VS Mani & Co. ropes in acclaimed music composer Anirudh Ravichander as Co-founder

Bengaluru-based filter coffee and snacks brand VS Mani & Co. has roped in acclaimed music composer Anirudh Ravichander as its Co-founder and brand ambassador. 

Anirudh, who is also Thalaivar Rajnikanth’s nephew, became a national sensation over a decade ago after he composed the viral hit song ‘Why This Kolaveri Di’.

He is one of the most sought-after composers in the music industry, with multiple mega-hits across Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies—most recently, the blockbuster Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan and Rajnikanth’s Jailer.

What does VS Mani & Co. do?

Founded in 2020 by GD Prasad, VS Mani & Co. offers authentic South Indian filter coffee and snacks. The startup claims that it is listed as a top seller on Amazon for its Easy Filter Coffee. 

After three years of servicing customers through its own website and marketplaces, The startup rapidly entered over 1000 retail stores across Bengaluru and Chennai over the last six months.

Going ahead, It plans to increase penetration across many important towns in Tamil Nadu.

With an exponential growth of 400% in the past one year, VS Mani intends to continue expanding its product portfolio to become a household name in the South.

The collaboration with Anirudh will strengthen the brand’s presence across regions and drive revenue growth, the release notes.

What did Anirudh Ravichander say?

On this move, Anirudh Ravichander, said, “I am a hard-core filter coffee lover. My family and I grew up with it and I still enjoy my cuppa everyday. But when I tried VS Mani’s Easy Filter Coffee, I was floored! Just like the homemade, mom-made coffee I grew up with, but ready in seconds. This is a game-changer for my generation of filter coffee lovers. I also tried their delicious snacks and that clinched it—I decided that I wanted to be an active force in their story, not just a consumer. And while I’m at it, I want to do my bit to shine the light on our South Indian cuisine and filter coffee for the world to see.”

Leveraging Anirudh’s social media reach

As part of the development, VS Mani will leverage Anirudh’s social media reach and concerts to build brand awareness among its consumers.

Additionally, it will capitalise on this collaboration to build long-term relationships with the trade and send a strong message of commitment to its core markets of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Leadership comments

Founder GD Prasad and Co-founders Rahul Bajaj and Yashas Alur commented, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Anirudh as we set about building a destination brand for South Indian filter coffee & snacks. He is the big, beating heart of the South Indian music industry—who better than him to represent our food and culture in all its glory!”

The startup is backed by popular celebrity investors, including Shaadi.com's Anupam Mittal, Sobhita Dhulipala, Rana Daggubati, Ranbir Kapoor, Disha Patani, and Huma Qureshi.

Notably, It has raised a total of $1.5 million—including a $900K pre-series A round led by Kettleborough VC, with participation from Lets Venture, Hyderabad Angels, Supermorpheus, and others. The company rose to fame when it appeared on Shark Tank Season 2 last year.