Dabba Drop: Here’s how the UK startup took off on the Mumbai model

London’s own dabbawalas The iconic dabbawala delivery or the doorstep tiffin service, a novelty of India’s financial capital Mumbai, is now truly going global. The latest point in the case is the popularity of the London-based food delivery service ‘DabbaDrop’, set up by two expats of Indian origin.

A video showcasing the packaging and delivery service in the United Kingdom by the doorstep delivery service provider ‘DabbaDrop’ is doing rounds on social media. Among others who shared the video of the food enterprise, run by expats Renee and Ashu in London, include Mahindra & Mahindra Chairman, Anand Mahindra. Along with the video on microblogging site X, Mahindra wrote, “No better—or more ‘delicious’—evidence of reverse colonization!”  

Another Mumbaikar Vishwajeet Patil, who runs a popular travel agency, told Republic Business that he has shared the viral video, with as many as three dozen people on messaging platform WhatsApp in the last two days. Born and brought up in Mumbai, Patil says the acceptance of its dabbawala service outside India is a recognition of this efficient food delivery, which caters to lakhs of office-goers and students in Mumbai and its suburbs.  “I was a teenager when I began getting the dabba. The spirit of the unsung dabbawalas shows how hard work and entrepreneurial zest know no limits,” added the Mumbai-based tour operator.    

Food for thought  

As per the DabbaDrop website, back in 2018, before they set up the venture, Renee and Anshu frequently availed the service of food takeaways.  “But each experience was unfulfilling - low quality food with minimal veggie options. By the end, there was always a pile up of plastic in their bins,” says the website. 

“They had no knowledge of who cooked the food- just a grumpy transaction at the door. So they decided to create something better. That's how DabbaDrop was born," it further adds. 

A cursory look at ‘DabbaDrop’ website reveals that its menu comprises mostly of Indian cuisine. However, the main course and desserts from the rest of South Asian countries are also a part of its menu. Since its inception, DabbaDrop claims to have made over 1.69 lakh deliveries in London. 

Besides, all its dals, curries, and vegetables are cooked from scratch in its commercial kitchen using natural ingredients, it says. “All our packaging is 100 per cent single-use plastic-free (Dabba Tins) and gets reused, repaired, and reused again and again,” says DabbDrop.