Morning hustle, skipped breakfasts, the 4 PM slump, post-workout cravings—modern life has a way of sneaking in tiny hunger pangs when you least expect them. And let’s be honest—grabbing something tasty usually means compromising on health, and eating clean often feels like punishing your taste buds.
But what if you didn’t have to choose?
What if there was something that made snacking feel indulgent, yet guilt-free? Something that understood both your fast-paced life and your wellness goals—and tasted like a treat, not a trade-off?
Here’s the story of a bold, homegrown food brand that didn’t just bring a new product to market. It rewrote the rules of snacking in India.
A Legacy of Hard Work – Roots in Grit
Rohan Mirchandani wasn’t handed success. Raised in New Jersey, he grew up in a warehouse, quite literally. His father, a first-generation immigrant from India, built a successful logistics business from the ground up. Summers meant work, not vacations. 12-year-old Rohan and his brother spent their school breaks lifting boxes and learning business on the shop floor.
This wasn’t just child labor. It was a lesson in hustle. Rohan internalised that legacy. As he put it, “We were taught the value of hard work.”
The seed was planted. Entrepreneurship wasn’t just in his blood—it was his blueprint.
That Changed Everything – The India Detour
After years of rigorous education—culminating at the Wharton School of Business—Rohan could’ve taken the predictable route. A cushy job in the US. Financial stability. A life mapped out.
But fate had a different flavour in mind.
In 2008, Rohan took a trip to India for a wedding and left with something much bigger, an idea. Over conversations with childhood friend Milap Shah and Chef Ganesh Krishnamoorthy (an expert in Italian cuisine and gelato), the trio stirred up something exciting: a live ice cream concept on cold stone slabs.Thus, Hokey Pokey was born—India’s premium, DIY ice cream parlour experience. For a while, it clicked.
The Ice Cream Struggle – A Scoop of Reality
Even as Hokey Pokey wowed customers, operational headaches brewed. Ice cream, after all, is seasonal. Rents were year-round. Staffing was a nightmare. Scaling meant more stores, more delays, more risk.
Rohan, now juggling Wharton and Hokey Pokey, sought clarity. Enter Shripad Nadkarni, ex-Coca-Cola marketing head, who offered a turning point: ditch retail, build an FMCG brand instead. He even offered to invest—if Rohan would move to India full-time.
Rohan faced a choice: a corporate safety net in the US or an uncertain, chaotic FMCG dream in India. He chose chaos.
In 2013, at 30, he packed his bags and returned.
Health Meets Heritage – The Birth of Epigamia
As Hokey Pokey grew, Rohan knew they needed a non-seasonal product to stay afloat. Enter: Greek yoghurt—healthy, trendy, and virtually absent in India at the time.
In 2015, Epigamia hit the shelves.
Where did the name come from? Here’s where the brand gets its soul:
Epigamia was a peace treaty (and dynastic marriage) between ancient India and Greece, allowing trade, cultural exchange, and harmony.
For Rohan and team, it was the perfect metaphor, the marriage of great taste with healthy living.
With flavours like mango (sourced from Ratnagiri) and strawberry (from Panchgani), Epigamia found its niche: Indian ingredients, international inspiration, no preservatives.
10,000 cups sold in the first month. India had a new obsession.
Why They Let Go of Ice Cream – Fork in the Freezer
Despite Hokey Pokey’s popularity, running an ice cream and yoghurt brand simultaneously was a logistical nightmare.
Ice cream needed a frozen supply chain; yoghurt needed cold, but not frozen.
One had a shelf life of 12 months, the other just 15 days.
Two products. Two supply chains. One team.
It wasn’t working.Taking a cue from Rockefeller’s quote, “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great”, the team took the bold step to pause Hokey Pokey and go all-in on Epigamia.
From Start-up to Shelf Staple – Yoghurt Takes Off
In just two years, Epigamia’s revenue jumped from ₹6 crore to ₹20 crore. Rohan remembers the rush: “We felt unstoppable; we literally thought we were kings of the world.”
But scaling wasn’t smooth. Logistics were a nightmare. Warehousing, cold chains, maintaining freshness, each was a battle.Rohan and team leveraged the painful lessons from Hokey Pokey, building a smarter backend for Epigamia. It worked.
Friends in High Places – The Power of Partnerships
In 2016, the brand secured Series A funding from DSG Consumer Partners and Verlinvest. This wasn’t just money—it was access to experience, mentorship, and industry know-how.
Then came the Danone partnership, a former competitor turned collaborator. With Danone’s global scale and Epigamia’s local edge, the synergy was transformative.
In 2019, Epigamia made its boldest move yet. Deepika Padukone came on board—not just as a brand ambassador, but as an investor.
It wasn’t just marketing, it was alignment. Deepika embodied the brand’s values: wellness, modernity, and conscious consumption. Her entry gave Epigamia mainstream visibility, aspirational appeal, and cultural cool. Suddenly, yoghurt was sexy.
A Bitter-Sweet Reset – The COVID Crunch
Like most businesses, the pandemic hit hard. Retail slowed. Supply chains buckled. Footfall vanished. But Epigamia pivoted fast. It scaled its direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, retooled its product mix, and leaned into e-commerce.
From a growth machine to a resilient brand, Epigamia emerged stronger.
Today, Epigamia is available in over 20,000 stores across India and boasts a strong online footprint. But it no longer calls itself a yoghurt brand.
The vision is clear: build the future of everyday food for Indian households.
Innovation on the Menu – Not Just Yoghurt
While most brands stick to what sells, Epigamia doubled down on experimentation. From Greek yoghurt to smoothies, spreads, artisanal ghee, almond milk, and even plant-based products, the brand created a full portfolio around healthy indulgence.
All made by a lean, R&D-driven team focused on quality, taste, and consumer trends. The thread tying it all together? Innovation with integrity.
for Epigamia – What’s Next
The vision? Go beyond yoghurt. Expand to a complete health-focused food brand.
From introducing lactose-free products to expanding across snacks and drinks, the team is focused on making better-for-you food more accessible—without compromising taste.
Geographically, Rohan is eyeing the global Indian diaspora and health-conscious consumers abroad. With Danone’s backing, expansion to the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and even Europe is within reach.
Still Just Getting Started – Final Word
Rohan doesn’t see Epigamia as a finished story. He sees it as chapter one of a much larger book. In a world craving authenticity, health, and convenience, Epigamia aims to deliver all three—in every spoon.
As Rohan puts it:
“We have just touched the iceberg; there’s so much more to explore in the Indian market.”
And that, perhaps, is the secret ingredient—a hunger that never stops.
Yash Vora is a financial writer with the Informed InvestoRR team at Equentis. He has followed the stock markets right from his early college days. So, Yash has a keen eye for the big market movers. His clear and crisp writeups offer sharp insights on market moving stocks, fund flows, economic data and IPOs. When not looking at stocks, Yash loves a game of table tennis or chess.
