The Kenko Life raises seed funding

The Kenko Life, a Bengaluru-based health-first food company founded by Neeraj Kumar and Vivek Chandran, has raised seed funding to strengthen its foundation and fuel its next phase of growth. The round was led by Rainmatter, Zerodha’s health-focused investment fund, with participation from angel investor Aniketh Jain (co-founder, Kaleyra). The earlier investment was by R Raghunathan (co-founder of Prizm Payment Services (now known as Hitachi Payment Services) and OPC Asset Solutions).

Since its inception in 2023, The Kenko Life has emerged as one of Bengaluru’s leading health-focused food subscription companies. It currently serves 800+ active subscribers across the city, operates four cafés, and delivers over 21,000 meals every month, backed by 300% year-on-year topline growth and industry-leading repeat purchase rates. Built on a foundation of nutrition science, everyday convenience, and culinary creativity, Kenko has become the go-to choice for urban consumers and corporates seeking food that’s both healthy and enjoyable.

With this round, Kenko will deepen its operations in Bengaluru and expand to Hyderabad, while investing in product development, technology, and team growth. The funds will be used to expand its product portfolio with clean-ingredient desserts and standardized calorie-counted Indian Thalis, strengthen kitchen capacity and last-mile delivery systems, and build robust technology and data infrastructure for a personalized food experience through a consumer app. 

Kenko also plans to enhance its nutrition counselling services, build on its eco-friendly packaging solutions across its product lines, and continue to educate urban audiences on the value of calorie- and macro-counted eating through focused marketing initiatives. Over the next 18–24 months, Kenko plans to operate six cafés, launch its mobile app, and introduce two new product lines, Protein Packed Low Calorie No Sugar Desserts and High Protein Indian Thali Meals.

“At Rainmatter, we want to support founders who are solving problems around health and nutrition with a long-term view,” said Nithin Kamath, founder & CEO, Zerodha. “We are happy to support the team at Kenko who are building solutions around everyday food that is right for you. Healthy food in India has usually been either boring or unaffordable, and Kenko is changing that by making it tasty, accessible, and appropriate for the right nutrition for individuals and families. We believe this is a category that will grow as more Indians become aware of the importance of eating clean and right.”

“People don’t want another diet chart. They want healthy food without the extra effort, food that fits into their day, not food they have to plan their day around. With this round, we’re going all in on what truly sets Kenko apart: science-backed nutrition, consistently measured on a scale, and meals that feel like your home food,” said Neeraj Kumar, founder of The Kenko Life.

“Healthy eating shouldn’t feel like a compromise; it should feel like a habit you enjoy,” added Vivek Chandran, co-founder of The Kenko Life. “This funding allows us to scale that experience, expanding into Hyderabad, building deeper personalization through technology, and making everyday nutrition a way of life for modern India.”

India’s health-focused food services market is valued at US$ 2–3 billion and growing at a 20–25% CAGR. Within this, subscription-based healthy meals are emerging as a fast-growing segment. With its strong community-led growth, deep nutrition expertise, and focus on operational consistency, Kenko is well-positioned to lead the evolution of everyday nutrition in India.

Founded in January 2023, The Kenko Life is a Bengaluru-based health-first food company offering personalized, nutritionist-backed meal subscriptions and clean-ingredient desserts designed for modern Indian lifestyles. By combining data-driven nutrition, everyday accessibility, and culinary innovation, Kenko aims to make eating healthy effortless and enjoyable.