Licious: Pioneering India’s Fresh Meat Delivery Revolution
In a country where food plays a central role in daily life, trust and quality are paramount, especially when it comes to perishables like meat. Licious, a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) fresh meat delivery platform, has carved out a niche for itself in India’s burgeoning food market. The company has not only transformed how Indians buy and consume meat but also set new standards for hygiene and freshness.
A Meat Market Makeover
Founded in 2015 by Abhay Hanjura and Vivek Gupta, Licious was born out of a personal experience that many Indian consumers could relate to—the frustration of finding quality meat. Traditional markets and butchers were often inconsistent, lacking both quality control and hygiene standards. Hanjura and Gupta saw this gap in the market and identified a need for a trusted, reliable source for fresh, high-quality meat and seafood.
Licious operates with a simple yet groundbreaking premise: to offer farm-to-fork, fresh meat that’s free from harmful chemicals, preservatives, and antibiotics. The company takes charge of the entire supply chain, from sourcing to last-mile delivery, ensuring a seamless experience for the customer.
Their promise of “Fresh meats, not frozen” resonated with consumers in urban areas, especially among young professionals looking for convenience without compromising on quality.
Building Trust with Quality and Hygiene
In a market that had long accepted compromises in the way meat was purchased, Licious’ emphasis on stringent hygiene standards and product quality set it apart. The company has implemented end-to-end cold chain management, ensuring that the meat remains fresh from the farm to the consumer’s kitchen. Licious claims that it only processes animals that meet its high-quality benchmarks and that the product is cut and cleaned in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)-certified facilities.
The company’s standards align with international food safety protocols, helping to build customer trust in a sector that traditionally lacked regulation and oversight. This meticulous approach has attracted health-conscious consumers who are becoming increasingly selective about where their food comes from and how it is handled.
Product Variety and Convenience
Licious’ success is also driven by its product range, which includes fresh chicken, lamb, seafood, ready-to-cook marinated meats, and a variety of gourmet meats. Their easy-to-navigate online platform and app provide a one-stop shop for urban consumers looking for both everyday essentials and gourmet meals.
This convenience, paired with a dependable delivery system, has fueled the company’s growth. Their decision to operate as a D2C platform means that customers bypass traditional intermediaries, gaining access to fresher products with a shorter shelf life. This unique value proposition has made Licious a standout brand in an otherwise fragmented market.
Navigating Challenges in a Complex Market
Licious’ journey hasn’t been without its challenges. India’s meat market is vast and diverse, with different regions having distinct preferences. North India, for example, has a high demand for chicken, while coastal regions like Kerala prefer seafood. This diversity has required Licious to fine-tune its product offerings based on regional tastes and expand its supply chain accordingly.
In addition to logistical challenges, Licious has had to combat the cultural stigma around meat consumption in certain parts of India. Vegetarianism is prevalent in many regions, and the company has had to focus on market segmentation to ensure that it reaches its target audience effectively.
However, despite these hurdles, the company has successfully expanded its presence, and today, Licious operates in more than 28 cities across India. With a team dedicated to educating consumers about the importance of fresh and hygienic meat, Licious has tapped into a growing segment of the population that values quality over cost.
Funding and Growth
Licious has been riding a wave of investor interest, raising significant capital to fuel its expansion. In September 2021, the company achieved unicorn status after securing $52 million in a funding round led by IIFL AMC’s Late Stage Tech Fund, making it India’s first D2C startup in the fresh meat and seafood space to do so.
This funding has allowed Licious to broaden its product offerings, enhance its supply chain infrastructure, and invest in technology to improve the customer experience. The company has also launched initiatives to further its focus on sustainability, such as using eco-friendly packaging solutions.
According to reports, Licious posted a revenue of over ₹460 crore in the fiscal year 2021, marking a significant increase from previous years. Despite challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected supply chains globally, Licious continued to grow, driven by increased demand for online food delivery and a heightened focus on hygiene.
Setting Industry Standards
Licious’ success has had a ripple effect on India’s meat industry. The brand’s stringent protocols have raised the bar for competitors, compelling smaller players and local butchers to improve their hygiene standards. In many ways, Licious has forced the sector to evolve, not only by providing better products but by also making consumers more aware of what they should expect when buying meat.
Moreover, Licious has worked to create a culture of transparency. The company allows customers to track the journey of their meat from farm to kitchen, providing them with a sense of assurance that the product is fresh, clean, and ethically sourced.
The Road Ahead
As Licious continues its expansion across India, its focus on customer experience remains central to its mission. The company aims to double down on its efforts to reach new markets, introduce more ready-to-eat and gourmet offerings, and explore sustainability in deeper ways.
The challenges ahead include managing its vast supply chain, ensuring scalability without sacrificing quality, and dealing with potential competition as the D2C model becomes more popular in India’s evolving food market. However, Licious’ strong brand positioning, coupled with its customer-first approach, makes it well-poised to tackle these hurdles.
In an industry traditionally driven by local markets and informal sellers, Licious has changed the game. By focusing on hygiene, freshness, and customer trust, this startup has built an empire on the back of a simple promise: to deliver high-quality, fresh meat to the doorsteps of consumers across the country. And for now, it appears that consumers have fully bought into that promise.
