DryM Foods: Bringing Ghar-ka-Khana to Students Abroad

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Sonipat-based DryM Foods uses freeze-drying to deliver preservative-free, home-style Indian meals to students and travellers abroad, scaling via D2C and exports.

Why Indian students abroad crave “ghar-ka-khana”

When Indian students move overseas for higher studies, homesickness often starts in the stomach. In 2024 close to 7.6 lakh students moved abroad; as of last year 13.35 lakh Indians were pursuing higher studies overseas, with many in the US. Eating out at Indian restaurants can be expensive—$20–50 (Rs 2,200–4,400) for a sit-down meal—so affordable, authentic options matter a lot.

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DryM Foods’ solution: freeze-dried, travel-ready meals

Founded in Sonipat in 2017 by a mother-daughter team, DryM Foods uses freeze-drying to preserve taste, texture and nutrition without preservatives. The brand began with everyday gravies—dal tadka, dal makhni, rajma and khichdi—and has expanded to 80 recipes across meals, parathas and rice dishes. Products are travel-friendly, rehydrate quickly, and keep 12–18 months at room temperature.

Products, pricing and reach

DryM’s portfolio includes single-serve travel packs, family combos and toddler meals starting from Rs 25. The company serves customers across India and exports to the USA, Canada, UAE, Germany, Spain, France and the UK, with exports contributing roughly 30% of revenues.

Freeze-drying explained: how it preserves home-style taste

Freeze-drying (lyophilisation) gently freezes food to very low temperatures and removes ice via vacuum rather than heat. This process locks in structure, aroma, colour and nutrients better than conventional dehydration, so dishes rehydrate to a near-fresh state. For complex Indian gravies—where ghee, spices and moisture interplay—this required a year of R&D to re-engineer recipes and create custom rehydration profiles for each dish.

Quality control and production

DryM operates a production facility in Sonipat and sources ingredients from local farms and FSSAI-certified vendors. Each recipe is standardised with recipe management software, automated cooking cycles and sensory testing by an in-house culinary panel. Microbial and adulteration tests (like iodine checks for paneer and toor dal screening) ensure safety across batches.

Go-to-market: D2C focus, exports and retail experiments

DryM primarily sells through its D2C website and export partners. While the team experimented with marketplaces, they found the category needs education and trust rather than impulse buys. This approach mirrors trends among Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) startups in India that prioritise customer relationships, repeat purchases and storytelling over purely transactional channels.

Channels and growth targets

• Exports: 30% of revenue today, led by the US, UK and Canada.
• Domestic D2C and travel retail: steady 10% annual growth.
• Target: achieve a balanced 50-50 split between domestic and export revenue in the next two years and reach projected targets for FY2026.

Marketing, education and customer feedback

Educating customers on freeze-dried meals is central to DryM’s strategy. The brand uses WhatsApp, sampling programs and D2C reviews to gather feedback and iterate on portion sizes and spice levels. For startups building a D2C presence, clear product education and trust-building are as important as distribution. If you’re exploring promotional tactics, review core principles in Digital marketing basics for Indian startups to learn how content, customer reviews and targeted campaigns drive repeat purchases.

Market context and the startup landscape

The Indian frozen foods market reached around Rs 191 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand rapidly. Established brands and new entrants are growing the category, while smaller innovators like DryM Foods carve niche value propositions—clean labels, portability and authentic regional flavours. For ongoing developments and sector momentum, keep an eye on Latest startup news for Indian ventures covering funding, exports and category evolution.

Who buys freeze-dried Indian meals?

Students and young professionals living abroad are the largest customer segment, followed by travellers and working couples in India who want healthy, travel-ready food. The brand is also exploring partnerships with travel and airline caterers, premium retail chains and institutional buyers for specialised nutrition packs.

Why this matters

DryM Foods demonstrates how category innovation—applying freeze-drying to complex Indian recipes—can solve real pain points: cost, authenticity and shelf stability. The company’s focus on recipe engineering, quality testing and D2C trust-building offers a repeatable playbook for food startups aiming to take Indian flavours global.

Try it or learn from it

For students, travellers and busy professionals seeking authentic, preservative-free Indian meals abroad, freeze-dried options are worth exploring. For founders and marketers, DryM’s journey illustrates the importance of product education, customer feedback loops and balancing domestic D2C strength with export partnerships.

Ready-to-eat but made like home: freeze-dried Indian meals make it easier to carry a taste of home across borders—without compromise on flavour or nutrition.

Source

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