Like most enthusiasts on social media, Anand Mahindra doesn’t shy away from expressing his reactions to some of the newest marvels within the world of food. The business honcho, who is known to share inspiring and admirable bits of food content on his Twitter (now X), was intrigued most recently by London’s tiffin service that was inspired by Mumbai’s famous dabbawalla service. The video that he posted showcases a tiffin service dishing out Indian meals of baingan and paneer – all packed into tiered steel dabbas – a la the famous lunchbox that the working class in India carry.
Called Dabbadrop – the zero-waste service delivers all over London, in a bid to replace single use plastic containers that are often used for food deliveries. The video, which caught Mahindra’s eye, had him repost it with the caption, “No better—or more ‘delicious’—evidence of reverse colonization!” Some social media users were quick to point out that while the West was embracing Indian culture, India was moving towards making burgers and pizzas all the rage. Now, as the centuries-old system of delivering home-cooked meals all across Mumbai has been adapted for the plant-based meal service in the UK, the cloud kitchen also took it one step further by using cargo bikes to transport these meals.
Also Read:
Started in 1890, the flawless coding system of food delivery by Mumbai’s dabbawallas have been recognised for their seamless operation and timely services all over the world. Transporting hot lunches from a place of residence to workplaces, the service that was started by Mahadeo Havaji Bachche has expanded into a network of thousands of servicemen in current times. The group, which operates across three different zones in Mumbai, has been a traditionally male-dominated profession, with women foraying into it off late – delivering anywhere between 1.75-2 lakh tiffin boxes each day.