PE fund backed by Taparia family invests in personal care brand Bella Vita Organic

By Debjyoti Roy

  • 20 Jul 2021
Credit: 123RF.com

Direct to consumer (D2C) personal care brand Bella Vita Organic has raised $10 million (Rs 74.7 crore) in its first institutional round of funding from Ananta Capital, a private equity platform backed by Mumbai-based Taparia family of Famy Care Group.

Bella Vita Organic, operated by Gurugram-based Idam Natural Wellness Pvt Ltd, has a portfolio of face, body, and hair care products and will soon come up with ayurveda makeup products.

The firm, launched in 2018 by Aakash Anand, now has over 55 products including a range of fragrances and essential oils.

The startup claims it is on track to cross Rs 100 crore in annualised revenue run rate. Apart from its app and website, the brand sells on Amazon, Nykaa, Flipkart, Purplle, and other marketplaces.

“We at Ananta have a singular focus on investing in passionate founders who are trying to build large enterprises with a sharp focus on unit economics. Aakash and Bella Vita Organic tick all the boxes for us,” said Lovkesh Kapoor, managing partner at Ananta Capital.

Ananta Capital is a sector agnostic fund focused on partnering businesses for the long term. The fund looks at a mix of control and minority transactions. Recently, it invested in PG Electroplast, a consumer durables manufacturing company and electronics manufacturing services provider.

The broader beauty and personal care segment has attracted a slew of investors over the past few years.

Early this month, Marico, the maker of Parachute hair oil and Saffola cooking oil, picked up a majority stake in a D2C personal care brand.

In June, VCCircle reported that venture capital firm and growth equity investor Sequoia Capital is considering investing in a beauty brand in an attempt to capitalise on the craze for D2C brands among millennials.

In April, personal care brand Mamaearth was reported to be in advanced discussions with a European investor to provide exits for two early-stage venture capital funds.

In the same month, VCCircle reported that US-based cosmetics maker Estée Lauder is in talks to take control of a homegrown personal care brand in which it owns a minority stake.

In February, homegrown private equity firm ChrysCapital was reported to be in discussions to invest in a reputed skin care and wellness brand.

The same month, Scentials Beauty Care and Wellness raised $6 million from local buyout fund TIW Private Equity.

Before that, SUGAR Cosmetics raised $21 million (Rs 153 crore) in its Series C funding round led by Elevation Capital (formerly SAIF Partners).