Meals in Minutes Co-Founders Brandon Lim (L) and Khiara Mia
Malaysia-based food startup Meals in Minutes has secured US$1.5 million in a seed round led by 500 Global with participation from an undisclosed private investor.
The startup will use the money to expand in Singapore and Malaysia and establish a presence in the UK. A portion of the capital will go into R&D to develop its selection of food products and build a marketing campaign.
“The funding will be focused on achieving key milestones such as successfully launching in the UK market, product development, and building a robust foundation for future growth across all markets,” said CFO Vin Vin Khu.
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Launched in 2020 by Brandon Lim and Khiara Mia, Meals in Minutes serves vacuum-packed, ready-to-cook meals, allowing consumers to whip up a gourmet meal within 15 minutes. All meals are flash-frozen and individually portioned to reduce food wastage without genetically modified ingredients or additional artificial substances.
“Meals In Minutes was founded with the vision of simplifying cooking for individuals leading busy lives, offering them the opportunity to enjoy high-quality, clean, and nutritious meals without the associated hassle and requisite culinary skills. Additionally, recognising the considerable advantages of this concept, we anticipated its positive impact on business and cafe owners who aspire to provide food services but lack the necessary equipment and resources to operate a fully equipped kitchen,” said CEO Brandon Lim.
Integrating Meals in Minutes food products enables businesses to optimise kitchen operations, producing consistent gourmet meals. This is achieved without needing a fully equipped kitchen or employing a professional chef, thus overcoming the workforce dilemma without compromising quality.
Today, Meals in Minutes is available in Singapore across multiple online marketplaces, including GrabMart, Shopee, Redmart, and Amazon Fresh, in premium grocery stores, including FairPrice finest. It has also partnered with hotels in Singapore.
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Khiara Mia, Co-Founder of Meals in Minutes, added: “Our advanced meal kits not only offer sustainable solutions to F&B businesses but also tackle environmental concerns like food wastage and excessive packaging. We’re also collaborating with CleanHub to prevent plastic pollution by collecting plastic waste for every product sold. Sustainability remains a pivotal factor in shaping our future business strategies.”
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