Mumbai has its dabbawalas. Office-goers in the State capital too can now look forward to piping hot food delivered in steel tiffin boxes, courtesy the Kudumbashree mission.
Next week, the Kudumbashree, which is renowned for providing tasty and affordable fare through its catering units, Cafe Kudumbashree, and Janakeeya Hotels, will unveil its latest food initiative – Lunch Bell.
Mobile app for orders
The service will be piloted in Thiruvananthapuram. Food can be pre-ordered till 7 a.m. on the day of the order through a mobile app ‘Pocketmart’ that too will be rolled out along with Lunch Bell.
Initially, the fare will be limited to lunch. Customers can choose between a budget vegetarian meal of ₹60 that will include rice, sambar, pulisseri/rasam/buttermilk, thoran/mizhukkupuratti, pickle, chammanthi/koottukari and a premium non-veg meal for ₹99 that will include the above dishes plus a fish curry and omelette.
The food will be prepared in a centralised kitchen by Sruthi catering, a Kudumbashree unit at Paruthippara that has 15 years of experience in the business. The unit will have 10 persons to prepare the meals. Once ready, the food will be delivered by 10 Kudumbashree delivery persons for free. The delivery persons have already been provided with training.
The food will be packed in steel tiffin boxes or carriers in compliance with green protocol. The delivery persons will also be responsible for taking back the boxes. The boxes will be washed in a three-stage process.
Kudumbashree estimates to supply 1,000 meals initially with focus on Secretariat, Vikas Bhavan, Public Office and the like. Gradually, orders will be accepted from other areas and more kitchens added. Lunch Bell will be expanded to other districts in a phased manner.
Kudumbashree will track the orders through a centralised warehousing management system run with the support of the Thrissur-based Adebha Institute for Food Research and Hospitality Management (AIFRHM).
Launch next week
Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh will inaugurate Lunch Bell at Hotel Chaithram on March 5.
For details, call on the number: 7907976457.
