Intercity food delivery platform Tastes2Plate will launch a pilot service in Kolkata that will allow customers to order signature dishes from other cities and receive them hot and ready to eat within 12-24 hours. The company plans to expand the service nationwide within one to three weeks, depending on the pilot’s performance.
Kolkata, November 10 — Tastes2Plate is set to launch a ‘hot intercity’ food delivery service, aiming to solve one of the biggest challenges in long-distance food delivery — ensuring that meals reach customers hot while maintaining their taste, texture and hygiene.
The company will launch the pilot in Kolkata from November 11.
Under the service, customers will be able to order signature dishes from popular restaurants and speciality food outlets located in other cities and receive them hot and ready to eat within 12-24 hours.
Customers opting for hot delivery will have to pay a nominal additional charge at checkout.
Food heated without opening packaging
A key feature of the new service is Tastes2Plate’s proprietary heating technology.
The company said the technology allows food to be heated in the destination city without opening its packaging.
This is designed to maintain hygiene while preserving the original taste and texture of the food.
Tastes2Plate CEO Gyan Srivastava said delivering food between cities is already a logistical challenge, and ensuring that the food reaches customers piping hot adds another layer of complexity.
According to the company, there has been strong demand for such a service, particularly from customers ordering food for small parties and gatherings.
Food can remain hot for 4-5 hours
Once heated using the company’s technology, the food is designed to remain hot for around four to five hours or even longer, giving customers sufficient time to consume their orders.
Until now, Tastes2Plate has primarily relied on specialised packaging and cold-chain logistics for its intercity deliveries.
These systems are designed to keep food fresh for more than 72 hours during transit.
The new model adds a final heating stage at the destination before the order reaches the customer.
Nationwide rollout planned
Tastes2Plate, which has been operating since 2019, currently connects consumers with signature food products from restaurants and speciality outlets across several major Indian cities.
Its existing intercity delivery network typically delivers orders to customers within 12-24 hours.
The hot food delivery service will initially be tested in Kolkata. Based on the results of the pilot, the company plans to launch the service across India within one to three weeks.
If successful, the model could make intercity food delivery more convenient for consumers who want iconic or speciality dishes from other cities without compromising significantly on the experience of eating freshly served hot food.
