How Nestasia grew into a Rs 115-crore brand and set its sights on the next big leap

Aditi Murarka Agrawal and Anurag Agrawal transitioned from prosperous careers in finance and e-commerce to establish Nestasia, a design-focused home and lifestyle company. Nestasia has evolved from an online startup into an omnichannel enterprise, achieving Rs 115 crore in revenue for FY25 and holding significant aspirations for continued expansion. In this conversation with The Economic Times, co-founder Aditi Murarka Agrawal talks about the entrepreneurial leap, the company’s growth drivers, differentiation in a crowded market, the evolving online-offline mix, and the journey toward building a profitable, IPO-ready consumer brand. Edited excerpts.

The Economic Times (ET): Both of you had successful corporate careers in finance and e-commerce. What was the defining moment that convinced you to leave those careers behind and start Nestasia? How did you fund the business initially, and how much did you invest?
Aditi Murarka Agrawal (AA): My passion for home decor is deeply personal, rooted in childhood memories of accompanying my mother on shopping trips to find the perfect pieces for our home during festivals. As I travelled across Southeast Asia, I was captivated by local craftsmanship and the untapped potential of regional artisans, which ultimately sparked the vision for Nestasia: a platform to celebrate extraordinary creativity and bring it to the forefront of contemporary home design Inspired by our shared experience of building three homes across Southeast Asia, Anurag co-founded Nestasia to translate that personal design journey into a brand accessible to everyone. At Nestasia, he leads customer-centric strategy, e-commerce expansion, and operational efficiency, ensuring the brand remains commercially robust while staying closely attuned to evolving customer needs and market trends.

ET: Nestasia has scaled to achieve annual revenues of Rs 115 crore in FY25. What have been the biggest growth drivers behind this journey, and what milestones are critical as you target Rs 1,000 crore in annual revenues?

AA: Our growth has largely been driven by the strength and evolution of our product assortment. While we started as a home décor brand, today our kitchen and dining category has emerged as our largest and fastest-growing segment, reflecting changing consumer preferences and our ability to expand into adjacent lifestyle categories. Another key driver has been accelerating our in-house manufacturing capabilities, which has enabled us to bring products to market faster, maintain greater control over quality and design, and respond more quickly to evolving consumer trends. As we work towards our Rs 1,000 crore revenue goal, continuing to expand our product portfolio, strengthening our manufacturing capabilities, and staying agile in meeting customer demand will remain critical to our growth journey.

ET: The Indian home décor market is becoming increasingly crowded, with both legacy brands and new-age startups vying for consumers. How does Nestasia differentiate itself in such a competitive landscape?
AA: The biggest challenge for consumers today is finding a trusted destination where they can discover thoughtfully designed products across every aspect of the home, without having to sift through an overwhelming number of options. At Nestasia, we have focused on solving exactly that by creating a curated, design-led one-stop shop for all things home. Rather than offering an endless catalogue, we handpick products that align with our aesthetic, quality standards, and evolving consumer preferences. This approach not only simplifies the shopping experience but also helps customers discover pieces they genuinely love. Our emphasis on curation, design, and a cohesive brand experience continues to be one of our strongest differentiators in an increasingly competitive home décor market.

ET: Your website contributes nearly 55% of overall revenue, while marketplaces, quick commerce, and offline stores are also growing. How do you see the revenue mix evolving over the next three to five years?
AA: While we are enabling greater access to the brand through third-party platforms, including marketplaces and quick commerce, our owned channels will remain the largest contributor to our business. They allow us to build deeper customer relationships, offer a more immersive brand experience, and retain greater control over the overall consumer journey.

ET: Nestasia has transitioned from a digital-first startup to an omnichannel brand with 14 exclusive stores across multiple cities. What has been your experience in offline retail, and how important will physical stores be for future sales growth?
AA: We are continuing to expand our physical retail presence because we see offline as being just as important as digital. There are customers who prefer shopping in stores and others who prefer shopping online, and our focus is not to change that behaviour but to deliver a world-class experience across both channels. We want to be wherever our customers choose to shop. That said, in a design-first category like home and lifestyle, the ability to see, touch, and experience products in person plays a significant role in building trust and confidence, making physical stores an important driver of both brand affinity and long-term growth.

ET: New product launches are a key part of Nestasia's strategy. How do you identify emerging consumer trends and ensure that frequent product drops translate into sustained sales and customer loyalty?
AA: We have a dedicated team focused on identifying emerging consumer trends and product opportunities. It's a combination of deeply understanding customer problems through continuous feedback and research, while constantly tracking innovations that can enhance the user experience. This approach enables us to introduce products that are not only trend-led but also solve real consumer needs, helping us drive sustained customer engagement and long-term loyalty.

ET: With investors such as Stellaris Venture Partners and Susquehanna Asia VC backing the company, how are you balancing rapid growth with profitability and building an IPO-ready business?
AA: We are looking forward to making the best home and kitchen products for the Indian consumer market. When we do that, growth and profitability follow. Our investors trust us and hence completely back us on that.