FoodTech in India has turned into one of the most dynamic startup sectors. Startups no longer limit themselves to simple food delivery. They innovate across cloud kitchens, quick commerce, nutrition-focused products, alternative proteins, and supply chain improvements.
In the first half of 2025, Indian startups across sectors raised around US$5.7 billion. FoodTech contributed a significant share of this activity. Even though investors have grown more cautious, they continue to back strong models that show growth with profitability.
Here are the top 10 FoodTech startups in India in 2025. Each company has built a unique model, secured fresh funding, or announced expansion plans that put them on the map.
1. Rebel Foods
Rebel Foods runs one of the world’s largest cloud kitchen networks. It operates internet-first restaurant brands like Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, Oven Story, and Mandarin Oak. Rebel Foods uses its proprietary Rebel Operating System (Rebel OS) to launch and scale new brands quickly.
In April 2025, the company raised US$25 million from Qatar Investment Authority. Just months earlier, in December 2024, it had secured US$210 million in a Series G round led by Temasek, which pushed its valuation to US$1.4 billion. Rebel Foods also announced plans for an IPO in 2025-26.
Rebel Foods thrives because of its ability to manage multiple brands under one kitchen infrastructure, reducing costs and optimizing delivery. However, the company faces heavy capital requirements, competition from delivery platforms, and pressure to prove profitable growth before its IPO.
2. Swiggy
Swiggy dominates India’s food delivery and quick commerce market. The company expanded beyond food with Instamart for groceries and a supply-chain arm called Scootsy.
In 2025, Swiggy committed US$115.5 million to Scootsy to strengthen its supply chain. Around the same time, Instamart shed the Swiggy branding and started building its identity as a standalone quick commerce player.
Swiggy leverages its huge customer base, logistics expertise, and restaurant partnerships. It also experiments with healthy eating categories such as high-protein meals to match changing consumer demand. Swiggy’s main challenge lies in managing high delivery costs while facing intense competition from Zepto, Blinkit, and BigBasket.
3. Zomato and Blinkit (Eternal)
Zomato, now rebranded on the stock market as Eternal, runs both food delivery and its quick commerce arm Blinkit. Blinkit delivers groceries and essentials in under ten minutes across many Indian cities.
The company benefits from cross-selling opportunities and economies of scale between Zomato’s food delivery network and Blinkit’s dark stores. The Eternal brand holds strong recognition, which helps attract repeat users.
However, Zomato faces thin margins, fluctuating customer loyalty, and high operational costs of maintaining dark stores. As a publicly listed company, Zomato must balance growth with profitability, under constant scrutiny from investors.
4. Licious
Licious carved a niche in fresh meat, seafood, and protein-rich ready-to-cook products. It differentiates itself by promising freshness, hygiene, and convenience.
In February 2025, Licious announced plans to go public in 2026 with a target valuation of US$2 billion. The company also began expanding its physical footprint, with a goal of opening 500 stores over the next few years. Licious has already narrowed losses and streamlined operations even though revenue dipped slightly during one cycle.
The company enjoys strong demand as Indian consumers spend more on protein-rich diets. At the same time, Licious must overcome cold chain challenges, high logistics costs, and food safety regulations to achieve profitability at scale.
5. Zepto
Zepto entered the market with a bold promise: deliver groceries in under ten minutes. The startup, founded by two teenagers, now operates more than 250 dark stores across India.
Zepto’s fast delivery times and sharp focus on execution helped it win a loyal customer base. It has raised multiple large funding rounds and reached multi-billion dollar valuations.
Yet, Zepto burns significant cash because dark stores and logistics require high investment. The company must prove it can achieve unit economics while still keeping its speed advantage intact.
6. BigBasket
BigBasket, backed by the Tata Group, has built a strong base in online grocery delivery. In 2025, the company revealed its biggest ambition yet: to launch 10-minute food delivery across India by March 2026.
BigBasket already runs around 700 dark stores, and it plans to scale that number to between 1,000 and 1,200 by the end of 2025. With Tata’s financial backing, BigBasket has the resources to compete with Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, and Blinkit.
