Beijing salad delivery startup eats up fresh funding

Who says the lazy economy has to be an unhealthy economy? A new startup from Beijing that specializes in salad delivery today announced it raised "tens of millions" of RMB (at least US$1.6 million) in a series A funding round, according to Sina Tech. Sweetie Salad‘s latest cash injection comes from mobile gaming company JJWorld, Meridian Capital, and Fangchuang Capital.

The investment is the latest in a string of recent funding rounds for self-branded food delivery startups focusing on a niche cuisine. Currently only in Beijing, Sweetie Salad makes salads using its own recipes and sells them exclusively online. The colorful options come in transparent jars that make for better advertisements than any logo. Each dish is categorized under one of three categories: "beauty", "BMI", or "Muscle." Customers can choose from a wide range of salads, along with bread, dressing, and a drink.

Along with individual delivery, the startup also has catering options and weekly bundles. A single salad ranges from RMB 25 to 55 (US$4 to $9).

Sweetie Salad requires customers order at least one day in advance, so it’s not exactly on-demand. But it does follow a similar model to Jacky’s Shrimp, Call a Chicken, and Call-a-Duck when it comes to a Xiaomi-style online model with heavy branding. Sweetie Salads has no physical storefront, just a kitchen. With the money saved by not renting a good restaurant location, Sweetie Salad can spend more on quality ingredients, the founder tells Sina Tech.

Salad isn’t exactly a common dish at your typical Chinese restaurant, which is probably why the website is bilingual. Sweetie Salad seems to be targeting Beijing’s large expatriate crowd as well as health-minded locals.

With the latest funding, the startup will ramp up operations in Beijing and is looking to expand nationwide, though it didn’t specify which cities.

Update: an earlier version of this story said the startup is based in Shanghai. It is based in Beijing.

(Source: Sina Tech)