Wakao Foods

A criminal lawyer who joined his family's hotel business after his law degree, left after six months, founded a lighting and solar solutions company, then a real estate restoration firm (which was growing well until COVID-19 halted it in 2020), read a newspaper article calling jackfruit the "world's superfood" during the lockdown, invested ₹5 lakh of his own savings, spent a year experimenting with India's top chefs, and launched India's first shelf-stable jackfruit plant-based meat brand in October 2020 — just 10 months before appearing on Shark Tank India. Sairaj Dhond started his career as a criminal lawyer but later pursued his passion for sustainable entrepreneurship. After a year of trials and experimentation with chefs, he founded Wakao to bring his vision to life. Sairaj, who comes from an entrepreneurial family, joined the family restaurant business after finishing his law degree, but left after six months.

Wakao Foods is India's first and only shelf-stable jackfruit plant-based meat brand — ethically sourcing tender raw jackfruit directly from farmers across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharashtra, processing it using a proprietary texturisation method (patented) that replicates the fibrous, pull-apart texture of shredded meat, seasoning it in Indian and international flavour profiles, and packaging it with a natural preservative blend (patented, no synthetic additives) that provides a 12-month shelf life without refrigeration — making premium plant-based meat 40% more affordable than imported alternatives and accessible to every restaurant, hotel, and household in India without cold chain investment.