Salad Days

Salad Days operates as a delivery-focused food service in India, centered on providing healthy meal options. The company was founded in 2014 by Varun Madan, who currently serves as the CEO. Madan, an engineer from NSIT Delhi with an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, transitioned from a career in corporate strategy at Wipro and Indus Towers to pursue his passion for food and health. He identified a market gap for complete, nutritious, and flavorful salads at a time when they were not widely considered a full meal option in India.

The business began in Delhi-NCR, initially facing the challenge of sourcing high-quality fresh produce, which led Madan to establish the company's own farm. This farm has since evolved and is now a 3-acre facility also used for community engagement. Salad Days was an early adopter of the cloud kitchen model, operating even before the major food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy became prevalent. For over a decade, the company grew as a bootstrapped and profitable venture, a notable achievement in the food-tech sector. A significant milestone was reached in January 2025, when Salad Days secured its first institutional funding, a Series A round of ₹30 crore co-led by V3 Ventures and Client Associates Alternate Fund (CAAF). This capital is intended to fuel omnichannel expansion, enhance technology, and strengthen its operational infrastructure.

The company's business model is centered around a network of cloud kitchens, with 25 locations across Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai as of early 2025. Revenue is generated through direct sales via its website and centralized phone lines, as well as through major food aggregators like Swiggy, Zomato, and ONDC. The menu extends beyond salads to include grain bowls, sandwiches, pita pockets, oatmeal bowls, soups, cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and desserts. This diverse offering is supported by state-of-the-art central kitchens to ensure consistency and quality across all outlets. The company targets health-conscious urban consumers in metro and tier-I cities seeking convenient and affordable wholesome meals.

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