Sasikumar decided to bridge the gap and founded TenderCuts in 2015 as India’s first omnichannel meat and seafood brand that combines technology, supply chain and retail stores.
Orchestrating an omnichannel revolution
Starting with a single store in Chennai, TenderCuts expanded steadily across the city and later into Hyderabad and Bengaluru. “We operate in an omnichannel format with both physical stores and an online presence through our own app,” explains Sasikumar. Tendercuts serves two different customer types. One by creating online convenience and the other is offline trust through stores.
The TenderCuts 2.0 Turnaround
Profitability is rare in India’s fresh meat segment. TenderCuts too faced its share of turbulence. Rapid expansion, high operational costs and weak unit economics strained its finances. The funding winter of 2022–23 further compounded the challenges, forcing the company to shut operations in some cities. In 2023, TenderCuts was acquired by Delhi-based Good To Go. This marked a turning point. As TenderCuts 2.0, the company pivoted to a retail-first, capital-efficient model. Stores sizes were downsized thus cutting capital and operational expenditure by half. Each store now functions as both a retail outlet and a micro-fulfilment hub. “With strong unit economics and capital efficiency, our stores are now profitable and break even in under six months,” says Sasikumar. TenderCuts operates on a 40 per cent gross margin and gains an additional 5 per cent from backward integration. Dump losses remain below 5 per cent and processing wastage under 2 per cent. Supported by deep investments in cold chains, IoT, and an in-house tech platform, TenderCuts manages its supply chain end-to-end. This ensures freshness, traceability and delivery precision.
The Three Pillars
Beyond metrics, TenderCuts aims to create meaningful impact to its major stakeholder – farmers, consumers and women. “For consumers, we are transforming the meat-buying experience. For farmers, we are improving income and livelihood opportunities. And women’s empowerment has always been a core priority,” highlights Sasikumar. Furthering that, the company has launched Chennai’s first all-women butcher store, a milestone for the entire industry. Sasikumar points that women have higher patience, loyalty and attention to detail. Today, nearly 30 per cent of TenderCuts’ workforce comprises women. Beyond butchering and cleaning, many are in lead roles. “We are committed to expanding women’s participation across our stores and various business functions,” stresses Sasikumar.
Building India’s Largest Meat Brand
TenderCuts is on a growth mode. The company targets an annual revenue of Rs 224 crore from Chennai with a 7 per cent margin and aims to touch Rs 450 crore in annual recurring revenue across Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru within three years. “We plan to consolidate in Chennai over the next 12–18 months, then scale in Hyderabad and Bengaluru,” points Sasikumar. By 2028, TenderCuts envisions becoming India’s largest brand, driven by sustainable growth, technology and trust.