After the untimely passing of Rohan Mirchandani, co-founder of new age yogurt brand Epigamia, several of India’s prominent founders and venture capital investors expressed their condolences for the entrepreneur.
Mirchandani, who was in his early forties, succumbed to a heart attack on December 21.
Manu Chandra, founder and Managing Partner, Sauce VC, one of Epigamia’s early backers, took to social media to pen a heartfelt message about Mirchandani.
“Many of you know him as the founder of the much loved Epigamia, a visionary leader and mentor to many young founders in India. I had the privilege of also knowing him as the perfect son, father, husband, brother and friend,” Chandra said.
He credited Mirchandani as the driving force behind starting Sauce VC, after the late founder’s family became Sauce’s first backer.
"It is important to acknowledge that he was the driving force behind starting Sauce VC and we would not be here today, had I not met Rohan...I was lucky to be an early investor, and I was privileged to have his family as Sauce's first backer,” Chandra added.
A graduate of NYU Stern and Wharton School, Mirchandani started up Drums Food International in 2013 – the parent of new age Greek yogurt brand Epigamia. Mirchandani previously mentioned that his entrepreneurial journey in India began on a whim. The late founder, in an interview with Blume Ventures last year, said that he “never intended or had any sort of vision of being in India, working in India, or doing business in India.”
His eureka moment came while attending a lecture in Mumbai on the advent of consumer brands in India, and the lack of innovation in FMCG, which spurred him to start Epigamia.
Arjun Anand, Managing Director and Head of Asia at Verlinvest, in a heartfelt post on social media platform LinkedIn, mourned the loss of one of his best friends and partner of 10 years.
“Rohan wasn’t just a founder; he was a changemaker who profoundly impacted my life and the lives of so many others in ways words can hardly describe. His generosity was unmatched—he nurtured every single relationship with unwavering passion and care, pouring himself into every conversation and interaction,” Anand said.
Belgian investor Verlinvest is of Epigamia’s largest external shareholders, alongside investment firm DSG Consumer Partners, who are also among the company’s earliest investors.
“I first met Rohan in 2011 when he was at business school, trying to figure out his post-graduation path. Like me, not being born or brought up in India, he felt a deep pull to come to India and build something meaningful there,” said Deepak Shahdapuri, Managing Director, DSG Consumer Partners.
Shahdapuri emphasised that, under Mirchandani's leadership, Epigamia grew from this audacious idea into a profitable enterprise, crossing Rs 200 crore in revenue.
“But beyond the numbers, Rohan built something far more valuable - a culture of innovation and genuine connections. From factory workers to fellow entrepreneurs, his warm personality and infectious enthusiasm touched everyone he met,” he added.
Both DSG Consumer Partners and Verlinvest are part of Epigamia’s Board of Directors. In Mirchandani’s absence, they will aid in Epigamia’s day-to-day operations. The company is also backed by French dairy major Danone and Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone.
Mirchandani moved into the role of executive chairman in December 2023, with co-founder Rahul Jain taking on the role of co-founder and CEO. Ankur Goel, a founding member of Epigamia, who was overseeing the company's supply chain and business intelligence functions, was elevated to the post of COO.
The Mumbai-based company is known for a variety of products, ranging from yogurt, curd, and beverages to milkshakes, smoothies and kheer. The company initially began as Hokey Pokey ice cream and then pivoted to a yogurt brand, as ice-cream business was a more seasonal business.
With Mirchandani’s untimely demise, prominent founders in the startup world have also spoken out and urged entrepreneurs to prioritise their health.
“This weekend, the sudden passing of Rohan Mirchandani deeply shook the Indian startup community. As entrepreneurs, we’re all connected by a shared passion for building and creating impact, so losing Rohan is a huge loss for many of us. His passing is a stark reminder that nothing matters more than our health,” said Ghazal Alagh, co-founder of D2C major Mamaearth.
She stated that entrepreneurship is a gruelling and stressful endeavour, and stressed the importance of self-care and a heathy lifestyle.
Others, like Ujwal Sutaria, founder and General Partner, TDV Partners – a pre-seed and seed-stage VC firm that invested in Epigamia – expressed concern over the increasing cases of heart attacks among people their 30s and 40s.
“Life is quite fragile, take care of yourselves. Rohan Mirchandani was an amazing person who had tried redefining Indian consumer food space by building Epigamia, which is one of the most loved yogurt brands,” Sutaria said, adding that he had fond memories of working with Mirchandani as a portfolio company.
According to reports, Epigamia is retailed across 20,000 touchpoints in more than 30 towns as of December 2023. It was planning a foray into the Middle East by 2025-26. It clocked sales of Rs 168 crore in FY23.
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