How a startup is automating a huge catering headache

Image credit: Timmy Loen

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Founder Manni Sidhu saw an inefficiency hiding in plain sight within the food service industry. Large-scale catering operations relied on manual processes, leading to constant inventory loss. The idea for Modoru crystallized during a pilot in Cape Town, where its system successfully tracked hundreds of items with 100% accuracy in a live environment.

😟 Problem

Catering operators struggle to track physical inventory like plates and service equipment. These items move constantly between kitchens, venues, and storage facilities. This is typically managed with manual counts and paperwork, or not tracked at all, impacting costs and scalability.

💡 Solution

Modoru builds fully automated inventory tracking systems for catering companies. Using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, its system allows operators to scan hundreds of inventory items in seconds with complete accuracy.

The firm says its solution:

• Reduces inventory management costs by 95%.
• Provides 100% real-time visibility on inventory movement.
• Recovers up to 75% of inventory losses.

Image credit: Modoru

📊 Market size

The global catering market is valued at US$400 billion, with around 500,000 operators worldwide. The industry is growing at a rate of 8% to 12% in Asia. The need for automation is driven by thin profit margins and rising operational costs.

🤝 Team

• Manni Sidhu. Founder. Previously co-founded a SaaS platform for cross-border PR and was a hospitality lead business development consultant for Ernst & Young across three markets.

🚀 Traction

• The solution has been successfully trialed and tested in operational environments.
• Purchase agreements are in place with several large catering companies.
• Pilot agreements have been secured with a major hotel chain, which is currently under an NDA.

🏆 Competition

According to the founder, there are no direct competitors offering a comparable RFID solution. The primary alternative is using QR codes for tracking. However, this method requires scanning each item individually, making it less efficient than Modoru’s bulk-scanning system.

💰 Financials

Modoru operates on a monthly subscription model for its software and data insights. The RFID hardware can either be leased as part of the subscription or purchased upfront.

🚩 Risks