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(L-R) Pratap Haldar, Nikhil Jain, Rupesh Kumar
Foodtech startup Mealawe has raised $1 million in funding from a mix of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a network of Shark Tank founders, and angel investors associated with companies such as Goldman Sachs and Oracle.
With this round of funding, the startup will focus on driving the expansion into 14 cities over the next 10-12 months, with a target of delivering 1 million meals per month.
Currently, it operates in Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kota.
What does Mealawe do?
Launched in October 2022 by Rupesh Kumar, along with co-founders Pratap Haldar and Nikhil Jain, Mealawe began as a platform connecting home chefs with customers, providing nutritious, homemade-style meals.
As it scales, the startup is integrating home chefs and women from the workforce into a structured kitchen model, creating economic opportunities while maintaining the essence of homemade food.
It claims to have grown rapidly, delivering over 30,000 meals monthly.
Directly sourcing kitchen essentials
Mealawe said that it directly sources organic kitchen essentials such as Bilona Ghee, Wood-Pressed Oils, and Organic Masalas by partnering with farmers, ensuring both better food quality and sustainable agricultural practices.
Beyond meal delivery, the startup has developed a corporate cafeteria management platform that allows businesses to provide high-quality meals without operational complexities. For smaller companies that lack physical cafeteria spaces, it offers a virtual cafeteria solution, ensuring seamless meal access for employees.
Expanding women-led kitchens
The new capital will be used to scale operations by expanding women-led kitchens, strengthening corporate cafeteria solutions, and deepening partnerships for organic ingredient sourcing, the release notes.
"Our mission is to bridge the gap in daily food access for corporate employees, students, senior citizens, and more. By focusing on organic ingredients, women-led kitchen setups, and innovative corporate solutions, we are building a sustainable ecosystem that benefits both customers and home chefs," Kumar said.