Exclusive: Kouzina Food Tech Invests In Shark Tank Fame MOPP Foods

Bengaluru-based Kouzina Food Tech has made a “strategic” investment in Delhi NCR-based cloud kitchen startup MOPP Foods, the latter’s cofounder Gaurav Gupta said.

Without disclosing the investment or the amount of stake acquired by Kouzina Food Tech, Gupta told Inc42 that the Bengaluru-based startup will have a majority representation on MOPP Foods’ board.

The two startups will use each other’s network to expand their partnership and grow their top lines.

Shark Tank India fame MOPP Foods runs cloud kitchen brands Mealy, Mad Over Parathas & Pakoda, Yum Biryani Bowls, Khichdi In A Bowl, among others. The startup secured investment from CarDekho founder Amit Jain after its pitch in Shark Tank India’s second season. 

MOPP Foods & Kouzina Eye Nationwide Presence

With the investment, Gupta said MOPP Foods is looking to leverage Kouzina Food Tech’s cloud kitchen network, which is primarily present in south India, to increase the number of its cloud kitchens to 200. 

The partnership will also help MOPP Foods improve operational efficiency and enhance customer experience. 

Founded in 2019 by husband and wife Gaurav Gupta and Geetika Anand Gupta, MOPP Foods specialises in north Indian cuisine such as parathas, pakodas, and curries. It currently claims to serve over 25,000 orders monthly.

Meanwhile, Kouzina Food Tech, founded in 2019 by Gautam Balijepalli, Mahesh Madiyala, Sumit Gupta, and Rohan Rao, operates food brands such as WarmOven, Indiana Burgers, KaatiZone, among others. It has a presence in 90 cities across the country. 

For Kouzina Food Tech, the partnership is aimed at adding more brands to its portfolio to take on sector giants Curefoods and Rebel Foods.

“… We are building a house of brands that leverages technology to scale nationally. This deal aligns with our strategy to expand our national presence and strengthen our portfolio of brands. MOPP’s focus on authentic, high-quality north Indian flavours perfectly complements our existing brands, creating new opportunities for growth and customer delight. We plan to expand this portfolio of brands across multiple formats, including cloud kitchens and QSR outlets,” Kouzina Food Tech cofounder and CEO Balijepalli said. 

The $4.4 Bn Cloud Kitchen Opportunity 

The last few years have seen the emergence of a number of cloud kitchen startups in the country. These startups have benefitted from the rise of Zomato and Swiggy, with most of them selling their products via the two companies. 

Quick commerce has emerged as another growth driver in recent times, with many cloud kitchens now promising to deliver food in up to 15 minutes. Swish, Zing, and Rebel Foods are among the cloud kitchen brands providing quick delivery services, while Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato have also entered the foray with 10-minute food delivery offerings.

The sector is also seeing consolidation, with the most recent one being donut brand Krispy Kreme’s acquisition by Curefoods from Landmark Group. 

At the heart of all these is the growing Indian cloud kitchen market, which is expected to become a $4.4 Bn opportunity by 2032, as per Markets and Data. As a result, investors are lining up to invest in startups operating in the space.

Earlier this year, Salad Days bagged INR 30 Cr in its Series A funding round, which was co-led by V3 Ventures and Client Associates Alternate Fund. In December last year, revenue-based financing platform Velocity launched a fund with a corpus of INR 200 Cr (about $23.5 Mn) for India’s restaurant and cloud kitchen brands.