Tell us something about yourself, and your background:
- I’m Mayank Nagori, the co-founder of Gud Gum—India’s first plastic-free chewing gum. I come from a background in food science, with a Master’s degree in Food Production Management from the University of Nottingham. After spending time in the food industry, I became deeply conscious of the hidden ingredients and environmental impact of everyday products, especially chewing gum—something most people don’t realize is made with plastic.
- That’s where the idea for Gud Gum came in—to create a clean, sustainable alternative using natural chicle instead of plastic, and plant-based ingredients instead of artificial sweeteners and colors. With my brother and co-founder Bhuvan, who brings in strong design and branding experience, we set out to reimagine chewing gum for conscious consumers.
- Our goal isn’t just to offer a better product, but to spark conversations around hidden plastics in our daily lives and make sustainable choices more accessible.
List your ventures with a brief explanation of each:
- Gud Gum
A plastic-free, sugar-free chewing gum made with natural chicle and clean ingredients. Gud Gum is India’s first truly biodegradable gum, created to eliminate hidden plastics in conventional chewing gums and offer a healthier, eco-conscious alternative. Featured on Shark Tank India and backed by four sharks.
- The Soft Corner (TSC)
A dessert café that serves soft-serve ice creams, milkshakes, and toasties. Designed as a fun, youthful hangout spot that offers indulgent treats while maintaining a curated menu with quality ingredients and efficient operations.
- HUKI
An instant food brand offering clean-label, quick-cooking Indian meals for busy urban consumers. HUKI aims to challenge the perception that convenience foods must be unhealthy by delivering real food with minimal processing and no nasties.
- N’Uru Coffee
A coffee concept that blends South Indian filter decoction with global coffee styles, such as cold Vietnamese-style coffees. It aims to make traditional Indian coffee more accessible, fun, and contemporary for a new generation of coffee drinkers.
- wasteNOT India (Non-profit initiative)
An awareness-driven platform focused on reducing food waste in restaurants and households. wasteNOT works on behavioral change, menu design strategies, and stakeholder education—from chefs to consumers—to reduce avoidable food waste at the source.
How did you get to where you are? What set you off?
- My journey began with a deep interest in food and a curiosity about what really goes into the products we consume every day. After pursuing my Master’s in Food Production Management from the University of Nottingham, I worked across various roles in the food industry—where I got a firsthand look at how industrialized and misleading the food system can be.
- The turning point came when I learned that most chewing gums we consume are made of plastic. It shocked me that something so casually chewed and spit out could take decades to decompose—and worse, that almost no one knew about it. That realization set me off.
- I didn’t want to just complain about the problem; I wanted to be part of the solution. That’s how Gud Gum was born—with the mission to create a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable alternative. Since then, that same mission—to help people make better choices and question what they consume—has guided every venture I’ve started.
- At the core, I’m driven by the belief that business can be a force for good—and that everyday products, if reimagined with intention, can create a much bigger impact than we realize.
Tell us a bit more about each of your ventures:
- Gud Gum
India’s first plastic-free, sugar-free chewing gum.
Gud Gum is our answer to a problem hidden in plain sight—most commercial gums contain synthetic plastic as a base, something people chew daily without knowing. We use natural chicle, a tree sap, as our gum base, along with plant-based sweeteners and real fruit powders for flavor. It’s biodegradable, vegan, and free from artificial colors or preservatives.
Beyond just a product, Gud Gum is a movement to push for more transparency and sustainability in food. We were featured on Shark Tank India Season 3, where we secured a deal with four sharks, and we’re now building a community that chews responsibly.
- The Soft Corner (TSC)
A neighborhood dessert bar for indulgent joy.
TSC is a dessert café that serves creamy soft-serve ice creams, thick milkshakes, and toasted sandwiches with a nostalgic twist. It’s designed as a vibrant, inclusive space where people of all ages can enjoy a treat without overthinking it.
What makes it special is the minimal yet high-impact menu, locally sourced ingredients, and a brand identity that balances playfulness with comfort. It’s also a test kitchen for innovation in dessert culture.
- HUKI
Instant Indian meals that are clean, quick, and conscious.
HUKI challenges the norm that “instant” means “junk.” We craft preservative-free, clean-label ready meals inspired by everyday Indian favorites—from poha and dal khichdi to regional flavors.
Perfect for busy professionals, students, or travelers, HUKI delivers real food with ingredients you can pronounce, designed to taste like home, not a lab. It’s our way of merging speed with substance.
- N’Uru Coffee
A unique coffee experience brewed from South Indian filter decoction.
N’Uru reimagines coffee by combining filter coffee decoction with global café formats—like cold Vietnamese-style coffee, but made with Indian roots.
We noticed the lack of local representation in café culture and built N’Uru to celebrate our own brewing traditions while keeping it contemporary and Instagram-worthy. It’s a soulful, homegrown alternative in a market saturated with clones of Western cafés.
- wasteNOT India (Non-profit Initiative)
Driving awareness and action around food waste.
wasteNOT India is an educational initiative to tackle food waste in the restaurant ecosystem. From helping chefs design smarter menus to encouraging diners to rethink portion sizes, wasteNOT is about small, systemic changes that add up.
We run workshops, create content, and partner with F&B spaces to bring attention to the issue—because what’s on your plate should never go to waste.
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