Supertails: Building India’s First Integrated Digital Pet Care Platform for the Gen Z Parent

January 3, 2026 12 min read

Vineet Khanna - Co-founder of Supertails

"We are all lost waves of our hormones, and there is this hormone called oxytocin which each one of us needs." This profound observation by Vineet Khanna, co-founder of Supertails, explains the hidden engine behind India’s explosive pet care boom. As Indians marry later and fertility rates drop, a new generation of "pet parents" is turning to four-legged companions to fulfill the human need for companionship—and Supertails is building the infrastructure to support them.

Founded in 2021 by a trio of seasoned entrepreneurs who helped scale Licious and Snapdeal, Supertails is not just another e-commerce site for dog food. It is an integrated "digitally first" platform that combines high-quality supplies with expert-led healthcare, behavior training, and personalized support. By focusing on the unique challenges of the first-time pet parent, Supertails is aiming to turn a fragmented billion-dollar market into a wholesome community.

The Oxytocin Theory: In 2017-18, dating apps like Tinder and Bumble boomed in India to solve for human companionship. When the pandemic hit and physical dating became impossible, people turned to pets. Supertails identifies this shift as a fundamental change in Indian demographics, where pets are now the "next best thing" to traditional family structures for Gen Z and Millennials.

Navigating the "Valley of Despair"

Most pet care growth in India is driven by first-time pet parents—a group Khanna describes as being "high on confidence but low on wisdom." Unlike baby care, where a vast ecosystem of family wisdom (Nanis, Chachis, and Masis) exists, the first-time pet parent often brings a puppy home with no idea how to handle the first 24 hours.

"Within six to nine hours, they face reality," Khanna explains. "The dog is scratching the sofa, biting shoes, pooping everywhere, and they don't know how to vaccinate or what to feed. We call this the 'Valley of Despair.' If we can shallow this valley, we can prevent pet abandonment and make the journey enjoyable."

How Supertails Solves Pet Parenthood

Information Hub: Fulfilling the knowledge gap through 2,000+ answered queries on platforms like Quora and detailed blogs.
Pet Relationship Managers: A unique concept where a dedicated human assistant helps parents navigate health, behavior, and product needs.
Integrated Services: Providing one-click access to veterinary consultations and behavioral training alongside product delivery.
Community Trust: Building a relationship-first model where transactions are the result of trust, not just a price-led sale.

The Gen Z Factor: A Unique Indian Market

While the US pet care market is a massive $130 billion industry, it is dominated by second or third-time pet parents. In India, over 90% of adopters are first-timers. This requires a completely different business model—one that integrates education with commerce.

"In the US, a 45-year-old might buy food and a vet visit separately," Khanna notes. "But in India, a 25-year-old bachelor in Bangalore needs everything in one place. Abandonment doesn't happen because of poor grooming; it happens because the dog isn't trained or is sick. That's why we built 'Roti, Kapda, and Makan' for pets—supplies, health, and behavior—together."

Supertails by the Numbers

100 Cr+: Annualized Run Rate (ARR) achieved within two years of launch.
12,000+: SKUs available, making it the largest verticalized assortment in India.
1.5 Lakh+: Active pet parent customer base.
$33.8M: Total funding raised, including a $15.3M Series B in 2024.
20%+: Market CAGR in India, making it one of the fastest-growing categories.

Scaling "Mount Everest": From Licious to Supertails

Khanna’s confidence in building Supertails stems from his "1 to 100" growth journey at Licious and his supply chain experience at Snapdeal. He describes the feeling of leaving Licious after it became India's first D2C unicorn as coming back home after climbing Mount Everest—you feel a void that only another massive challenge can fill.

"Starting something of our own was the only way to match that excitement," he admits. The core team—Vineet, Varun Sadana, and Aman Tekriwal—had already "dated" professionally for years at Licious before "getting married" to the Supertails vision. This deep trust allowed them to hire a top-tier team quickly, convincing talent to join a dream before the reality was even fully built.

"If you take care of the people, the people will build something which will take care of the customers. If the customers are happy, the business will flourish, and shareholders will be happy. It starts with the people."
— Vineet Khanna, Co-founder, Supertails

Lessons in "Loneliness" and Leadership

Despite the high-flying background, Khanna is candid about the reality of being a founder. He defines an entrepreneur as someone for whom "everything stops at you." While a large organization offers a safety net, in a startup, if the founder doesn't take care of a problem, nobody else will. This can make the journey lonely, which is why he emphasizes the importance of having co-founders who can motivate each other when "the chips are down."

Founder's Wisdom: The Power of Experimentation

Vineet Khanna believes in a culture of constant testing. His advice to founders:

Never Say Never: Situations change. The faster you adapt, the faster you succeed.
The 3-Experiment Rule: If you're not doing three experiments a day, you've learned less than you could have.
Manage the 'Not-to-Do' List: Working in startups teaches you more about what not to do than what to do.
Unlearn to Scale: Sometimes, past experience can be a constraint. Be willing to unlearn legacy methods to disrupt a new category.

The Future: A Billion-Dollar "Bharat" Category

The pet care market in India is currently a billion-dollar opportunity, but Supertails believes it is just scratching the surface. With targets to reach a ₹500 crore ARR by 2026, the focus is on deepening the integration between healthcare and commerce. As more Indians realize the mental health benefits of pets, the "neighborhood vet" will increasingly become a "digital-first platform."

"Pet Parenthood should be enjoyable and wholesome," Khanna concludes. By solving for the information gap and the logistics of care, Supertails isn't just selling pet products—it's securing the future of the Indian family, one four-legged member at most.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Pet Care: First-time pet parents often think they know more than they do. Supertails counters this by positioning themselves as a trusted advisor, using a "Pet Relationship Manager" to guide parents through the real-world challenges of raising a pet in a city.

Key Takeaways

For D2C Founders: When a market is small or fragmented, "verticalizing" and offering an integrated solution (products + services) can be more effective than being a pure-play marketplace.

For Pet Parents: The first 24 hours are the hardest. Don't rely solely on internet searches; look for platforms that connect you with verified medical and behavioral experts.

For Professionals: Joining a startup early (like Licious) is an "education in scale" that can give you the tools and the network to eventually build your own empire.

About the Guest

Vineet Khanna is the co-founder of Supertails, India's premier integrated digital pet care platform. An electrical engineer from NIT Nagpur and an MBA from IIM Lucknow, Khanna started his career with the prestigious Tata Administrative Services (TAS). He later played pivotal leadership roles at Snapdeal and was a key early member of the Licious leadership team, helping it become India's first D2C unicorn before launching Supertails to revolutionize the pet care experience.