India’s Favorite Street Food Is Going High-Tech
And This Startup Is Leading the Charge
Problem: The Most Loved Street Food Is Also the Most Risky
Panipuri is more than a snack—it’s a cultural emotion. But it’s also one of the most unhygienic, inconsistent street foods in India. Epanipuri Kartz’s founder saw this firsthand and asked: what if we could deliver the same beloved taste, but with the safety and scale of smart tech?
Lack of food safety in the unorganized street food sector
Traditional vendors struggle to maintain hygiene, creating health risks for millions.
No standardization in taste or quality
Panipuri tastes vary wildly by region, vendor, and even day-to-day preparation.
Limited options and unhygienic preparation methods
Flavors are restricted, and manual handling often leads to contamination.
Women vendors face barriers in scaling safely and profitably
Many women in the sector lack access to tech, capital, and structured growth.
Earning Model: Recurring Revenue With Every Bite
Revenue through machine sales across COCO, FOFO, and FOCO models
Different franchise models allow fast expansion with upfront machine sales.
Ongoing earnings from spice refills and flavor paste sales
Vendors must reorder proprietary spice blends—creating recurring income.
Mobile app subscription fees per vendor
The IoT app generates insights, allows controls, and contributes to MRR.
Kiosk, Mini, and Shop-in-Shop models for different investment tiers
Each model balances investment, margin, and monthly returns differently.
Every machine sold is just the beginning. With spice refills, mobile insights, and partner subscriptions, Epanipuri Kartz makes money every time a customer enjoys a pani puri.
Risk: Solved with Sensors and Systems
Built-in safety features like automated cleaning and “E-Nose” sensors
The system detects spoiled ingredients and maintains hygiene autonomously.
Contactless operation to ensure touch-free service
No human handling of water or puri once inside the machine.
Live performance monitoring via mobile app
Operators can track sales, refill alerts, and run the machine remotely.
Hygiene isn’t a side feature—it’s the core product promise. From automated cleaning to smart sensors that smell spoiled masala, Epanipuri Kartz has engineered out the risk.
Founder’s Story: From Street Food Fan to Smart Food Pioneer
Harish Neotia, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, envisioned street food without the mess
Spent years developing the patent-backed, IoT-enabled machine
Partnered with his wife and a team of engineers to blend tradition with innovation
Dedicated to creating financial and social inclusion for women street vendors
Harish didn’t set out to build a vending machine—he set out to clean up his favorite food. What began as a side project became a patented product and a scalable platform to empower vendors across India.
Entry Barriers: Patents, Platforms, and Proprietary Masalas
- Patent #524077 filed for IoT-based vending machine
- Exclusive spice and paste formulations in paste format
- Mobile app with control and analytics features
- Full-stack product from machine to masala to mobile app
This isn’t just hardware. It’s a patented platform powered by exclusive pastes and protected by tech that competitors can’t easily mimic. Every layer is locked and loaded for long-term defensibility.
Competition & Comparables: No One Does It Like This
- No major brand has automated panipuri vending at scale
- Local vendors lack standardization or scalability
- Existing vending solutions lack spice variety, app integration, or hygiene systems
- Spice brands like Haldiram’s don’t offer end-to-end vending infrastructure
This isn’t competition with FMCG or restaurants. It’s creating a new category: smart street food. And in that lane, Epanipuri Kartz is in pole position.
Team: Passion Meets Precision
Harish Neotia – CEO and visionary founder
Leads growth, strategy, and product with a relentless mission to digitize Indian street food.
Manisha Neotia – R&D and flavor innovation
Ensures every bite tastes like home with scientific precision.
CTO, CPO, and product engineers from IIT and CET
Back-end tech and machine design are managed by a qualified, experienced core team.
Advisors from the food, tech, and manufacturing sectors
Support product refinement, franchise expansion, and compliance.
This is a founder-driven team with the right mix of heart and hardware. Harish’s vision, Manisha’s R&D, and the tech team’s execution are building a smart food revolution from the ground up.
Size of Market: The Appetite Is Massive
Indian Pani Puri Market TAM: ₹14,454 Cr
Spices Market TAM: ₹1,80,760 Cr
Franchise Market TAM: ₹80,000 Cr
Targeting 10% share of 5,000 machines/year in unorganized space
The numbers are staggering—and growing. This isn’t a niche play. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernize one of India’s most beloved, high-volume food verticals.
Ask: ₹2 Cr Seed Round to Scale Smarter, Faster
Investment breakdown:
40% for outlet expansion, 20% for hiring, 15% for R&D, rest for ops, infra, and tech.
Targeting 50 COCO and 180 FOFO units by 2024
Expansion is already mapped—capital just accelerates execution.
Projected revenue: ₹3.55 Cr (FY 25-26), ₹17.8 Cr (FY 27-28)
Revenue growth is tied to machine placement and recurring orders.
EBITDA positive by March 2025
This is a capital-efficient, revenue-earning, near-break-even startup.
The unit economics are working. The product is proven. The team is ready. This seed round fuels expansion—and lays the groundwork for a massive Series A.
Innovation: “Soch Nayi, Swaad Wahi
IoT-based panipuri machine with app-enabled controls
E-Nose technology to detect food spoilage
Auto cleaning, cooling, flow control, and refill alerts
Scalable franchise-friendly modular design
Every function is designed to solve a real vendor problem. It’s not just automation—it’s augmentation. The machine thinks like a seasoned vendor and performs like a robot.
Niche: Women Street Vendors with Entrepreneurial Drive
Only 12% of India’s 11.9M vendors are women
Agencies and D2C brands are core users
Offers financial inclusion and skill enablement for women over 40
Appeals to franchisees looking for low-cost, high-ROI F&B models
This isn’t just about food. It’s about freedom—especially for women who’ve been left out of India’s retail and food tech boom. Epanipuri Kartz gives them the tools, the tech, and the taste to thrive.
Traction: Taste That’s Turning Into Numbers
300+ machines installed across 16 states and 40 cities
3.5 lakh+ customers served
Revenue projection of ₹8.94 Cr by FY 27-28
3 trademarks, 2 patents, 1 design patent, and a copyright
Traction isn’t hypothetical. It’s on the streets, in the kiosks, and on the app dashboard. From sales to patents, Epanipuri Kartz has the numbers and the narrative to back the next stage of growth.
Scalability: Built for Streets. Ready for India.
FOCO, FOFO, COCO franchise models enable rapid growth
App-based backend supports live tracking, remote ops, and customer analytics
Proven interest from vendors, events, malls, and food courts
Goal: 290+ franchise locations by 2026
Epanipuri Kartz is more than a street food startup. It’s a retail movement. One machine, one flavor, one city at a time—scaling taste, tech, and trust nationwide.
