-consumer revenue while ensuring sustainable growth.

Each story reinforced that building a D2C brand in India is not just about market opportunities but about persistence, consumer trust, and constant adaptation.

Networking That Fuels Growth

While the panel was the centerpiece, the real magic of the evening happened in conversations across the room. Founders exchanged insights, investors discovered opportunities, and collaborations sparked between like-minded leaders.

The D2C CXO Meet proved once again that startup networking in India is not just about exchanging business cards—it’s about learning from shared struggles, finding inspiration, and building long-term partnerships that fuel growth.

The Road Ahead for India’s D2C Industry

The event delivered one clear message: the direct-to-consumer industry in India is entering its most exciting growth phase.

• Consumer trust is moving rapidly online.

• Digital-first brands are scaling beyond metro cities into tier-two and tier-three markets.

• Founders are no longer just building businesses for India—they are thinking global from day one.

With platforms like D2C Insider creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration, the next few years will be about collective growth. The CXO Meet Kolkata reinforced that the future of D2C brands in India will not be written in isolation, but in collaboration.

The night ended with a powerful truth: building a D2C brand is not about short-term wins. It is about long-term trust, authenticity, and innovation.

The D2C CXO Meet Kolkata was not just an event—it was proof that when founders come together, strategies are not just discussed, they are rewritten. And that is exactly what India’s consumer landscape needs today.