Licious Logo

Licious came into existence in 2015 on the initiative of its founders Abhay Hanjur and Vivek Gupta. Based in Bangalore, India, the idea for the company was born out of the challenges the duo faced in buying premium meat in the city. Recognizing the potential to transform the fragmented Indian meat market, they set out to directly deliver superior, cleanly packaged meats and seafood to homes.

Starting its operations in Bangalore, Licious quickly expanded to cities such as Hyderabad and Delhi. A distinctive feature of the company’s business model has been to purchase meat and seafood directly from its producers. This allows it to guarantee quality and control sanitary conditions in its own facilities.

A major milestone in 2017 was Licious receiving an investment of $25 million in a Series C funding round, with notable participants including Mayfield India, 3one4 Capital and Sistema Asia Fund. This infusion of funds allowed Licious to expand into other cities including Pune, Chennai and Mumbai.

By 2018, the company had reached an impressive scale, with 100 tons of meat processed daily at various facilities. Around the same time, the company started diversifying its product portfolio by introducing ready-to-cook or immediate-to-eat products.

A landmark achievement came in 2020 when Licious became India’s first direct-to-consumer meat brand to achieve unicorn status, valued at over $1 billion. This achievement was followed by a significant funding of $192 million in a Series F round, led by Temasek.

Licious now operates in many cities across India, presenting a wide range of products from meat and seafood to spreads, pickles and cold snacks. With a constant commitment to innovation and growth, the company continues to expand its presence and range of products.