Yu, founded in 2021 by Bharat Bhalla and Varun Kapur, produces healthier, all‑natural instant food and beverage products and has expanded its portfolio from instant cup noodles and pastas to ready‑to‑cook noodles and natural beverages. The company has launched a 100% fruit juice range and says it offers 25 unique instant food and beverage SKUs that closely mimic freshly prepared meals. Yu uses technologies such as lyophilisation and flash pasteurisation for its noodles, pastas and fruit juices, and its flagship items (100% Whole Wheat Noodles and 100% Coconut Water) have recorded breakout sales. It claims significant market share in the cup noodles category and says it leads the hakka noodles segment across online platforms. Operating from a 30,000 sq. ft. Gurugram facility (UK FSSC 22000 and US FDA certified), the company employs over 200 people and is planning a second facility to support expansion. Yu reaches more than 7,500 stores across India, is listed on major quick‑commerce and e‑commerce platforms, sells in over 2,000 South African outlets, reported an annualised revenue run rate of INR 50 crore, and sold over 1 million units in September 2024. Yu, founded by Bharat Bhalla and Varun Kapur, is an omnichannel consumer food brand that offers natural instant meals prepared in 4–5 minutes. The company has developed 15 unique products across noodles, pasta, oats, and halwa, and recently expanded into the non-vegetarian category with items like Butter Chicken Pasta and Chilli Chicken Noodles. In a span of 12 months it has entered multiple channels including 3,000+ offline stores, online e‑commerce and quick commerce servicing pan-India, over 100 institutional campuses, and exports to South Africa and the US. The brand reports over 200% quarter-on-quarter customer growth and is on track to sell 1 million bowls by Q3‑FY23. Yu plans to introduce 10 more products over the next 12 months, double its capacity, ramp up offline and online distribution in India, and continue expanding its global footprint across Africa, the Middle East, and the US.

Total raised

$9M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series B

Latest activity

Oct 2024