High Time Foods secures US$1.2 million to expand shelf-stable plant protein venture

High Time Foods, a startup focused on producing shelf-stable plant-based protein products, has raised US$1.2 million in a funding round led by early-stage venture firm Avaana Capital. The raise also included continued support from existing angel investors.

The Bengaluru-based company, founded in 2022 by Aakash Shah and Damian Felchlin, will use the fresh capital to bolster research and development, expand its team, and strengthen partnerships in India, the USA, and key markets across the Global South.

“The focus is to truly establish a business in India,” said Felchlin in comments to The Economic Times. “We will hire people with sales and culinary backgrounds. We also need to continuously develop new products and solutions. So, a good portion of that money will go towards building our food R&D team.”

Originally launched in the USA, High Time Foods has now relocated its headquarters to India. The decision, according to the founders, aligns with the company’s long-term goals of addressing both domestic and international demand for protein alternatives that do not require refrigeration or cold-chain logistics.

High Time Foods' core offering is a dehydrated plant-based protein blend made from a mix of pea, wheat, and mung bean proteins. The product does not contain water, allowing it to be transported long distances without the need for cold storage. This shelf-stable format is designed to suit the needs of countries with limited refrigeration infrastructure.

“We’ve seen that 70% of our country is protein-deficient, and the current protein options are either too expensive or not well-suited to India’s infrastructure. That’s where we come in,” Shah said. “Our product is highly affordable – we’re launching it at a price point similar to existing protein options like chicken and others currently available.”

The company currently operates on a business-to-business (B2B) model, serving over 30 clients globally. These include food product manufacturers, educational institutions, dining facilities, and restaurants. As it continues to scale, High Time Foods plans to expand its client base further in India, targeting hotels, restaurants, and catering services – often referred to collectively as the 'Horeca' sector.

“In India specifically, our focus will remain on the Horeca segment and on selling to other food manufacturers. By the end of this year, we aim to have at least 50 different B2B partnerships in India alone,” Shah said.

Globally, the startup sees significant opportunity in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. “We have a project going on in West Africa, working with one of the largest distributors of food products,” Felchlin said. “We’ve just completed customer testing and plan to conduct a test launch in the market within the next three to six months.”

The move to focus on markets in the Global South reflects High Time Foods’ ambition to offer accessible protein solutions in regions expected to drive the majority of future population growth. With its shelf-stable format, the company is positioning itself as a practical choice in areas where cold chain infrastructure may be inconsistent or cost-prohibitive.

Shruti Srivastava, Investment Director at Avaana Capital, highlighted the broader relevance of the startup’s approach. “High Time Foods is tackling one of the most urgent gaps in food systems today – affordable, scalable protein,” she said. “Their shelf-stable innovation is built for real-world conditions, especially in markets where infrastructure can be a challenge.”