How Indian food-tech startups adding exciting new flavors to home-cooking

Leveraging cutting-edge technology and the need to fulfill the demands of a rapidly evolving customer base looking for a sustainable, healthy, yet tasty food-centric lifestyle, the new-age Indian food entrepreneurial ecosystem is building rapidly around home chefs and home-cooked meals. Even during the pre-COVID era a large section of the society consisting of students living far from home, senior citizens, and working professionals with hectic schedules and no time to regularly cook was dependent on home chefs offering home-cooked meals.

Also Read: 7 reasons home chefs could disrupt the fast evolving food industry

The post-COVID world has accelerated the demand for home chefs as more people have become fitness conscious and are diligently trying to lead a healthier lifestyle. In this context, the Indian home chef market has grown exponentially in the last few years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, numerous homely outlets and cloud kitchens have started operating and offering homemade delicacies to students and professionals who need healthy, hygienic, and pocket-friendly food. Considering this raging trend, many startups have started taking advantage of this booming segment to bring delectable home-cooked meals to consumers are affordable prices.

How are entrepreneurs expanding the reach of home-cooked meals?

It is often said that food is not just a way to fill your stomach but is a way to comfort to your heart. A good meal can uplift your mood considerably, while shabby, unhygienic, or unhealthy food can spoil your mood and fitness and contemporary food entrepreneurs with modernistic food-centric startups are aiming to do the former. These food startups are providing a platform for home chefs to showcase their skills and deliver home-cooked meals to the customers waiting to taste Ghar ka Khana even in a new city.

Harnessing futuristic technology, present-day food tech startups are catering to the food-related needs of millions of people across the country. Since the demand for home-cooked meals has been expedited, many startups are working vigorously to fulfill the hunger of this new generation.

Imagine this, after a long day at work or attending classes, you get a delicious tiffin box with your favorite Okra Curry wrapped in soft bread and spicy organic, homemade sauce - sounds mouthwatering, isn’t it? This is precisely how food startups are trying to bridge the gap between health-conscious consumers and home chefs by providing a common platform for food enthusiasts to come together and share recipes, dishes, food-related stories, and culinary expertise. Although generally, the expertise of home chefs lies in cooking mouth-watering meals, startups are providing business-centric assistance to them so that together they can continue to thrive by building a robust network.

Driven by Innovation

Among the many segments of the rapidly evolving food tech industry, the home-cooked food space has become the fastest-growing, gaining immense traction in a short period, thanks to shifting consumer mindsets and preferences. As the Gen Z and the millennial crowd is becoming increasingly conscious about their diet regime as well as spending money on restaurant food, the need for hygienic, wholesome, nutritious yet tangy, and tasty food items is rapidly accelerating. At such a juncture, home-cooked meals and home chefs are leading the new chapter of the 21st-century food space with food tech startups acting as their guiding light.

These home-cooked meals are freshly prepared with love and care, handpicked ingredients, natural herbs & spices, and a clean atmosphere. Home-cooked meals are filled with nutritional values as opposed to junk foods or packaged foods that are directly or indirectly responsible for lifestyle issues such as obesity, metabolic disorder, hormonal problems, and high cholesterol. They, therefore, can be consumed without worrying about negative after-effects.

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Furthermore, in 2019, the global food market was close to USD 220.32 billion. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% by 2027 reaching up to USD 342.52 billion. Similarly, the Indian food tech market was sized at INR 289.36 billion in 2019 and is estimated to reach INR 1,868.19 billion by 2025. The aforementioned stats clearly indicate that the food tech industry is amongst the fastest emerging industries of the 21st century. The fast-changing food tech industry is offering ample opportunities for home chefs and food entrepreneurs to grow, and the future will indisputably witness further developments in the home-cooked food industry.