Dil Foods, a pioneering virtual restaurant platform hailing from Bangalore, is redefining the culinary landscape by drawing inspiration from diverse regions and cultures across India. Led by the visionary Founder and CEO, Arpita Aditi, the company orchestrates the creation of fresh, regional cuisine, forming strategic partnerships with a network of restaurants across various cities. The distinctive approach involves delivering partially prepared meals to partner eateries, where chefs bring the dishes to life following the detailed instructions provided on Dil Foods’ containers.
Arpita Aditi’s recent captivating pitch on Shark Tank underscored the innovative nature of Dil Foods, earning widespread acclaim from the panel of Sharks. The unique concept aims to revolutionize the challenges faced by restaurants and food businesses in India.
About Dil Foods
Restaurants in India face challenges like unpredictable foot traffic and food wastage. Dil Foods is addressing these issues by turning food wastage into an opportunity for restaurants to earn more money and attract more customers across India.
In the ever-changing Indian restaurant market, Dil Foods provides a solution for daily food wastage and financial uncertainties. They act as a middleman, helping restaurant owners minimize waste and losses while offering authentic regional cuisine.
Arpita Aditi’s vision for Dil Foods is set to make a significant impact on the food and agriculture technology scene in India. By collaborating with local restaurants and using eight cloud brands representing different regions, Dil Foods ensures culinary diversity.
Additionally, Dil Foods supplies frozen meals to partner eateries, maintaining consistency and quality. Customers can easily place orders through popular platforms like Zomato and Swiggy, making it convenient for those seeking genuine regional flavors.
Dil Foods is committed to standardization, with 68% of their menu items staying the same across all outlets. The platform’s rapid expansion to 111 outlets in just 1.5 years has led to an impressive incremental revenue of ₹6 Crores for restaurant partners. The overall 4-star rating reflects high customer satisfaction.
In summary, Dil Foods is not just changing the way we experience regional Indian cuisine; it’s also providing a comprehensive business solution, empowering local food enterprises and reshaping the culinary landscape.
About the Founder
Arpita Aditi, the visionary founder of Dil Foods, launched the innovative venture in 2022. A bio-tech engineering graduate from MIT Manipal, Aditi, originally from Ranchi, Jharkhand, brought her expertise to the food industry after a significant two-year tenure at Swiggy. During this period, she played a pivotal role in establishing national partnerships, connecting with more than 5000 restaurants, setting the stage for the creation of Dil Foods.
How to Partner with them?
Discover the opportunity to elevate your restaurant’s sales with Dil Foods Virtual Restaurants by joining their Fulfillment Partner squad. Interested entrepreneurs can seamlessly explore this collaboration through a straightforward online form on the Dil Foods website.
The form requires essential information such as the participant’s full name, contact number, email address, restaurant name, and city of operation. Additionally, individuals can express their interest in one of Dil Foods’ eight unique brands, each offering a distinct culinary experience. These brands include DIL Punjabi (Authentic Punjabi Cuisine), Bihari Bowl (Meals from Bihar), Khichdi Bar, The Chaat Cult (Indian Chaats and Snacks), Bhole ke Chole, House of Andhra (Authentic Andhra Cuisine), Aahar, and Chahwa.
Applicants are asked to specify their kitchen size, ranging from 50-150 sqft to 700+ sqft. The form also delves into the entrepreneur’s journey in running their business, the exciting aspects of partnering with Dil Foods, and their approach to managing manpower and prioritizing hygiene.
This opportunity opens doors for restaurateurs to expand their revenue without expanding their physical space. Dil Foods aims to support partners by offering training, standardizing recipes, and introducing new concepts and cuisines. Entrepreneurs can start the journey to earn more by filling out the form and embarking on a collaborative venture with Dil Foods.
Shark Tank Deal
The Shark Tank episode featuring Dil Foods aired on January 26, 2024. Arpita Aditi impressed all the Sharks with her entrepreneurial energy, pitching for 0.5% equity in exchange for Rs. 50 lakh. Vineeta Singh, Radhika Gupta, and Ritesh Agarwal individually supported her, later joining forces for a joint offer of Rs 2 Crore for 2.67% equity, which Arpita accepted. The transformative pitch highlighted Dil Foods’ innovative platform in the food and agriculture technology industry, securing a notable deal on Shark Tank India.
Funding and Revenue as Revealed on Shark Tank
In the financial year 2022-2023, Dil Foods reported sales of ₹7 crores with a burn of ₹1 crore. As of October 2023, their sales have reached ₹13.16 crores, targeting ₹30 crores by year-end. Profits stand at ₹87 lakhs, with an anticipated year-end profit of ₹2.2 crores.
On the funding front, Dil Foods raised ₹1 crore in April ’22 at a ₹14 crores valuation. They secured an additional ₹80 lakhs in September ’22, maintaining the same valuation. In July ’23, a significant fund infusion of ₹15.5 crores raised their valuation to ₹75 crores. Founder Arpita Aditi aspires to drive Dil Foods to a ₹7500 Crore company in the next 5 years.
Analyzing their financial structure, Dil Foods boasts an average order value of ₹300. Restaurant share is 31%, packaging costs take 6%, and marketing is allocated 10.5%. Logistics and miscellaneous costs combine for 1%, while chef salaries and Swiggy/Zomato commissions account for 1% and 22%, respectively. Employee salaries represent 11.97%, and factory/utilities expenses are 4.88%, resulting in an EBITDA of 11.65%.
Journey so Far
In the past 1.5 years, their impressive expansion to 111 outlets has not only made a significant mark but has also generated a remarkable additional revenue of ₹6 Crores for partnering restaurants. Reflecting the excellence of their culinary offerings, customer satisfaction shines through with an impressive overall 4-star rating.
Final Thoughts
Dil Foods has won the hearts of thousands with its sustainable restaurant industry idea. Dil Foods understands that Indians love various kinds of food every day. Single-themed restaurants find it hard to manage different cuisines well. Dil Foods solves this by using the unused potential of small and medium-sized restaurants, providing a diverse menu that appeals to a larger group of people. This smart approach improves the whole dining experience for everyone.
