Licious is India’s first D2C unicorn after 52mn USD raise

The fresh animal protein brand achieved a $1 billion valuation after receiving funding in Series G round led by IIFL AMC’s ‘Late-Stage Tech Fund’.

“The fresh meats and seafood sector is still largely underserved and unorganised that holds a vast opportunity of $40 billion. As the category leader, we aim at paving the way for a second wave of young start-ups that can join hands in fully harnessing the potential that the industry has to offer,” said Vivek Gupta and Abhay Hanjura, co-founders, Licious.

The D2C market in India is at an inflection point and is expected to attain a size of $100 billion by 2025. The pandemic has played a major role in accelerating growth for the sector.

Licious said it will work towards building a sustainable, responsible business that will reimagine the animal protein category in India through an optimal mix of global influence and products curated for the Indian palate.

Earlier this year, Licious allocated ESOPs to over 1,000 employees including the blue-collared workforce. This was followed by a buyback worth Rs 30 crore in August. In July this year, Licious raised $192 million in their Series F funding Round, led by Temasek & Multiples.