Essar-backed Pluckk’s meal kit arm Kook to grow 4 times in FY25

Essar-backed fresh foods brand Pluckk sees Kook, the meal kit start-up it acquired last year, to grow four times in FY25 and expects monthly volumes to touch 1 million by March 2028 from 1 lakh by the end of the current fiscal year.

Pluckk made its entry into the over $15 billion DIY meal kit market globally, with the acquisition of Kook for $1.3 million in a cash and equity deal from its founders Arpitta Jerath and Nikhil Thatai, who had started the company in 2020.

In three-odd short years, the start-up has created a niche for itself and has grown 10 times in the past year alone in terms of monthly revenue to ₹50 lakh from ₹5 lakh. It has a selection of over 50 meal kits and a presence across five cities, with over 250 dark stores in each city. The meal kits are available on online platforms Amazon, Flipkart, Instamart, Zepto and Blinkit and on the shelves of Spencers and Nature’s Basket.

• Also read: Essar-backed Pluckk to be significant player in food segment in 5 years

The number of meal kits sold monthly have risen over 15 times to 15,000-20,000 units over the past year, while the monthly revenue from marketplace sales has risen to ₹40 lakh from ₹1 lakh.

While Pluckk was connected with farmers to source the ingredients, the Kook team has expertise in building these meal kits. “Hence it was a win-win strategy to integrate Kook with Pluckk and serve our consumers better,” said Pratik Gupta, CEO, Pluckk , on the synergies between the companies.

A healthier option

During their research, Kook’s founders Arpitta and Nikhil felt that many people did not enjoy having ready-to-eat meals that were seen as processed, but meal kit ingredients gave them more control over the food and were seen as a healthier option.

“An average Indian household spends one full working day per week planning and prepping their meals but still considers home-cooked meals to be basic. Given that at-home cooking is the primary format of consumption in India, there is value in making the process efficient and convenient,” said Gupta.

“Meal kits reduce the time spent on home-cooked meals by 80 per cent with fresher, tastier and better meals,” he added.

The aim is to increase monthly volumes four times in the current fiscal year. By the end of the current fiscal year the company expects to be selling 1 lakh meal kits every month and reach 1 million in the next three years.

“We are looking to democratise cooking in a way that it no longer feels like a chore. Our meal kits offer a perfect balance of taste, convenience and discovery,” said Arpitta. Nikhil added, “Our explosive growth and the popularity of our meal kits showcase our dedication to transforming home-cooked meals with convenience and quality.”