The Shark Tank India rejection that didn’t last: Aman Gupta backs Flying Beast’s Rosier Foods a year later

What happened on Shark Tank India?

Last year, Gaurav Taneja, along with co-founder Raj Vikram, pitched Beast Life on Shark Tank India, seeking Rs 1 crore for 1% equity. However, the pitch took a tense turn when Taneja declined to disclose his earnings from YouTube and Instagram, leading to a heated exchange with Anupam Mittal.

Anupam remarked, “You are a good influencer, but a terrible entrepreneur so far.”

During the discussion, Raj Vikram also brought up Rosier Foods as a separate venture. “We also have Rosier Foods, where Gaurav owns 40% of the business, Varun Alagh owns 30%, I own 11%, and the rest is ESOP,” he explained, adding that Varun Alagh had already invested Rs 2 crore in the brand.

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As Vikram handled most of the business-related explanations, Aman Gupta questioned the structure, saying, “Why does it feel like this is your business, and the rest are just investors?” Pointing at Vikram, he added, “The biggest skin in the game is yours—you’re making the business work—yet you hold the lowest equity. If tomorrow Gaurav starts a few more businesses, he may not pay attention to Beast Life at all.”

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Responding, Gaurav Taneja said, “The beast of Beast Life is me giving my all to it. This is my life, and I have put my life into this product.” His statement prompted Peyush Bansal to ask, “Then why do other businesses?”—a sentiment Aman echoed.

Aman concluded, “Gaurav, Raj—I’m out. If you had focused on just one business and had a meaningful stake between the two of you, I would have invested. I can’t put my money into a company where the key operator holds just 11% equity.”