Behind the doors of Neyba’s £15m investment plans
Neyba, the multi-cuisine kitchen and grocery concept, has launched a £15m funding round amid plans to get to 14 sites across London. Co-owner of Neyba, Misha Zelman, gives us a peek behind the expansion plans and its upcoming tech ecosystem.
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What is the history of the business?
We set up the business formally just over a year ago, but it’s been a couple of years in the making. Misha and I have worked together for the past five years on Burger and Lobster and growing the brand globally.
What inspired the concept of Neyba?
The idea was born during our first Covid-19 lockdown where we saw exciting new fast grocery brands enter the market and we saw an opportunity to deliver restaurant quality grocery items as well as cooked food in one order.
Why is the company looking to expand now?
The concept works when it’s at scale. It gives the consumer access to more items, better prices and faster deliveries. We set this whole concept up for scale and we’re ready to do so now.
What do you see as the reasons for Neyba’s success?
We are very lucky to work with some fantastic known chefs who have developed incredible recipes for us that are consistent and means we are seeing people come back multiple times a week to try something different.
We chose the grocery products based on the quality but also ensure that the teams behind them are like-minded and can support each other, which I feel the customer recognises.
What can customers expect?
For each new site, we will introduce new menu items with new chefs. The concept will also develop in order to make it even more convenient for them.
What brands/cuisines will be at the new sites and where will the sites be based?
I can’t say too much but we’re working with some very well-known chefs. Our focus at the moment is on products that are ideal to grab and go when you’re in a hurry, such as salads, sushi and sandwiches.
What does the tech ecosystem entail and why was this implemented?
The tech ecosystem will provide the customer with a more personalised experience of Neyba, whether you are getting it delivered to your home or work, or coming into the site.
The technology will remember what your likes are and will consequently make recommendations based on that. It will also provide further opportunities, such as subscriptions. So if you want your milk delivered every Monday and Friday, we can do that through our system for you.
How will the new sites tackle food wastage, boost eco credentials and save time?
Our grocery products are available to buy in individual portions, meaning that there is no longer the requirement to buy too much of something that always seems to end up in the bin.
It is hugely important for us that people are only buying what they need and if they need more of a product that we are only a few minutes away to deliver some more. The average UK person spends over 16 hours a month shopping for food, whether it’s cooked food or groceries.
With our concept, after a few clicks you can have cooked food and grocery in one order. We are also very close to introducing reusable packaging rather than just recycle or biodegradable packaging.
Are there any plans to expand the brand outside of London?
Yes definitely, we are already working out what Neyba looks like outside of London, with the sort of cooked food and grocery items that we can offer. Habits, trends and tastes vary across London and the rest of the nation.
What is next for Neyba?
New dishes, new grocery products, new chef partnerships and new sites. We are also working with our brand and chef partnerships to begin introducing immersive events to learn more about the products and learn to cook the food that we produce.
