Maker of Indian-inspired snack and condiments, Bandar Foods, announced it has closed on a $2 million seed round of financing that included ACP Venture Capital, AccelFoods, Volta Global, and Karl Ulrich, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School of Business.

 

Philadelphia and San Francisco-based Bandar Foods is a recent graduate of AccelFoods’ third incubator cohort of 2015, and is a producer of a range of Indian flavor-inspired snacks, including Naan chips, Poppadum chips, and condiments.

 

“Our mission is to introduce delicious Indian flavors to everyday eating occasions. We are thrilled for this investment which brings us one step closer toward building an iconic Indian-inspired brand for the modern age,” said company co-founder Lalit Kalani in a company statement.

 

Bandar is striving to bring Indian flavors to American consumers’ everyday lives. The company’s ‘monkey sauces’ are based on Kalani’s mother’s recipes and are made in India, but are being marketed in the U.S. for use in a wide range of foods, including sandwiches, tacos, dips, and soups. In addition, the company’s Naan chips are being marketed as a convenient snack food that comes in Garlic, Tikka Masala, and Himalayan Pink Salt flavors. Meanwhile, Bandar also has secondary product lines of lentil crisps packaged in tube reminiscent of Pringle’s cans and Vegetable Crisps packaged in bags.

 

Kalani told Food Navigator that the funding will support the startup in expanding its production and distribution capacity, particularly for its sauces in squeezable bottles and its Naan chips, and will support the hiring of several additional team members including a sales director, junior officer in business development, and junior sales person – doubling the company’s staff.

 

Commenting on Bandar and the potential for the company, AccelFoods Co-Founder and Managing Partner Lauren Jupiter stated, “As investors, we strive to identify and invest in sustainable trends. Indian inspired foods are a new frontier in the healthy snack foods space and we are proud to have partnered with this category defining brand.”