The Sweet Change, India’s cleanest natural sweetener brand closes 1.7Cr in pre-seed led by Rebalance
New Delhi, June 5, 2026– For generations, sweetness has been an integral part of Indian culture from the morning cup of chai to festive celebrations and everyday family rituals. Yet as awareness around diabetes, obesity, and metabolic health grows, consumers are increasingly looking to reduce sugar without sacrificing taste. India’s sugar substitutes market is already estimated at over $650 million and continues to expand, driven by rising demand for healthier alternatives.
While working as a clinical nutritionist for over a decade, founder Manvi Agnihotri assisted more than 12,000 patients managing diabetes, PCOS, obesity, and insulin resistance. She repeatedly observed that while consumers wanted to reduce sugar, existing alternatives often fell short on taste, ingredients, or trust.
That insight led to the creation of The Sweet Change, a brand built on the belief that if sugar reduction is to become mainstream, consumers need an alternative that delivers the familiarity and experience of sugar without its drawbacks.
Founded in 2024 by Manvi Agnihotri and Sheen Hitaishi, The Sweet Change is India’s First Gut-Friendly Monk Fruit Sweetener made with monk fruit, allulose, and prebiotic guar fibre.
Unlike most monk fruit sweeteners in the market that are largely made up of erythritol and bulking agents, The Sweet Change was formulated with a clinical-first approach: no erythritol, no artificial ingredients, no unnecessary fillers, and no bitter aftertaste. The company has also built one of India’s highest-concentration monk fruit formulations available in the market today. They are building a portfolio of natural sweeteners designed to help anyone switch to a healthier alternative of sugar.
Manvi Agnihotri, Co-founder & CEO, The Sweet Change, commented, “The Sweet Change is building for a future where reducing sugar becomes a default consumer choice rather than a medical recommendation. In just one year, we have generated over ₹1.69 crore in revenue, fulfilling over 15,000 orders. We have grown at an exceptional 84% month-on-month compounded growth rate over the last three months, scaling revenue from ₹8 lakh to ₹50 lakh per month following the launch of our sweetener drops in March 2026, with gross margins of 75%. We are currently ranked among the top sweetener brands on Amazon India. Our long-term ambition is to become the default sugar replacement brand across Indian households, cafés, foodservice, and packaged foods”.
The company will use the capital to expand distribution, launch new products and accelerate its mission of helping Indians reduce sugar without compromising on taste.
“Some of the most exciting consumer businesses of the next decade will emerge at the intersection of health and everyday behaviour. The Sweet Change is not simply selling a sweetener. It is helping consumers make one of the most important dietary shifts of their lives without asking them to sacrifice the experience they love. What impressed us about The Sweet Change was the combination of deep founder insight, product quality and strong consumer adoption.” added Aishwarya Malhi and Vikas Kumar, Co-founders of Rebalance.
Most products in this category are either positioned as medical products for diabetics, artificial alternatives that consumers distrust, or niche wellness products that never reach mainstream households. As awareness around preventive health continues to grow, the company believes the future of the category will belong to brands that make healthier choices feel effortless rather than restrictive.
About Rebalance
Co-founded by Aishwarya Malhi and Vikas Kumar, Rebalance is an early-stage accelerator program and angel community that invests up to $250K in pre-seed and seed startups. Their mission is to back more female founders. Since 2019, they’ve backed 30 startups, of which 75% are female founders. They’re also India’s first angel community that’s 60% women.
www.therebalance.com
About IAN
IAN Angel Fund, the evergreen fund of IAN Group, is a SEBI-registered Category I AIF, and part of India’s leading early-stage investment platform, which pioneered angel investing in the country. Backed by a network of ~500 investors including iconic entrepreneurs and industry leaders from India and overseas, IAN enables founders to raise capital as they scale, while offering investors a diversified early-stage portfolio across both emerging and growth-stage startups.
About The Sweet Change
Founded in 2024 by Manvi Agnihotri (Co-founder & CEO) and Sheen Hitaishi (Co-founder & CBO) on a mission to build India’s cleanest natural sweetener brand with no bitter aftertaste, zero calories, zero sugar and no artificial ingredients. They’ve launched India’s First Gut-Friendly Monk Fruit Sweetener Brand made with monk fruit, allulose, and prebiotic guar fibre.
Website: www.thesweetchange.com
https://www.instagram.com/thesweetchange?utm_source=qr
