Partner Article

A festive chat with… Rahul Parekh, CEO and co-founder of EatFirst

As Christmas fast approaches, businesses across the country look back on the year and ahead to 2016. Today’s ‘festive favourite’ is Rahul Parekh, London-based entrepreneur and co-founder of Eat First.

The startup is an online restaurant that delivers chef-made meals to Londoners, at a time that suits them. Launched by Rahul and his co-founders Humberto Ayres Pereira and Torben Schulz in August 2014, EatFirst currently operates in both London and Berlin.

We chatted to Rahul about his high points of 2015 and what he’s most looking forward to next year.

2015 – Looking back

What were the highlights for your business in 2015?

“The past twelve months have been an exciting time at EatFirst, we have reached a number of significant milestones as we continue to drive our young business forward. We recently secured an $8 million investment, a proud moment for a business only 15 months old and evidence that the high quality online restaurant phenomenon is blossoming.

“Alongside this, in September we celebrated delivering our 100,000th meal, a testament to the increasing demand for sophisticated, nutritious and high-quality food. With thousands of people delighting in the restaurant experience being delivered to their homes or offices, 2015 has shown us the future is bright.”

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently this year?

“Over the last nine months EatFirst has consistently achieved incredible 30% month-on-month sales growth, and with any business growing at that speed there is room for fine-tuning. Looking back at when we first established EatFirst, we would have benefitted from having more people on the team developing new recipes and creating innovative dishes.

“Fortunately, just as rapid growth focuses attention on where improvements can be made, it also provides the means to exceed our targets – and this year saw us grow our exceptional team with the addition of Benn Hodges as senior-chef. Having joined us from Japanese restaurant chain Itsu, Benn’s Asian fusion experience has added some zing to our cuisine.”

How has your industry changed in the last year?

“The restaurant industry has always been one of the most dynamic places to work, and 2015 has been true to form. Demand for simple, quality and locally sourced food has continued to gain momentum, as has the number of consumers demanding more transparency along the food chain.

“We’ve also noticed a more fundamental shift in the sector, with many new and established restaurants being drawn towards the online space – although EatFirst continues to lead the way in this area. In essence, the last twelve months have seen the lines within the restaurant sector become increasingly blurred, as more restaurants move online to meet growing demand. “

2016 – Moving forward

What are your key focuses for next year?

“Our focus continues to be on expanding the availability of our service, ensuring that even more people can experience the restaurant experience in their home or office. We are therefore looking to grow the business in London and Berlin, while also looking to take EatFirst into new cities around Europe. We’re also planning to introduce a variety of new services, including weekend deliveries and an on-demand service. By growing the breadth and depth of our offering, EatFirst will be able to offer our customers even greater convenience and access to our nutritious cuisine.”

What are you most looking forward to in 2016?

“With lots of plans in the pipeline for the next twelve months, there is a great deal to be excited about. We are particularly looking forward to launching our new services in 2016 and offering our customers even more choice and flexibility. There’s also the excitement of planning which city EatFirst will expand into next – watch this space!”

What do you expect will be your biggest challenge in the coming year?

“Maintaining the incredible momentum we have built up over the last twelve months will take a lot of hard work. Having said that, we have a fantastic team in place who are just as determined as I am to make sure EatFirst continues to succeed – and with plans to expand our availability and recipe variety, our growth strategy is firmly in place.”

The softer stuff

If you could go back in time, which piece of advice would you give your younger self?

“One of the lessons I’ve learnt since starting up EatFirst is not to hurry anything, as there’s really no room for mistakes. When I was younger I felt that if I didn’t rush, I might fall behind. However, hasty decisions can lead to mistakes. When you own a business it’s so important to take your time and really consider your options to ensure your business succeeds and your objectives are met.”

How will you be celebrating the festive period?

“I’m very traditional; Christmas Day is spent surrounded by family and friends, with lots of good food on the table. You never know, with so many services and ideas in the pipeline, next year we may be celebrating Christmas with an EatFirst turkey dinner!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .