₹56 lakh in just 9 months! What makes this Bengaluru couple’s healthy food business tick?

Are you a young professional living in a metro city who struggles to find time to cook? Between office deadlines, long commutes, social commitments, and managing expenses, looking after one's health can sometimes take a back seat. Even something as basic as eating a balanced meal can become a challenge. For many, planning meals, tracking protein intake and counting calories can feel like additional responsibilities in an already busy routine.

A Bengaluru couple decided to address this very problem. According to a report by Startup Pedia, Diya Krishnakumar and Adithya Natarajan, both IT professionals, launched their venture, Wellfed, in September 2024. The idea emerged from their own experiences of trying to balance demanding work schedules with healthy eating. They wanted meals that were convenient, nutritious, and satisfying, while retaining the familiarity of home-cooked food. However, the meal subscription services available at the time did not quite meet their expectations. The couple eventually identified an opportunity to bridge this gap and decided to build their own food business.

Stepping away from their IT careers, the duo launched Wellfed, a healthy meal subscription startup in Bengaluru, with an initial investment of ₹15 lakh, largely from their personal savings. The venture has since generated ₹56 lakh in revenue between January and September 2026. It has also served more than 1,500 customers and delivered over 55,000 meals so far.

Speaking to Startup Pedia, Diya Krishnakumar said, "We are trying to change this exact trade-off that young professionals get caught up in. Healthy, comforting meals should come with the convenience of not worrying about your pantry stock or your busy mornings and afternoons. Fifty-five thousand meals later, we are still unwaveringly true to this vision."

How two IT professionals turned their food struggles into a business

Bengaluru-based Diya and Adithya, both 28, are computer science engineers who began their careers at the same company. After spending more than three years working in the IT sector, they decided to leave their jobs and pursue an MBA.

During their time in the IT industry, the couple realised how difficult it was to maintain regular eating habits alongside demanding work schedules. Their busy routines often left little time for cooking. On some days, they would return home with takeaway food, while on others, one of them would barely manage to prepare dinner.

Diya also realised that preparing everyday meals could take considerably longer than most people anticipate. She explained that recipes advertised as taking just 20 minutes often require much more time in a regular kitchen. Expecting people to cook after a long and demanding workday, therefore, was not always practical.

The couple began exploring meal subscription services that could provide both lunch and dinner. However, they found that most available options focused on offering multiple cuisines and elaborate preparations rather than simple, everyday Indian food.

They wanted healthy meals without making customers feel as though they were following a restrictive diet. Their preference was for familiar dishes featuring dal, vegetables, roti, and protein-rich preparations. Unable to find an affordable service that matched their expectations, they decided to create one themselves.

Inside Wellfed: Team, menu and business growth

When Wellfed first started, the team consisted of six members, including the two founders, a nutritionist, a cook, a steward, and a delivery person. The nutritionist helped plan the meals and calculate their nutritional composition, while the rest of the team handled food preparation and deliveries. During the initial phase, the couple shared their meals with friends and family to understand how people would respond to the concept.

The encouraging feedback gave them the confidence to continue. Diya believed that the familiarity and comfort of home-style food offered something that elaborate restaurant dishes could not always replicate.

Wellfed's menu includes everyday preparations such as dal, aloo gobhi, jowar roti, adraki chicken and chole chaat. It also incorporates protein-rich ingredients such as paneer, tofu, soya and chicken.

For customers looking for more variety, the menu features wraps, biryanis and popular Indo-Chinese dishes. The venture received an early boost when a Bengaluru-based nutritionist shared a reel about Wellfed on social media. This collaboration helped the startup attract its first 100 customers.

About the Author

Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.