BRND.ME turns profitable, generates cash: CEO Ananth Narayanan

House of brands unicorn BRND.ME, formerly known as Mensa Brands, has achieved profitability and is generating cash, Founder and CEO Ananth Narayanan said. 

“We are profitable,” he said during a fireside chat with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma at TechSparks 2025. “There are so many EBITDA definitions that we don't know exactly whether you are profitable or not ... The only thing that really matters is whether we are generating cash every year. We are generating cash, which I feel very proud of. Cash flow matters.”

Narayanan was speaking at the 16th edition of YourStory’s flagship event, TechSparks 2025.

Narayanan said that he is yet to finalise the timelines for a public listing, and is currently in the process of shifting its domicile to India. “I don't know the timings. We are flipping into an Indian company, and that should hopefully happen soon. When we started, we were in Singapore,” he said.

BRND.ME is also not shying away from investing further in companies if the right opportunity arises. Roll-up commerce companies were on a buying spree during the funding boom post-pandemic, which stopped as the funding winter set in, with focus shifting toward making existing investments profitable. 

“At Mensa, we are always open to investing. Right now, we have three-four large brands, and if it fits into our brands, then we will invest,” said Narayanan. 

He added that building brands in India is difficult amid a glut of digital-first brands and increasing costs of selling through online marketplaces, as well as through Meta and Google ads. The online market in India also comes with limitations.

“I think it is (difficult to start a consumer brand),” he said. “One interesting pivot for entrepreneurs in India starting consumer brands is going global. The total number of buying consumers in India online is anywhere between 70-100 million. If you take ecommerce, quick commerce, etc. That pool is growing, but it is growing slowly. The number of consumer brands attempting to sell online is increasing much more dramatically. So one advice I would have is, why not think of a global brand?”

Narayanan pointed to the example of the peanut butter market in India, which has a market opportunity of Rs 1,500 crore. MyFitness, a peanut butter maker, is one of the biggest brands in BRND.ME’s portfolio. 

“Now, if you take your peanut butter product offering to the Middle East, it becomes a Rs 4,500 crore opportunity,” he said. “The global logistics and supply chain infrastructure is actually now very efficient globally.”