BigBasket’s strength lies in its deep supply chain network. However, entering quick food delivery demands expertise in menu curation, inventory management, and customer experience—all of which remain new challenges for the company.
7. Gladful and Other Nutrition-Focused Brands
While delivery platforms grab headlines, D2C FoodTech brands focused on nutrition and health also gain momentum.
One example is Gladful, a startup that sells high-protein and children’s nutrition products. In 2025, Gladful raised Rs 8 crore (over US$1 million) in fresh funding led by Eternal Capital. Existing investors also doubled down on their bets.
Gladful rides the wave of rising health awareness and protein-rich diets. Such startups target niche audiences and often command higher margins. Their main challenge lies in scaling distribution and competing with large FMCG players who can copy similar products.
8. GreenGrahi
GreenGrahi works upstream in the food ecosystem by developing insect-based animal feed. This model focuses on sustainability, lower environmental impact, and alternative protein sources for livestock.
In 2025, GreenGrahi raised around US$3.8 million to scale production. Investors backed it because animal feed costs continue to rise globally, and sustainable alternatives hold strong appeal.
GreenGrahi operates in a less crowded space, which gives it first-mover advantage. However, it must handle regulatory approvals, cost comparisons with traditional feed, and scaling manufacturing capacity.
9. Regional Quick Commerce Startups
Several regional players have emerged in India’s FoodTech scene. These startups often run micro-fulfilment centers or dark stores to serve local populations faster.
Unlike giants such as Zepto or Blinkit, regional startups focus on specific cities or states, which helps them achieve tighter logistics and lower costs. Some of these companies raised seed or Series A rounds in 2025, showing investor interest in localized models.
The challenge for regional startups is expansion. Scaling beyond their home city often proves difficult because logistics, customer loyalty, and branding vary widely across India.
10. Emerging FoodTech Models
The FoodTech ecosystem in India also includes innovative models that go beyond delivery and groceries. Startups experiment with:
- Plant-based meat and alternative proteins
- Smart packaging and food traceability
- Automated kitchens and AI-driven menu optimization
Although these startups remain small, they reflect global trends toward sustainability, health, and efficiency. If they secure funding and scale, they could become the next wave of FoodTech leaders in India.
However, these businesses face high innovation risks, long product development cycles, and hurdles in consumer acceptance.
Market Trends in 2025
- Funding Slowdown with Selective Bets
Indian startups saw a funding slowdown in 2025, with fewer late-stage rounds. Yet, FoodTech leaders like Rebel Foods, Zepto, and Licious continued to attract capital. Investors demanded clearer paths to profitability. - Quick Commerce Boom
Quick commerce remains the fastest-growing category. Zepto, Instamart, Blinkit, and BigBasket invested heavily in dark stores and last-mile delivery networks. - Shift Toward Profitability
Startups now focus on unit economics, reducing wastage, and optimizing delivery routes. Investors reward those who can show sustainable growth. - Health and Nutrition Demand
Consumers show more interest in protein-rich diets, clean labels, and healthy convenience foods. Startups like Gladful and Licious benefit from this trend. - IPO Pipeline
Rebel Foods and Licious plan to go public in the next 1-2 years. Their IPO outcomes will signal how public markets view FoodTech valuations.
Risks and Opportunities
- Opportunities: Expansion in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, improved cold chains, sustainable packaging, alternative protein adoption, and AI-driven logistics optimization.
- Risks: High cash burn, regulatory compliance, customer acquisition costs, infrastructure gaps, and investor pressure on profitability.
Conclusion
India’s FoodTech ecosystem in 2025 shows both maturity and disruption. Giants like Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket fight to dominate delivery and quick commerce. Niche brands like Licious and Gladful focus on protein and health. Innovators like GreenGrahi tackle sustainability challenges at the source.
The next few years will decide which startups achieve profitable scale and which fade out. Success will depend on efficient supply chains, customer trust, strong brand positioning, and innovation. FoodTech in India is no longer just about delivering food—it now redefines what, how, and how fast people eat.
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