Foodtech startup Daalchini is converting its 90 manned pantries at Reliance Industries’ plant in Jamnagar into contactless, digitally-enabled kiosks, it said.
The move to convert the 90 pantries comes as corporates are tightening safety measures to combat the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and maintain strict hygiene in workspaces.
The IoT-enabled physical and digital vending machines, which will be installed at Reliance, will not have any human intervention, be 100 percent cashless, app-based, and contactless, the startup said.
“Launching Daalchini at RIL Jamnagar is a project of immense importance for us and proves the significance of smart technology-led innovation because of which Reliance has opted to make this massive shifts across its pantries,” Prerna Kalra and Vidya Bhushan, Co-founders of Daalchini quipped.
The two set up the Delhi-NCR-based startup in 2017 after Prerna witnessed the easy-of-use vending machines in China afforded people.
The startup provides instant, affordable, and healthy home-cooked food to professionals through its IoT-enabled “phygital” (physical and digital) vending machines.
It has installed machines in office spaces, hospitals, hostels, etc., to provide healthy and affordable home food instantly.
Recently, the company outlined its plans to increase the number of vending machines from 400 to 600, across cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Goa, Chandigarh, Mohali, and more.
It is also creating a sub-99 food store to enable brands in all food and beverage categories (frozen, chilled, meal kits, snacks, bakery, immunity boosters, healthy/energy drinks, yogurts, etc.) reach their targeted customers and help them scale fast across multiple geographies.
The startup has raised a total of $1.2 million in funding over two rounds, as per Crunchbase. Its investors include Artha Venture Fund, and few angels like Amit Lakhoitia, ex-Paytm, ex-Tokopedia, and Anand Ladsariya, MD, Everest Flavours.
Cloud kitchens have been growing at an exponential rate since the pandemic hit the Indian shores last year, mostly due to a widespread lockdown to contain the virus spread, and as people avoided dining out.
