by PETALING JAYA: It’s the end of a long day at work. After meetings that went on for far too long, endless emails that needed your attention, and multiple deadlines on your calendar, you now look forward to kicking your feet up and enjoying a glass of wine.
Let’s face it, the last thing you’d want to do is cook. Yet, the prospect of another takeaway meal seems so unappealing.
Enter Meals in Minutes, a startup that allows customers to whip up a healthy, gourmet meal by offering frozen ready-to-cook items that can be prepared in no time at all.
There’s a variety of bases, proteins and sides to choose from, including salmon macaroni and cheese, quinoa, and brown or cauliflower rice. Proteins include creamy Tuscan salmon, butter parsley prawns, and coconut turmeric fish.
Complete your meal with sides such as truffle mashed potato or Brazilian grilled pineapple.
Using the meal kits is easy, with clear instructions provided on the packaging. The food can be prepared in several ways, including boiling – though submerging the plastic packaging in hot water might cause some apprehension!
Thankfully, founders Brandon Lim and Khiara Mia give the assurance that it is perfectly safe. “It’s a sous-vide concept, and we use retort pouches,” Mia said, explaining that the vacuum-packed packs allow the food to be cooked up to 130°C.
Another option is to remove the food from the packaging and simply pop it into the microwave. Or get creative, add your own ingredients and touches, and cook it in an oven or air-fryer.
According to Lim, only high-quality ingredients are used, with no genetically modified products, additives, or artificial substances. To ensure freshness, all meals, which are individually portioned to avoid wastage, are flash-frozen.
Additionally, the meal kits have HACCP, ISO 22000, and halal certifications.
So, how do the dishes fare? The creamy Tuscan salmon – a favourite among customers – tastes fresh and comes with a rich, flavourful sauce. The salmon macaroni and cheese is hearty and comforting, while the truffle mashed potato is fluffy and creamy.
All in all, it’s lip-smackingly delicious! And the best part? You can bid a happy goodbye to tedious food preparation and washing up after cooking, leaving you with time to enjoy your, well, downtime!
Lim and Mia launched Meals in Minutes in early 2020, a decision that proved timely as the onset of the pandemic led to an increased appetite for their product.
They have since expanded to Singapore, and their customers now include those from the business-to-consumer and business-to-business segments.
Recently, Meals in Minutes also secured US$1.5 million (RM7.14 million) in funding led by 500 Global, an early-stage venture fund and seed accelerator, with participation from a private investor.
Future plans include fuelling Meals in Minutes’ growth across Malaysia and Singapore, as well as establishing a presence in the United Kingdom.
But even with exciting days on the horizon, Lim and Mia remain committed to their original mission. “I hope our meal kits give our customers time to do more important things in life than cooking,” Mia concluded.
To order or learn more about Meals in Minutes’ delivery locations and retail outlets, visit its website. Also find out more via Facebook and Instagram.
