Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has joined Hoops as an investor and brand ambassador.
Hoop was founded by former McKinsey consultants Twinkle Uppal and Saharsh Agarwal. The couple say their mission is to modernise relief and recovery and make fitness a part of the Indian lifestyle.
“Hoop was born out of the unmet health needs of the Indian youth. Our lifestyles have changed – muscle recovery after exercise, prevention of injuries during sports, back pain due to prolonged sitting, neck pain due to tech devices, sleep disorders due to screen time, etc. Our needs have changed and today there are limited innovative products available to suit the new Indian lifestyle,” said Uppal. Hoop offers a range of natural products for localized pain relief, muscle recovery and sleep support.
“Badminton demands peak physical performance and for an athlete like me, prioritizing pain relief, muscle recovery and sleep is very important. I have been trying Hoop products for months and have been extremely impressed with its value not only for athletes but for anyone who is focused on living an active lifestyle. I am excited to support Hoop in their mission to help Indians lead active lives,” Sindhu says when asked why she decided to partner with Hoop.
“We feel that PV Sindhu is the perfect evangelist for our brand. She truly embodies the spirit of a champion and her story is one of incredible courage. She is the first and only Indian to become world champion in badminton, the second Indian athlete to win two consecutive Olympic medals and is one of the highest paid female athletes in the world. Not only is Sindhu the face of sport in India, she is also a highly credible voice for fitness. With the 2024 Olympics just around the corner, Hoops is extremely proud that Sindhu has trusted our brand,” Agarwal added.
The co-founders spent over 18 months on research and development before launching it in the market in October 2023. According to the company, within a few months of launch, the brand has gained customers in over 1,000 cities in India. They are delivering orders not only in major metros but also in Lakshadweep, Kargil, Changlang and Kanyakumari.
Hoop is part of Peak XV’s (formerly Sequoia India) Spark program and is backed by angel investors across India including Rohit Kapoor (CEO, Food Marketplace, Swiggy), Abhinav Sinha (COO, OYO), Naiyya Saggi (Co-Founder, Good Glamm Group), Suhail Sameer (Ex-CEO, BharatPe, Ex-CEO, RPSG Consumer), Shantanu Deshpande (Founder – Bombay Shaving Company), Kunal Suri (Ex-Managing Director, Food Panda), Saurabh Vashishtha (Co-Founder, SimSim) and Arjun Vaidya (Founder – Dr Vaidya’s).
A recent Lancet study found that India has the 12th highest prevalence of physical inactivity based on WHO criteria, but this trend appears to be changing among India’s youth.
Wellness is quickly becoming a top priority for millennials and Gen Z, with search interest growing by over 40%. Consumer wellness products are currently a roughly $20 billion market in India and are growing rapidly at over 15% annually.
