London’s HomeCooks Raises €1.6 Million to Expand Independent Chef-Prepared Meals

HomeCooks, a British meal-prep marketplace that connects health-conscious consumers with homemade dishes from independent chefs, has secured €1.6 million (£1.4 million) in funding to support its retail expansion and growth throughout the UK.

The company, which has received investments from PXN Ventures, Love Ventures, Speedinvest, and various angel investors, plans to utilize the raised capital to establish new partnerships with supermarkets. Recently, HomeCooks launched its products in ten Co-op stores across Lincolnshire.

Josh Magidson, the founder of HomeCooks, highlights the increasing demand for real homemade food and a wider variety of options in the health-focused meal-prep market. He emphasizes that HomeCooks’ marketplace model is designed to deliver straightforward meals that cater to these customer preferences on a scale that traditional brands cannot match.

HomeCooks’ funding announcement aligns with the ongoing investment activities in Europe’s food and FoodTech sector in 2025, as reported by EU-Startups.

In the UK, Modern Baker in Oxford raised €2.8 million to expand its range of healthier food products, while Mondra in London secured €11.8 million in Series A funding to grow its food-industry emissions intelligence platform.

Across Europe, StiQ in Athens raised €20 million to scale its AI-driven cloud kitchen model, while Noahs in Copenhagen received €1.9 million to expand its digital retail food platform.

Other notable investments include NutriUnited in Munich raising €8.5 million, Fungu’it in Dijon closing a €4 million round, SUMM Ingredients in Denmark raising €1.7 million, and Finnish Food Factory in Finland securing €10 million.

Collectively, these funding deals amount to approximately €62 million and underscore the continued investor interest in healthier food products, alternative production models, and digitally enabled food platforms, setting a relevant context for HomeCooks’ expansion in the UK.

Josh adds, “This investment is a crucial milestone for HomeCooks, enabling us to accelerate our retail expansion and reach a wider audience across the UK.”

Founded by Josh Magidson in 2020, HomeCooks builds on the success of Eatstudent and Zing Zing. The company specializes in offering balanced, protein-rich, and nutrient-dense meals with over 300 options available. Customers can subscribe to a weekly meal plan, and HomeCooks’ partner chefs prepare the orders, which range from Grilled Chicken Teriyaki to Lean Mean Lasagna, for delivery.

HomeCooks places independent chefs at the forefront of its platform, offering consumers a diverse selection of global cuisine.

Peter Carway, Investment Director at PXN Ventures, notes, “HomeCooks’ innovative approach aligns with the growing consumer trends towards healthier eating and convenient meal prep. The scalability of their model positions them well to meet the demands of modern consumers.”

The expansion into retail represents a significant milestone for HomeCooks, expanding beyond existing partnerships with Budgens, farm shops, and independent retailers. The company aims to scale across the North of the UK by leveraging its marketplace model and forming local chef partnerships.

HomeCooks addresses the expanding meal-prep market, currently serving over 60,000 regular users. Despite the market being dominated by brands using centralized kitchens and limited menus, HomeCooks aims to disrupt this trend.

The London-based company, supported by investors like Tom Singh and Leonard Picardo, is also conducting a fundraising campaign on the crowdfunding platform Republic, nearing its £750k target.