Arohi Surya decided to leave her high-paying position in Dubai, where her annual income exceeded 1 million dirhams, to start her own business in India. Along with her husband Anmol Goel, they founded a plant-based dairy brand called Dancing Cow in 2022, investing 6.5 million rupees from personal savings. According to Startup Pedia, the company achieved an annual revenue of 2.2 million rupees in the fiscal year 25.
The idea for Dancing Cow arose while searching for a suitable alternative to dairy products in India. Starting as a personal need, the search quickly transformed into a business opportunity. Product development took about ten months, and sales began in March 2023. After that, the company started working directly with consumers and also expanded its network to cafes and restaurants.
Arohi's education includes obtaining a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree from LNM Institute of Information Technology between 2011 and 2015. She then received an MBA from IMT Dubai from 2015 to 2017. During her master's studies, she also participated in a semester exchange program in international marketing at ESC Rennes School of Business in France.
Previously, she gained initial experience in market research, sales, and data analysis through internships at institutions such as Imami, Landmark Group, and Indian Institute of Management Lucknow. In 2017, she joined Professional Traders Club DMCC in Dubai as a digital marketing specialist, where she handled digital campaigns, audience analysis, and building contacts with potential clients. One of her projects led to a 67% year-on-year increase in completed application forms.
In November 2018, Arohi took on the role of Marketing Manager for the West Asia and Africa region at HTC. Her responsibilities included developing marketing strategies, public relations, retail marketing, and growth initiatives for the company's smartphones, virtual reality products, and 5G routers. Alongside her corporate job, Arohi was also involved in business as a co-founder of Yalla Veggie in Dubai, where she held the position of Chief Marketing Officer, leading to a successful exit from that venture.
After returning to Lucknow, Arohi faced difficulties accessing the plant-based products she was accustomed to in Dubai. The situation worsened when her mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and her doctor advised excluding dairy products from her diet. While searching for an alternative, Arohi's attention was drawn to oat milk. She saw an opportunity to easily deliver plant-based alternatives to Indian consumers. Therefore, in 2022, she and Anmol Goel invested 6.5 million rupees from their personal funds to create Dancing Cow.
Creating a product that consumers would want to use daily required time. The team experimented with various ingredients for about ten months. They continuously improved the oat milk blends to achieve the desired taste, consistency, and uniformity. The founders aimed for the product not just to be a beverage but to be usable in everyday dishes such as tea, coffee, porridge, and sweets.
Finding a suitable manufacturing partner also proved to be a challenging task. According to the company information, there were only a small number of companies producing plant-based milk in India at that time. To find a potential partnership, Arohi visited Pune multiple times, and after negotiations with various dairy producers, the founders selected a company that met their standards for cleanliness and hygiene.
In March 2023, Dancing Cow began commercial sales of two products in its oat line: Oatish Extra Creamy Oat Milk for beverages and the ready-to-prepare Oatish Rich Chocolate Milk. The founders also saw potential in the foodservice sector. Supplying cafes and restaurants allowed them to reach customers through familiar drinks and desserts, as well as build relationships with establishments that could incorporate oat milk into their menus.
Arohi's experience in marketing, market research, and growth strategy helped introduce a relatively new product segment to Indian consumers. According to Startup Pedia, in the first year, Dancing Cow served about 30,000 customers and generated revenue of 9 million rupees. The founders expanded the brand by collaborating with cafes and restaurants, in addition to direct-to-consumer sales. Later, the company began supplying products to over 500 establishments across India.
By fiscal year 25, the company had served over 125,000 customers, achieving an annual revenue of 2.2 million rupees, which is 144% more than the first year's revenue. Arohi's journey demonstrates that stepping away from a comfortable job does not mean starting from scratch; the knowledge and skills gained through education, corporate experience, and previous entrepreneurship help lay the foundation for a new business.