Bengaluru-based house of brands Mensa Brands is set to expand into the UAE e-commerce landscape.
The entry of the Tiger Global-backed start-up entry into the Emirati market aligns with its plans of reshaping the digital commerce landscape.
The company will launch brands including Villain, Pebble and Folkulture on Amazon UAE and e-commerce platform noon. It will also launch the peanut butter brand MyFitness, which falls under Mensa’s FMCG portfolio, on Talabat and noon Minutes.
Founder and CEO of Mensa Brands, Ananth Narayanan, said: “Expanding our footprint to the UAE is more than just a geographical move; it’s about sharing the essence of our brands with the world.
“Villain, Pebble, Folkulture, and MyFitness are pioneers in their respective domains, and we’re excited to see them flourish in this new digital landscape. Looking ahead, we are setting our sights on introducing our fashion brands to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across all platforms, embracing new horizons and extending our connection with audiences in diverse markets.”
Founded by Ananth Narayanan in 2021, the company follows a ‘house of brands’ strategy by acquiring several direct-to-consumer brands and earning revenue of up to $10 million from operations.
Mensa Brands was valued at more than $1 billion within six months of inception in November 2021 and has raised $201 million to date in equity funding.
In FY22, the company generated revenues of $41.2 million (Rs 310 crore), with a loss of Rs 16 crore. It spent Rs 670 crore on acquisitions.
Mensa Brands is backed by global investors such as Accel Partners, Falcon Edge Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Prosus, and Tiger Global Management. It has also secured debt financing from Alteria Capital, InnoVen Capital, Oxyzo, Stride Ventures and TradeCred.
