Mukunda Foods, originally a QSR, evolved into a kitchen technology expert, simplifying kitchen operations through automation.
Established in 2012 by Eshwar K Vikas and Sudeep Sabat, engineering students and roommates at SRM University, Mukunda Foods Pvt Ltd began as a QSR (quick-service restaurant) business in Bengaluru. However, facing delivery challenges due to its production process, they pivoted to develop their kitchen automation products to enhance customer services.
Initially, they designed an automatic dosa-making machine, DosaMatic, which can prepare a dosa in one minute. The user only needs to place the batter in one container and oil in the other. As the company grew, it expanded its product line to include solutions like Wokie, an automated cooking station capable of preparing various cuisines (Chinese, Indian, and Italian), Ecofryer—automated fryers, and Combi ovens. Over time, it ventured into enterprise solutions, collaborating with brands like Faasos (now Rebel Foods), Chaayos, and ITC among others.
“The company offers a broad product range, automating 80% of global cuisines. Moreover, it has expanded services to include kitchen layout design, aiding brands in workflow optimisation and improving efficiency,” shares Rupali Pawar, Senior Vice President of Business at Mukunda Foods.
A complete R&D team, including a full-fledged design team, an embedded electronics team, Android developers, and a COE team, back the company. The company’s R&D team has put in their hard work to paper by applying for and achieving multiple patents on its course.
Their headquarters and manufacturing facility are in Bengaluru. The 1858 square metres (20,000-square-feet) plant is a significant investment and features state-of-the-art amenities. It employs 200 people. They maintain sales teams in various cities across India, supplemented by smaller offices in Delhi and Mumbai.
Mukunda Foods
Rupali highlights that its IoT-enabled machines allow business owners to remotely track their equipment’s usage and performance from a central location. This connectivity enables them to analyse data and make informed decisions, such as introducing new menu items or optimising equipment usage. If someone prefers not to use advanced AI or IoT features, the machine can still operate at a basic level, with basic programming and mechanisation.
All aspects, from design to R&D, are conducted internally. While a few components are imported, the bulk is procured from India, with potential sourcing from China or Taiwan. “While some parts may require import, our primary supply chain comprises Indian suppliers, constituting 80% to 90% of our sourcing,” adds Rupali.
The company operates servers akin to AWS for data storage. An R&D team oversees and collaborates with this data, managing data security and account creation to ensure that only designated customers receive pertinent information.
The startup asserts that it has exceeded 10,000 installations, with the majority occurring within the last year. Their numbers have consistently increased quarter-on-quarter, reaching an all-time high. This upward trend in growth is anticipated to persist for another five to six years. They foresee surpassing the 20,000 mark soon, with numerous machines dispatched and delivered to end-customer locations.
All machine features, whether standalone or IoT-enabled, are included in its value. There are no current subscription fees, but in the future, nominal fees, like 10% of the machine’s value, may apply for lifetime services. Prices range from around ₹40,000 for an eco-fryer to ₹300,000-400,000 for combi ovens and about ₹250,000 for automated cooking stations. The products vary in price from ₹40,000 to ₹500,000.
Their revenue doubled the previous year, and they project a growth of nearly 2.25 times the prior year’s revenue, resulting in a run rate of ₹600 million.
