As India’s wellness and supplement market continues to grow, a new generation of consumers is becoming increasingly conscious about what they put into their bodies. These consumers read ingredient labels, research scientific studies, and demand transparency from the brands they trust.

Recognizing this shift, Kshitij Rihal, Founder of The Stack, set out to build a wellness brand rooted in scientific evidence, ingredient transparency, and global quality standards. Since its launch, The Stack has quickly gained traction among informed consumers and has raised $598K in pre-seed funding to accelerate its growth.

In this interview with Indian Startup Times, Kshitij shares his entrepreneurial journey, lessons from building consumer brands, The Stack’s philosophy around evidence-based wellness, and how the company is shaping a community-driven approach to health and nutrition.

From Conscious Consumer to Founder

Kshitij Rihal’s journey toward building The Stack began not as an entrepreneur but as a careful consumer.

“I’ve always been someone who reads labels carefully, looks at research, and tries to understand what actually works rather than what is marketed well,” he explains.

Over time, he noticed a troubling pattern within the wellness and supplement industry. Many products were built around exaggerated claims, vague ingredient formulations, and very little transparency regarding dosages or scientific evidence.

At the same time, a new category of consumers—particularly in India—was emerging. These individuals were more informed, curious, and willing to research ingredients and clinical studies before making purchase decisions.

However, Kshitij realized that the existing supplement market was not designed for such consumers.

“That gap is what led to The Stack,” he says. “We wanted to build a brand that approaches wellness the way a thoughtful consumer would.”

The Stack focuses on clinically studied ingredients, transparent labeling, and sourcing from globally trusted suppliers, rather than relying on marketing-driven formulations.

For instance, the company works with well-researched ingredients such as EpiCor postbiotic from Cargill and Balchem’s magnesium, both of which have strong scientific backing.

“In a market that often relies on storytelling and traditional claims, we wanted to build something grounded in evidence and transparency,” he adds.

Lessons from Building Flo Mattress

Before founding The Stack, Kshitij was also involved in building Flo Mattress, a consumer brand that helped shape his understanding of scaling products and building trust.

One of the most valuable lessons from that experience was the importance of capital efficiency and disciplined brand building.

“In consumer businesses, credibility and consistency matter much more than short-term marketing wins,” he says.

Instead of focusing on aggressive spending, the team at Flo prioritized product quality, lean operations, and steady brand growth.

This philosophy continues to influence how Kshitij approaches The Stack today.

Alongside his entrepreneurial journey, he has also remained an active participant in the wellness community—researching products, evaluating ingredients, and engaging with others who approach health in a similar analytical way.

“In many ways, the community around The Stack is made up of people who approach health with curiosity, skepticism, and a preference for evidence over hype.”

Building Trust Through Transparency

In a crowded wellness market, The Stack differentiates itself through a strong focus on transparency and scientific rigor.

The brand is built around a simple idea: earn consumer trust by providing honest, evidence-backed products.

Rather than chasing trends or launching dozens of products quickly, The Stack takes a more focused approach—developing supplements targeted at specific health needs that have strong scientific support.

This philosophy has resonated strongly with consumers who value clarity in ingredient sourcing, dosages, and clinical research.

For Kshitij, brand building in wellness is not about reach alone—it’s about credibility.

“In categories like wellness, consumers increasingly want brands that communicate honestly about ingredients, evidence, and sourcing.”

Early Traction and Customer Loyalty

One of the strongest validations of The Stack’s concept has come from customer behavior.

Since launch, the brand has experienced rapid month-on-month growth, but what stands out even more is the level of loyalty from its customers.

During several periods when products went out of stock, the team received three to five messages daily from customers asking when products would be available again.

“When we announced restocks, we often saw hundreds of pre-orders almost immediately,” Kshitij shares.

Many customers were even willing to wait for restocks rather than switching to alternative brands—a powerful indicator of trust.

The scale of demand has also grown significantly. Today, the company sometimes records single-day revenues that are five to six times higher than its entire first month of sales.

“For us, the biggest milestone is not just growth—it’s seeing the early formation of a loyal customer base that believes in what we’re building.”

Raising $598K in Pre-Seed Funding

To accelerate its growth, The Stack raised around $598K in pre-seed funding.

Interestingly, the fundraising process moved much faster than Kshitij initially expected.

“We initially built the business using our own capital and focused on reaching meaningful early traction before raising funds,” he explains.

Once the foundation was established, the team began conversations with investors—and the entire round was completed in less than four weeks.

For Kshitij, this was a stark contrast to his earlier experience raising funds for Flo Mattress, where the process took nearly six to twelve months.

“This time, the speed of the round reflected the conviction investors had in the early signals they were seeing in the business.”

Equally important was finding the right partners.

“We wanted investors who understood the philosophy behind what we’re building and who we would genuinely enjoy working with over the long term.”

Scaling the Team and Operations

The pre-seed funding has significantly accelerated the company’s growth.

Just a year ago, The Stack was essentially a two-person team consisting of Kshitij and Shreya.

Today, the company is rapidly expanding and is expected to reach around 15 team members, supporting growth across product development, operations, and customer experience.

This expansion allows the company to scale its operations while maintaining the high standards that define the brand.

The Future of Community-Driven Wellness Brands

Kshitij believes the future of brand building—especially in wellness—will be driven by communities rather than pure marketing reach.

Consumers today are more informed and skeptical of exaggerated claims. Instead, they gravitate toward brands that provide clarity, transparency, and honest communication.

“Our focus is on building a community of thoughtful, label-reading consumers who value scientific rigor,” he says.

If brands consistently deliver that level of honesty, growth naturally follows through trust and word-of-mouth rather than traditional marketing alone.

What’s Next for The Stack

Looking ahead, The Stack plans to expand thoughtfully across both products and distribution channels.

Currently, the business operates almost entirely through a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, but the company plans to explore additional channels while maintaining strict control over customer experience.

On the product side, the company will continue expanding its portfolio slowly and intentionally.

Rather than launching a large range of supplements, The Stack focuses on solving specific health concerns with well-researched solutions.

The brand initially launched products targeting areas like sleep and gut health, where strong scientific backing and clear consumer demand exist.

This focused philosophy will continue guiding future product development.

Advice for Aspiring Founders

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Kshitij offers simple yet powerful advice for founders building community-driven brands.

“Focus on earning trust rather than just attention.”

While marketing and social media can quickly generate reach, building a brand that customers genuinely believe in takes far longer.

“If you can create products that truly solve a problem, communicate honestly with your customers, and treat the community as partners rather than just buyers, the brand becomes much more durable over time.”

Interview Conducted by : Arushi Agarwal