Licious the D2C fresh animal protein brand in the country, has achieved a billion dollars valuation post receipt of funding worth $52mn led by IIFL AMC’s Late Stage Tech Fund.
The achievement of Licious Unicorn status is expected to not only further the journey of the brand but unlock the next level of opportunities for the animal protein sector through an inflow of investment, talent & the emergence of more start-ups that will help raise the bar in all aspects.
The D2C market in India is estimated to become 100bn+ by 2025. The pandemic has played a major role in accelerating growth for the sector.
Vivek Gupta & Abhay Hanjura, Co-Founders, Licious says, “Even though the funding for D2C sector has grown significantly, FMCG is still not considered the most attractive category. We expect that Licious’ Unicorn status will change that. The fresh meats & seafood sector is still largely underserved and unorganised that holds a vast opportunity of $40 bn. As the category leader, we aim at paving the way for a second wave of young start-ups that can join hands in fully harnessing the potential that the industry has to offer. We will continue to build the category through investments in technology for supply chain excellence, product innovation, talent, and vendor partner upgrades.
In the coming years, you will see Licious work towards building a sustainable, responsible business that will reimagine the animal protein category in India through an optimal mix of global influence & products curated for the
Indian palate. But most of all, you will see us championing the cause of fresh meats & seafood sector as we continue to put it in the front row of consumer businesses in India.”
Chetan Naik of IIFL AMC, says “Licious has disrupted the meat and seafood category, which has largely been unorganized and underserved. Vivek and Abhay have demonstrated high levels of customer-centricity and an unparalleled focus on supply chain necessary for a perishable product. Licious’ focus on product quality, freshness and innovation has created a strong brand making them the undisputed category leader.”
“Today, Licious is amongst the fastest growing D2C brands and is one of the few consumer businesses in India with very strong revenue retention metrics. We are excited to partner with them in this journey of creating India’s most-loved meat & seafood Brand”. he added
Known for their category-first initiatives, Licious, has been responsible for disrupting the sector over the last 6 years. Earlier this year, Licious allocated ESOPs to over 1000 employees including the blue-collared workforce. This was followed by a buyback worth 30 crores INR, in Aug.
The company also recently announced their pledge to comply to the lofty global ESG standards, setting new benchmarks for sustainability & governance. Spread across 14 Indian cities, the company has experienced an unprecedented growth of over 500% that the company saw during the last year followed by the continuing momentum of the same. Licious has successfully delivered to more than 2 million unique customers till date.
In July 2021, Licious raised $192 mn in their Series F funding Round, led by Temasek & Multiples, making it the highest funded company in the fresh animal protein business category. Brunei Investment Agency also participated in the round along with existing investors 3one4 Capital, Bertelsmann India Investments, Vertex Growth Fund, and Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India.
