In 2020, Brandon Lim and Khiara Mia, the founder and co-founder of Meals in Minutes, introduced an innovative meal kit concept to the market. This startup offers frozen, vacuum-packed meals that are ready-to-cook, enabling customers to prepare a gourmet meal in just 15 minutes.
The meals are flash-frozen and portioned individually, which helps in reducing food waste. Moreover, the company ensures that its products are free from genetically modified ingredients and artificial additives. Committed to quality and safety, Meals in Minutes has attained HALAL, HACCP, and ISO 22000 certifications.
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Fresh off a fundraise led by 500 Global, we caught up with the founders to understand what are their plans for the brand and how they plan to take the brand forward. Brandon and Khiara were able to share more about the brand story, as well as exp
Congrats on the funding. Could you elaborate on how you plan to use the investment?
Thank you! We aim to use the funds to broaden our presence in Malaysia and Singapore by maximising the accessibility of Meals in Minutes. This involves expanding into additional stores, ensuring more individuals can easily access our products, and establishing a stronger presence in various food outlets throughout the region. Notably, we will also focus on reaching the hospitality and healthcare industries, recognising the potential impact of MIM in these sectors.
In approaching the UK market, we intend to replicate the successful go-to-market strategy employed in Malaysia and Singapore. This entails a dual approach, engaging directly with consumers and simultaneously targeting the B2B market. The proven effectiveness of this strategy in Southeast Asia will be seamlessly adapted to the UK market.
Furthermore, our strategic plan includes launching distributor markets and strategically positioning MIM for broader availability and influence. The UK market serves as our initial entry point into the wider European market, marking the beginning of our journey to introduce the convenience and excellence of Meals in Minutes to an international audience.
How did Meals in Minutes start and maintain growth after the pandemic?
Most of our products gained traction during the pandemic through word of mouth and social media, and this momentum has persisted. In response to the dynamic shifts in the global food industry influenced by the pandemic, Meals In Minutes has strategically aligned its approaches to effectively meet consumers’ changing behaviours and preferences. The pandemic has accelerated the demand for convenient meal solutions, and Meals In Minutes is well-positioned to meet this need. Our frozen food offerings, with a freezer shelf life of over a year, align with the growing desire for long-lasting yet high-quality food products.
In recognition of the heightened concern for food safety during the pandemic, Meals In Minutes underscores its commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards. Holding essential certifications such as HACCP and ISO 22000, we provide customers with the much-needed assurance that our food products adhere to rigorous safety protocols, contributing to their peace of mind in challenging times.
Responding to the increasing emphasis on health and wellness following the pandemic, Meals In Minutes is dedicated to offering all-natural, preservative-free choices that appeal to health-conscious consumers. Our commitment is reflected in a diverse range of customisable meals, empowering individuals to align their choices with dietary preferences and nutritional goals.
Recognising the shift towards home cooking during the pandemic, we’ve introduced versatile cooking methods such as ‘sous vide,’ microwave-friendly options, pan-frying, and a ‘chef mode.’ These cater to varied culinary preferences and skill levels, ensuring a flexible and enjoyable cooking experience at home. Our adaptability positions us to swiftly adjust to ongoing consumer needs in the evolving post-pandemic landscape.
On top of this, to stay relevant, we collaborated with influencers like Joe Flizzow, adding a touch of celebrity endorsement and contemporary culture to our brand. This connection appeals to a wider demographic seeking both convenience and cultural relevance. To enhance accessibility, we’ve expanded online and partnered with major grocery stores, embracing e-commerce to meet consumers where they prefer to shop, ensuring our products are readily available in the evolving market.
Could you elaborate on how Meals in Minutes was able to carve out market share in the food delivery/meal prep space in Singapore and Malaysia?
Certainly! Meals in Minutes successfully carved out market share in the food delivery/meal prep space in Singapore and Malaysia through a multi-faceted strategy focused on accessibility, strategic positioning, and adapting to evolving food trends.
We prioritised accessibility by launching on numerous food delivery platforms, as well as establishing partnerships with retail outlets and restaurants. This broad distribution network ensured that our products were readily available to a wide audience, making it convenient for customers to access Meals in Minutes.
Our brand positioning also played a crucial role in our success. We leveraged the power of social media to create a strong online presence, engaging with our target audience through various platforms. By actively participating in marketing campaigns and collaborating with other brands and celebrities, these partnerships not only increased brand visibility but also built trust and credibility among consumers, contributing to our market share growth.
Furthermore, the shift in food trends prompted by the pandemic became an opportunity for Meals in Minutes. With people seeking convenient and high-quality meal options at home, our focus on quick and easy-to-prepare meals aligned perfectly with the changing consumer preferences. This strategic alignment with emerging food trends allowed us to capitalise on the evolving market demands and further solidify our position in Singapore and Malaysia’s food delivery and meal prep space.
What is the largest barrier to your growth right now?
The most significant barrier to our current growth revolves around the unique challenges of being a frozen food company. Our success is intricately tied to our products’ timely and efficient delivery to end consumers. In this aspect, we rely on third-party delivery companies to execute this crucial task.
In particular, our operations in Malaysia have been significantly impacted by the scarcity of frozen food logistics providers. The limited availability of such specialised delivery services has made nationwide delivery excessively expensive for the end consumer. Consequently, our current delivery radius is predominantly concentrated within the Klang Valley area, hindering our ability to reach consumers nationwide
What’s next for Meals in Minutes?
The next phase for Meals in Minutes involves a strategic focus on expansion, with a primary emphasis on entering the UK market. Our goal is to establish a robust presence in the UK, tapping into the diverse culinary landscape and catering to the evolving preferences of consumers in the region. This expansion not only allows us to introduce our convenient and high-quality meal solutions to a new audience but also presents an opportunity to solidify our brand as a go-to choice. By progressively expanding our reach, we aim to bring the convenience and quality associated with Meals in Minutes to an international audience, contributing to the growth and success of the brand on a global scale.
For Malaysia and Singapore, our goal is to significantly enhance Meals in Minutes’ footprint in the region, making our products more accessible to a broader audience. This entails a strategic expansion into additional retail outlets, ensuring convenient access for more individuals. We aim to establish a robust presence in diverse food outlets across the region, emphasising accessibility and convenience. Furthermore, we are keen on tapping into the potential of the hospitality and healthcare industries, recognising the significant impact Meals in Minutes can have in these sectors.
Simultaneously, our strategy includes cultivating a strong brand presence. This involves engaging in targeted marketing campaigns, leveraging social media platforms, and forging strategic partnerships to enhance visibility and recognition. Building a strong brand presence is pivotal for creating lasting connections with our audience and establishing Meals in Minutes as a trusted and preferred choice in the food delivery and meal prep space.