Arunachal: ‘Naara-Aaba’ raises 75 lakh at Shark Tank India

Arunachal Pradesh-based entrepreneur Tage Rita recently secured Rs 75 lakh worth of deal for her winery NaaraAaba at Shark Tank India (Season 2).

Shark Tank India has a long track record of supporting entrepreneurs, having helped numerous startups over the years to achieve great success. With its fund, the show is taking its commitment to the next level by providing direct financial support to entrepreneurs.

This year, during season 2 of Shark Tank India, Entrepreneur Tage Rita got to pitch her range of kiwi wines under the brand name called Naara-Aaba. The  Naara-Aaba winery is located in Hong village, Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh, and is one of the first ventures from Northeast India to be featured in the Shark Tank India platform. 

Also Read: Arunachal Pradesh couple makes state proud with India's first organic kiwi wine on Shark Tank

The episode aired on March 13, 2023 on the Sony LIV channel, where Rita pitched her wine products to Sharks Aman Gupta, NamitaTappar, Amit Jain, Vineeta Singh and Vikas D Nahar. Out of the five sharks, Vineeta Singh of Sugar Cosmetics and Vikas D Nahar of Happilo came onboard with an offer of Rs. 50 lakhs investment for 5% equity and Rs. 25 lakhs debt at 10 per cent interest, amounting to a total of Rs 75 lakhs worth of funding.

Apart from the funding secured through the Shark Tank India platform, Naara-Aaba is also associated with the recently held Arunachal 2023 as its Title Sponsor. 

KojBayaEshi was crowned as Naara-Aaba Arunachal 2023 on March 11, 2023.
 
NaaraAaba'sjourney began in 2017 with the purpose of creating market linkage for the under-utilised kiwi fruits of the region, which grew in abundance. Rita started procuring kiwis from the local farmers to make wine out of them. Prior to it, the region’s kiwi farmers were not able to fetch proper market value for their produce, due to which, the kiwis went to waste.   

Today the winery not only produces kiwi wines but has also expanded its range by including other fruit variants such as plums, wild apples and pears. The winery is open for tourist visits also, where visitors get to indulge in wine-tasting sessions. They plan to launch their wine products in other states this year, including in Assam.

Naara-Aaba's success story is not only about creating delicious wines but also about supporting the local farming community and promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. The company's founder- Tage Rita, is an inspiration to other entrepreneurs and a testament to the potential of the region.