Kanpur: What began as a small family-owned kitchenware shop in Kanpur has transformed into a globally recognized direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand. NYRA Kitchenware, founded by entrepreneur Sushank Arora in 2020, has crossed the milestone of shipping over one million orders worldwide while remaining entirely bootstrapped and profitable.
The company was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic after Arora’s IIT Kanpur-incubated startup in the beauty sector was forced to shut down. Returning to his family’s traditional kitchenware business in Bhusatoli, Kanpur, he identified a major gap in consumer awareness regarding traditional metals such as brass, copper, and bronze used in Indian kitchens. Rather than focusing solely on sales, NYRA adopted an education-driven approach, helping consumers understand the benefits, uses, and maintenance of traditional cookware.
Today, NYRA offers a catalogue of more than 1,200 products across categories including brass, copper, bronze (Kansa), stainless steel, cast iron, and puja items. The brand sells through its own website as well as major marketplaces such as Amazon India, Flipkart, Myntra, JioMart, and Vaaree. Internationally, it has established a presence on platforms including Noon in the UAE, Amazon Global, Fruugo Global, Quicklly, and Desi Local Co. Its products are shipped to customers across India, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Singapore, and Japan.
The company’s achievements have also received academic recognition. NYRA’s growth journey has been published as a business case study by Ivey Publishing, one of the world’s leading business case publishers whose materials are used by top business schools globally. The case examines topics such as D2C brand building, omnichannel retail, cross-border e-commerce, and the digital transformation of a legacy family business.
Beyond business growth, NYRA has contributed to local employment by training and hiring young professionals from Kanpur and nearby regions in e-commerce, digital marketing, logistics, and brand management. The company has also earned industry recognition, including being named among Siliconindia’s “10 Most Promising D2C Entrepreneurs of the Year” in 2024.
Arora says the company’s mission extends beyond selling kitchenware. “We are modernising a traditional Indian industry for the digital world and proving that globally successful brands can be built right out of Bharat,” he stated.
