Pathik Patel‘s Fit & Flex is a premier fitness and wellness brand, renowned for its exceptional range of cereal foods crafted with the finest, high-quality ingredients.
Patel has recently expressed disappointment with his experience on the show, stating that Anupam Mittal and Deepinder Goyal demonstrated a lack of understanding about his product. He also alleged that the channel selectively edited crucial parts of his presentation and disregarded the data he provided.
In a subsequent podcast with Raj Shamani, Patel revealed that his primary goal for appearing on the show was to boost brand visibility, rather than secure investment. However, he felt that constant interruptions from Mittal and Goyal, who questioned the health benefits of a key ingredient, hindered his ability to effectively deliver his pitch.
“I respected them. I respected their position. They are my elders. But that doesn’t give them the freedom to say whatever they want. It was very unreasonable. It was very unfair. I’d built this business over five years, and for somebody to dismiss it without the proper knowledge, it hurts. I was demotivated”, said Patel.
When Pathik Patel noticed Anupam Mittal and Deepinder Goyal conferring, he prepared himself for a challenging discussion. He took issue with their assertion that his product contained no artificial sweeteners, pointing out the inclusion of oligofructose in the ingredients list. Patel explained that oligofructose is, in fact, a natural ingredient and not an artificial sweetener. He also countered Anupam’s concern about a potential sugar spike, citing oligofructose’s Glycemic Index (GI) of 0, significantly lower than sugar’s GI of 68.
“He wasn’t ready to listen. I tried to explain the difference to him twice, but he didn’t budge. He kept calling it sugar, but unfortunately, this is completely wrong.. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you should’ve accepted what I said. And if you know what you’re saying, then you should’ve argued,” Parthik further added.
Patel revealed that Anupam Mittal’s surprising label of oats as ‘unhealthy’ during the pitch sparked a swift response from Namita Thapar. Additionally, Patel addressed Deepinder Goyal’s criticism of his tagline, ‘Eat healthy, live well,’ by emphasising that his products are indeed healthier than those of his competitors. He effectively countered their concerns, showcasing his brand’s commitment to wellness.
The Shark Tank effect was immediate, with sales jumping 11 times on the day after the episode and maintaining an 8 times growth rate for the entire week.
