9 Best and Most Successful Food Startups in India

All of us have this experience. We are hungry but do not have time to slip out of office or home for a quick meal. And even if we go to a nearby restaurant or street-side food stall, choice would be limited.

But this scenario has drastically changed now. Ordering a meal- be it snack, lunch, dinner, dessert or even a feast for an impromptu party is now easy.

Thanks to various Indian entrepreneurs, there are several apps you can install on a smartphone to order food from almost any cuisine of this country, regardless of your location.

What’s more? Some entrepreneurs have changed that traditional dull, dry, drab and boring way to dine by opening innovative, themed restaurants.

This is due to the thriving startup culture flourishing in India. While some entrepreneurs have launched online food startups, others have brick-and-mortar establishments.

So the next time you are hungry, try a meal from any of these 10 best food startups of India.

List of Top 9 Best Food Startups in India

You can feel hungry anytime. Often, it may not be possible to get food past midnight or in wee hours of the day. In such cases, simply use an app from any of these best food startups of India to satisfy your appetite.

1. Swiggy

By every standard, Swiggy ranks as India’s most successful food startup. Swiggy is an app that can be installed on your smartphone.

You can order food from Swiggy from almost any part of India. And they have round-the-clock service too.

Swiggy offers a wide menu from different restaurants in your locality. Whether you are looking for a sandwich or a full elaborate meal for the family, Swiggy is your best bet.

This startup has over 100,000 delivery agents across India that deliver freshly cooked, hot meals right to your table.

2. Zomato

Zomato also ranks among the topmost food startup of India. It competes neck and neck with swiggy for the top spot in best Food delivery apps in India.

It began as an app and website to offer reservations at plush restaurants in various cities of this country. Since, Zomato has graduated into food delivery too.

Zomato also has a huge international presence now. Ordering food from even the smallest restaurant in town is made possible by Zomato.

Means, you need not spend heavily on a meal from some expensive diner. Zomato has about 80,000 delivery agents across India.

They fulfill about 70 percent of all orders placed through their app.

Zomato is one of the best food startups that continues to spread its wings across the country rapidly.

3. Box8

Founded in 2012, Box8 is also a food startup in India that is tasting immense success nowadays.

Currently, Box8 operations are limited to Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Gurgaon.

But Box8 is finding newer markets and is expected to cover almost every major Indian city by 2020.

You can order food from over 100 restaurants using the Box8 website or app.

Further, you can get very attractive discounts on orders: Box8 has tie-ups with payments app Paytm for giving you cashback offers.

Box8 claims to specialize in ‘desi’ or traditional meals. True to its word, you can order homely meals from this app and website.

4. Place of Origin

Yearning for a taste of home? Visit Place of Origin website. This is the best food startup that operates as an online store.

On Place of Origin website, you can order sweets, savories, pickles, food grains, tea and coffee powder as well as fruits and other stuff from any part of India.

Moreover, Place of Origin sources these foodstuff from the most reputed and famous manufacturers in that place.

Whether you are looking for the hottest chili pickle in the world from Nagaland made of ‘Bhoot Jolokia’ chilli or ‘sambar’ powder from Tamil Nadu, sweets from Chitale Bandhu of Maharashtra or unique poppadum from Rajasthan, you can get it all from Place of Origin.

5. Daily Ninja

Daily Ninja is rapidly changing the manner in which Indians buy fresh milk, bread, eggs, vegetables and fruits for breakfast.

It is an excellent app that allows you to get fresh milk directly from a nearby dairy or packed varieties from large companies including Amul, Warana, Nandini and Mother Dairy, among others.

This food startup is an app. You can order the volume of milk you require the next morning along with other essentials like fresh bread, eggs, fruits and even select groceries.

This app allows you to select the delivery time. You can pay by credit card, debit card or from a mobile payment wallet.

Currently, Daily Ninja operates in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.

6. I Brand Beverages Pvt. Ltd

Till recent years, drinkers in India had to make do with traditional brands made and sold by local and foreign giants competing for one of the largest liquor markets in the world.

Consequently, the millennial drinker did not have much options. This scenario now stands changed.

I Brand Beverages Pvt. Ltd is a startup launched by one of India’s topmost female entrepreneur, Lisa Srao.

From its Goa-based distillery, I Brand Beverages Pvt. Ltd makes four amazing brands of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).

They include blended Scotch whisky, rum, vodka and brandy. I Brand Beverages is also planning on launching craft beer and exclusive wines and increasing its product offerings in coming years.

Currently, I Brand Beverages ranks as the topmost exporter of IMFL to countries in the Far East including Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

The company is also eying European and American markets for export.

7. ID

ID began as a small kitchen in Bangalore. The brainchild of four entrepreneurs, ID began making idly, dosa and vada batter from this small 50sq.feet kitchen for sale in the local market.

Though initially these products were sold without a proper brand only from select locations in Bangalore, word about its quality spread rapidly across the city and later, South India.

Today, ID ranks among the most successful and best food startups of India.

The company makes idly, dosa and vada batter using traditional food grains as well as those suited for diabetics.

Its products are now available under ID brand across India, from all major supermarkets. ID batter is now exported to the Middle East, Europe and the US too.

8. Dialogues Café

Ever heard of a restaurant where you can eat as much as you like for free? The Dialogues Café in Bangalore offers exactly this unique facility.

You can gobble up as much food as you want, but have to pay for the time you spend at this café.

Currently, they charge Rs.220 for the first hour and Rs.3 for every minute thereafter. Other than its unique policy, Dialogues Café is also known for hosting talks and discussions on sensitive issues such as banned books.

Its entrepreneurs are willing to engage in any discussion and bring professionals from that field on board too.

Dialogues Café operates at two locations in Bangalore. It is now also a venue for corporate meetings and various events.

9. Goli Vada Pav

For decades, Vada Pav was street-side snack available only in and around Mumbai. Enter Goli Vada Pav and the story has changed completely.

Indeed, Goli Vada Pav is one of the best food startups in India and a very successful fast food chain in India. This startup was launched in 2004 as a small snack shop in Mumbai.

Its founders however had other dreams. They began franchising the Goli Vada Pav brand across India.

Today, there are over 350 Goli Vada Pav outlets located in more than 90 cities across India.

While you can enjoy the typical Mumbai Vada Pav at any of these outlets, speciality ones are also available from Goli Vada Pav.

It is the only food startup in India trying to find franchisees abroad.

In Conclusion

There are several ideas for launching a successful food startup in India, provided you have some investment and inclination.

Millions of Indians go hungry every day or are malnourished due to lack of money and meals. Shockingly, India wastes as much food as the UK consumes every year.

This food can be saved and used to feed the hungry provided entrepreneurs to launch innovative startups.

There is ample scope for food startups in India since the country has achieved self-sufficiency. The above ideas may inspire you to open a startup and become successful.

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