The Mumbai-based company sees a massive opportunity in quick food deliveries and believes it has the right to win in the category thanks to its well-established model comprising offline eateries as well as cloud kitchens, which allow it to offer a full-stack setup with access to multiple brands such as Faasos, Behrouz Biryani, and Wendy’s, Kochhar said.
“We have realized that quick commerce and quick food delivery is the new reality of the F&B [food and beverages] world. It is bound to disrupt because it takes convenience to the next level. We already have a full-stack play across 50-odd locations that we have built over a decade,” Kochhar said.
“We are well placed to live up to the 15-minute promise. And not just that, we are offering a guarantee that you will get your food delivered in 15 minutes or get it for free,” the executive added.
Rebel’s Quickies, launched in Mumbai’s select pin codes in February, is expected to reach other metro cities such as the National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, Chennai, and Pune in the next 6-12 months, Kochhar told Mint.
Founded in 2011 by Jaydeep Barman and Kallol Banerjee, Rebel Foods operates brands such as Behrouz Biryani, Oven Story, and Faasos, competing with large fast-food chains and standalone cloud kitchen operators. Currently, it operates over 450 cloud kitchens across 75 cities in India, the Middle East, North Africa, Indonesia, and the UK.
In December 2024, Rebel secured $210 million in a Series G round led by Temasek, with participation from existing investor Evolvence, to aid the expansion of EatSure. Mint reported that the round valued the company at $750 million.
Return of ordering in
Quick food deliveries have taken the Indian food-tech ecosystem by storm over the last one year, with small and large players looking to make the most of the post-pandemic rebound in ordering in.
Quick-commerce player Zepto was the first to start a quick food delivery service called Zepto Cafe in 2022. It launched a standalone app for its food business in December 2024. Swiggy and Zomato’s Blinkit followed suit and launched standalone apps this year to deliver meals, snacks, and beverages in 15-20 minutes.
Private investors have also shown interest in funding newer players in the space, looking to cash in on the opportunity. In November, Bengaluru-based quick food delivery startup Swish, founded in August 2024, raised $2 million from venture capital firm Accel and other investors.
The rush into online fast-food deliveries is expected to increase competition in the food ordering space, prompting regular food service companies to prepare items for shorter delivery timelines. Rebel has now joined the bandwagon.
However, Rebel’s Kochhar doesn’t believe Quickies is intended to pose competition to incumbents like Swiggy and Zomato. “I think about this less as competition and more about the ability to solve for convenience and meet customer needs in the best possible manner,” he added.
Rebel’s brands are listed on Swiggy and Zomato and these platforms will remain strategic partners as they generate “a good chunk” of business, according to Kochhar.
Offline for the win
Rebel’s entry into instant food delivery is based on its extensive offline restaurant setup, which includes seven EatSure food courts, three Oven Story dine-in outlets, and 12 Wendy’s outlets.
The Temasek- and KKR-backed firm made some changes to its physical kitchens to meet the 15-minute food delivery promise, including technology interventions like workflow and kitchen upgrades to boost operational efficiency, according to Kochhar.
These investments have helped reduce kitchen preparation time, streamline staff movement, and replenish supplies like groceries and packaging.
It has also introduced artificial intelligence-powered systems to forecast how many orders are likely to be registered at a given point in time and how the workforce can be used efficiently to meet the demand.
However, instant food delivery can be costly.
“It took Swiggy and Zomato a decade to put together a strong system of delivery fleet. Let’s not forget how much effort it takes to build sustained relationships with restaurant partners. With Rebel making and delivering its own food, we can expect some operational complications in the initial stages,” said an early-stage investor on the condition of anonymity.
According to Rebel’s Kochhar, the investments in upgrading technology have been minimal. “The additional investment was very incremental. If someone was to build the cloud kitchen model from scratch, it would have cost about ₹60-80 lakh. For us, it was already there,” Kochhar noted.
In 2023-24, the company’s revenue from operations saw a modest rise to ₹1,420 crore from ₹1,195 crore a year ago, while expenses remained flat at ₹1,857 crore, showed regulatory filings accessed by business intelligence platform Tofler.
To create top-of-mind recall among consumers, Rebel is looking to expand its partnerships with national as well as international chains. It is already tied up with the fast-food chain Taco Bell. “Several conversations are ongoing. We want to bring multiple cuisines on the table for consumers to choose,” Kochhar said.
