Salad Subscription Service: A Fresh Take on Healthy Living!

Eating healthily: Since 2018, Vijay has been operating Saladaa, a salad start-up based on subscriptions. He states that the salad subscription enables clients to boost their vegetable consumption from merely 50 grams to the suggested 300-400 grams daily.
| Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN

Recently, the idea of subscription-based meal services has seen a positive evolution in Chennai, inspired by the time-honored Dabbawalla services prevalent in other cities, with a refreshing focus on salad boxes. Residents of Chennai are subscribing for fresh salads delivered directly to their homes each day, according to their weekly or monthly plans.

Preeta Suresh, the founder of Freshlings, has been providing salads in various styles including Mexican, Mediterranean, and Lebanese for three years. She notes that her clientele has experienced a significant transformation. “Individuals in their late 30s and early 40s, who are increasingly mindful of their lifestyle choices, are making changes now. This shift is largely due to the heightened awareness in the city following the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Ms. Preeta, mentioning that Freshlings procures its produce from hydroponic farmers in Chennai.

‘No commercial objective’

“Even though we are a salad business, we are not pursuing it from a commercial perspective; our aim is to provide genuine value to our clients and stakeholders, which is why we implement hydroponically grown crops,” she explains. While the venture doesn’t market weight loss via its salads, Ms. Preeta underscores that its mission is to foster a healthy lifestyle that promotes well-being over the long term through 12- and 20-day subscription options.

The trend of ‘subscription-based salads’ has surged following the COVID-19 pandemic, declare the founders of local salad brands.

Young mothers are participating

When Saladboy commenced its subscription service in 2021, covering areas such as Sholinganalur, Velachery, East Coast Road, and Medavakkam, founder Anish Kumar anticipated an influx of fitness enthusiasts and IT professionals to join in.

However, the reality has been quite the opposite, as the majority of its consistent customers are not from the corporate sector. “It has primarily been young mothers indulging in self-care through salads,” states Mr. Anish.

The brand has adapted its menu to better suit Indian preferences. Currently, it delivers 80 salad boxes per day, and with an increasing demand, it is preparing to extend its monthly salad subscriptions to additional areas of Chennai this year.

Vijay, the founder of Saladaa, a subscription salad start-up in Chennai, has been managing the business alongside his wife, Sindhu Vijay, a functional medicinal nutritionist, since 2018. Mr. Vijay indicates that many of his repeat clients are in their 40s.

“Choosing salads has transformed into a lifestyle change for Chennai’s populace post-pandemic,” he comments, adding that salad subscriptions aid clients in raising their vegetable consumption from just 50 grams to the advised 300-400 grams per day. “While healthy eating has steadily gained traction among older adults, individuals in their 20s must start giving greater attention to their nutrition,” he concludes.