“Straight from the packet or just a little pan-frying.” That’s the mantra with India’s emerging consumer class of GenZs and millennials, and it’s one that D2C startups selling ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook foods are banking on

Of course, convenience is just one part of the equation. Healthy, unadulterated and clean labels are the other side. The likes of The Whole Truth, Khetika, 24 Mantra, Slurrp Farms and others are trying to strike the right balance.

India’s nascent INR 75,000 Cr ($9 Bn) market for clean label, and the the $6.65 Bn ready-to-cook meals market combined have attracted a whole host of retail startups and D2C brands. The latter is projected to reach $12 Bn by 2033, thanks to an accelerating consumer demand for convenient, healthy, and authentic meal solutions, meeting busy lifestyle, health-conscious eating, and a preference for regional cuisines.

The ready-to-cook (RTC) boom reflects in the growth seen by iD Fresh and its rival Khetika. While iD saw its revenue soar 22% on-year to INR 681.3 Cr in FY25 and profitability swing five-fold to INR 26 Cr, Khetika’s topline jumped 50% to INR 247 Cr and the company inched towards break-even.

But Khetika CEO Prithwi Singh believes his startup’s USP of unadulterated ingredients and the use of nutrient-retention technology is one that not many other rivals can match.

“Khetika stands as one of India’s largest zero-preservative brands,” the Khetika CEO said.

The startup was founded by Singh, Darshan Krishnamurthy and Raghuveer Allada in 2017 to address gaps that plague India’s ready-to-cook food and spices industry by removing adulteration, yet retaining the home-like taste.

Quick commerce was yet to go full throttle then, so Khetika followed the old-school trade channels, starting from Mumbai to reach out to potential customers.

Eight years later after securing $18 Bn in July 2025 in a Series B round, the company has four production plants across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, and a dedicated foxnuts facility in Bihar. The company’s relatively under-the-radar journey has served it well, as it allowed the founders and the team to focus on quality rather than growth alone.

The fact that Khetika has managed to reach INR 250 Cr in revenue despite that underscores a broader shift in the Indian market: consumers aren’t just buying products, they’re investing in authenticity and quality, especially when the fulfilment is becoming........

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