Award-winning Perthshire chef Praveen Kumar has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help fast-track the growth of his online frozen Indian ready meals business.
Achieving £98K within the space of 21 days, Praveen, who runs Kumar’s Curry Club and Perth Indian restaurant Tabla, has just nine days to hit his £150K target.
The businessman recently received £75K funding after winning a Scottish Edge Award and used the funds to update his website, hire a commercial manager and rebrand the business.
The crowdfunded money will be invested to grow the team of 14, add a project manager and dispatch manager, and will also be used to move the operation to a larger distribution centre where the food will be distributed across the UK.
This new premises would then grow to be able to house the food production, too.
Currently the business is based within two kitchen units at Perth Food and Drink Park on Islay Place. Within the two kitchens Praveen predicts the firm can reach its £10 million target in 2026.
Funds will also be invested into marketing activity to encourage more customers to subscribe to his ready meal curry club online, as well as attract more stores to sell his meals.
It will also be used as capital expenditure in the long term to grow the kitchen and staff numbers, with an aim of building his company into a £50 million business by 2030.
Praveen says he will achieve this by increasing the number of stores across the UK selling his products from 200 to 5,000, and increasing online subscribers from the current 3,000 to 100,000. Since launching in 2018 he has fulfilled 20k orders and the products are stocked in more than 200 retail locations.
In order to gain access to any of the funds, Praveen must hit the £150K target. To date 140 people have backed the campaign.
Economic challenges
With the aim to have a faster growth plan in place, Praveen is determined to reach the target and is confident his meals will sell nation wide despite the current cost of living crisis.
He said:” When the recession hit last time the fastest growing companies were in the ready meal market and when the pandemic hit it was the same.
“People cut down luxuries but still want to enjoy good food, and we fall into that category perfectly.”
However, without the crowdfunded funds to fast-track the company’s growth, while it will continue to be a success, scaling up will be done at a much slower rate.
How does Kumar’s Curry Club work?
Kumar’s Curry Club was established after Praveen witnessed how Indian curries were being made in the UK and as a result, he was driven to bring an authentic offering to the market.
Currently food from the club can also be bought in 200 stores across the UK including small supermarkets, farm shops and garden centres.
Customers are able to purchase the food online by building a box which can be delivered to their door for £3.
With a minimum order quantity of £40 the box includes a two-course frozen meal for four people including two starters and two mains.
Dishes can then be warmed in either the microwave or oven, depending on the dish instructions, or can be kept in the freezer for six to eight months to be used at convenience.
Award-winning business
Success has been felt across both his businesses recently. At the Spice Awards 2022 earlier this month Kumar’s Curry Club won the Best Takeaway category and Tabla was highly recommended for Best Restaurant in Central Scotland.
Praveen and his wife Swarna were also awarded the Outstanding Contribution award which was voted for by the public and judges.
Adding to the list, last night at The Food Awards Scotland 2022, the couple also won Cookery School of the Year.
“It was a shock. I wasn’t expecting it this early in my life,” he said.
“We felt very happy and it shows our team has done an amazing job and they believe in our vision.”
Conversation