Wholeleaf, a licensed pain therapeutics company specializing in cannabinoid-based natural therapeutics, is targeting a major expansion of its retail and distribution network across India as it looks to strengthen its presence in Tier I and Tier II cities by the end of 2026.
The company plans to expand into cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad, followed other markets such as Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Goa and Chennai. As part of the expansion move, the pain therapeutics startup aims to scale its retail footprint from around 1,000 outlets currently to 7,000 outlets through partnerships with local pharmacy stores and organised retail pharmacy chains such as Apollo Pharmacy, Wellness Forever, and Guardian Pharmacy.
Launched in 2020, Wholeleaf is among the early licensed and compliant players in India’s cannabinoid-based therapeutics segment. The company entered the market at a time when awareness around cannabinoid-led therapies remained limited in India despite growing adoption across global markets.
The company said its early focus on compliance, clinical validation, and regulatory approvals has helped it build a long-term, evidence-led therapeutics business. Today, Wholeleaf is seeing growth in both market reach and revenues as the category gradually moves into the mainstream.
The company currently offers oral and topical formulations targeted at chronic pain management across conditions such as migraines, arthritis, fibromyalgia, menstrual pain and neuralgia. It is also building a product pipeline focused on chronic neuropathic pain management, a segment where treatment outcomes continue to remain limited or unavailable for many patients.
The expansion comes at a time when India’s cannabinoid therapeutics market is witnessing increased demand, driven by growing incidences of chronic lifestyle-related diseases and rising consumer awareness toward alternative pain management therapies. Industry estimates suggest the segment could grow at a CAGR of 20-25% over the coming years.
Speaking on the expansion plans, Shivraj Sharma, Founder and CEO of Wholeleaf, shared, “We see a massive opportunity to improve access to cannabinoid-based therapeutics across India, especially in Tier I and Tier II cities where awareness and demand for alternative pain management solutions are steadily rising. Our focus over the next two years will be on bolstering our retail and medical distribution network, deepening partnerships with pharmacy chains and healthcare practitioners, and making our solutions more accessible to patients across key urban and emerging markets.”
As India’s healthcare and wellness landscape moves toward more targeted, safe, and sustainable therapies, the focus is increasingly moving beyond conventional treatment models toward specialised and clinically-backed alternatives. In that transition, cannabinoid-based therapeutics are emerging as a fast-evolving category.
About Wholeleaf
Wholeleaf is one of India’s fastest-growing medically oriented natural pain therapeutics companies, focused on developing safe, effective, and long-term solutions for chronic and neuropathic pain management.
Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Gurgaon, Wholeleaf is among the early licensed and compliant entrants in India’s cannabinoid-based pain therapeutics segment. The company operates within the country’s regulatory framework to develop high-quality, medically informed formulations designed to address the large and underserved chronic pain market.
Under Shivraj Sharma’s leadership, Wholeleaf has emerged as one of the highest revenue-generating companies in its category and is now approaching profitability while maintaining strong growth. The company has served over 100,000 customers across India and continues to build a rapidly expanding base of repeat users and patient advocates.
Wholeleaf has developed a robust ecosystem that combines scientific formulation, doctor engagement, and retail accessibility. The company works closely with a wide network of credible medical practitioners and is undertaking clinical collaborations with reputed medical institutions to further validate and strengthen its formulations through evidence-based research.
With a growing national footprint, Wholeleaf products are now available across leading pharmacy chains and healthcare platforms. The company has established a strong presence across the Apollo Pharmacy network in North India and has begun expanding into key markets including Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad with Chennai, Kolkata, Goa and Telangana planned as the next phase of expansion.
Backed by prominent angel and institutional investors and recently funded on Shark Tank India, Wholeleaf is positioned to capture a significant share of India’s rapidly expanding natural healthcare market. With over 900 million Indians using herbal or natural remedies and more than 120 million suffering from chronic pain, the company aims to bridge a critical gap by offering pain relief solutions that are both effective and safe for long-term use.
Wholeleaf’s mission is to redefine pain management by combining medical insight, regulatory compliance, and natural therapeutics to deliver reliable relief for patients seeking safer alternatives to conventional long-term pain medication.
By : Arushi Agarwal
