PinkAprons: Empowering Women Home Chefs to Serve Fresh Homemade Food Across India

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

Adetee Agarwaal never dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur, but the pandemic changed that. Seeing many men lose jobs, she realised women could monetise their culinary skills. That led to the launch of PinkAprons – a platform connecting home chefs with food lovers.

In August 2020, the website and Android app were launched, followed by the iOS app in June 2021. Today, PinkAprons has over 2,000 downloads, 600+ home chefs, 18,000+ customers, and revenue exceeding one million in the last six months.

Excerpts from an interview:

Birth of PinkAprons

Food is essential, especially for those living away from home. Adetee wanted a platform that provides affordable home-cooked meals and empowers women to earn. PinkAprons allows home chefs to sell meals online in just five minutes.

The idea & challenges

The pandemic inspired Adetee to launch PinkAprons. Initially, she connected with home chefs to understand challenges like delivery, packaging, and reaching customers. Skepticism from women chefs was common. Early issues included order cancellations and timely delivery. Over time, solutions were found, and PinkAprons grew steadily. Marketing and awareness remain ongoing challenges, especially against giants like Zomato and Swiggy.

USP & competition

PinkAprons offers home-cooked meals, customizable orders, regional dishes, bakery items, and tiffin services. The platform has chefs with varying expertise, from housewives to experienced cruise chefs. PinkAprons focuses on empowering women chefs, giving food lovers instant or scheduled access to fresh, homemade meals.

Industry growth

The pandemic initially hurt the food delivery industry. Post-lockdown, demand for home-cooked meals surged. PinkAprons provided meals for quarantined patients and connected people to homemade food while stuck away from home.

Challenges for women entrepreneurs

Indian society still struggles to accept women entrepreneurs. Many doubt a woman can manage business and home simultaneously. Adetee remains hopeful for a stronger role of women in entrepreneurship.

Future plans

PinkAprons plans to raise Rs 2–4 crore in seed funding for expansion, marketing, and hiring. The mission is to build a community of one million women home chefs and make them financially independent. Expansion to cities like Mumbai, Gurugram, and Bangalore is on the roadmap.

Message for budding women entrepreneurs

“Everyone has the right to dream. I am a woman, I am fearless – let this be your mantra. Step out, be passionate, curious, and turn your dreams into reality.”