Indonesian Lunchbox Startup Berry Kitchen Raises $1.25M Series A

Startups around the world are snapping up funding to solve an important problem: how to eat healthy, delicious meals with the least possible amount of effort. The latest is Jakarta-based meal delivery service Berry Kitchen, which just raised a $1.25 million Series A led by Sovereign’s Capital, with participation from East Ventures.

The company claims that it has served more than 245,000 boxes to 7,000 customers since its launch in 2012. About 15 to 20 new customizable meals are offered every day. Instead of ordering specific plans in advance, customers purchase credits from Berry Kitchen, which they can then redeem for the meal of their choice each day.

While cities in Indonesia have several restaurant delivery options, including Foodpanda and Klik-Eat, founder and chief executive officer Cynthia Tenggara says Berry Kitchen is much more affordable, with each lunchbox costing just $2 to $3.

The company plans to use its new capital to grow its customer base five times through marketing; hiring for its operational and technology team; improving its tech platform, which manages all orders and deliveries; and building two kitchens to cover orders in the Jakarta area. Berry Kitchen is targeting expansion into other Indonesian cities first before launching in other Southeast Asian countries.

The startup also plans to launch a Blue Apron-like service for people who enjoy cooking, but don’t like the hassle of shopping for ingredients. Instead of a subscription model, however, Berry Kitchen’s “ready-to-cook” option will allow customers to purchase kits for individual meals, as long as they place their orders three hours in advance.