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Wakao Foods | Jackfruit meat alternatives that ship without refrigeration

2026.03.26

Article summary

Wakao Foods is a jackfruit-based meat alternative brand launched in the state of Goa in October 2020. The operating company is Dhond Green Ventures, and the founder is Sairaj Dhond, a former criminal defense lawyer. Its design is oriented toward ambient distribution that needs neither refrigeration nor freezing, and it centers on foodservice for hotel buffets and restaurants. Exports go to the Netherlands, Dubai, Norway, Singapore, Canada and the United States. It has 15 employees (as of the end of August 2026), and revenue sits in a range below ₹10 crore (1 crore = 10 million rupees), with the scale remaining small.

This article is based on what we could verify As of September 19, 2026 This page is based on the disclosures and news reports from each company that we were able to confirm as of that date. Amounts in the text follow the notation commonly used in India, with ₹1 crore = 10 million rupees, and yen figures are approximations calculated at a little over 1.7 yen to the rupee. Store counts, funding raised, and results at Indian companies change over short periods, so when making a business decision, please check the latest information in primary sources such as each company's own announcements.

Wakao Foods is a brand putting out plant-based meat alternatives made from jackfruit from the state of Goa. Its design goes all in on ambient distribution that needs neither freezing nor refrigeration, so restaurants in areas with a weak cold chain can handle it.

Company profile

Item	Details
Operating company	Dhond Green Ventures Private Limited
Founded	October 2020 (as stated on the official site)
Headquarters	Panaji (Goa)
Founder	Sairaj Dhond (a former criminal defense lawyer)
Revenue	Below ₹10 crore (fiscal year ended March 2025 / range shown in Tracxn's compilation)
Employees	15 people (as of the end of August 2026 / Tracxn compilation)
Listing	Unlisted
Main products	Jackfruit burger patties, sausages, shreds and pre-seasoned curries

Not needing refrigeration is what decides the channel

The company cites needing no refrigeration and using no preservatives as the features of its products. Many restaurants in India have limited freezer capacity, and meat alternatives that assume freezing are sometimes turned down at the stage of where to put them. Being able to store at room temperature removes one of the conditions that come before that.

Shipments center on foodservice for hotel buffets and restaurants, with retail present but small in weight. Exports have widened to the Netherlands, Dubai, Norway, Singapore, Canada and the United States, and in 2026 the company announced a 13-ton container shipment to the United States.

Small in scale, a counterpart to look at for its technology

It appeared on season 1 of Shark Tank India, broadcast in January 2022, and was reported to have agreed to an investment of ₹75 lakh (1 lakh = 100,000 rupees) for a 21% stake. Reports differ on whether it was concluded after the program.

It has 15 employees (as of the end of August 2026), and revenue sits in a range below ₹10 crore. Rather than a trading partner that moves volume, it stands as a small supplier with jackfruit processing technology. If you approach from Japan, joint development or small-lot imports are a more realistic entry point than contract mass production.