Madhav Kasturia, Founder of ZFW Dark Stores

Madhav Kasturia is the founder of ZFW Dark Stores which is India’s first dark store platform, designed to help D2C, F&B, and consumer brands expand faster. ZFW Hospitality, a hyperlocal expansion platform for food and beverage and direct-to-consumer companies, is expanding into Mumbai with over 50 dark kitchens and fulfillment centers for firms looking to expand into the western region. Madhav Kasturia founded ZFW in 2020 to help direct-to-consumer firms expand and close orders via its tech-enabled dark store network across India.
Madhav earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and economics from Banaras Hindu University. ZFW will support the growth of 15+ brands in Mumbai as part of its inaugural cohort, including Keventers and Vadilal, among others. Supply chain and fulfillment expenses can increase as firms expand their D2C capabilities and enter new markets. This is where ZFW comes in, assisting with rapid expansion via its dark kitchens and fulfillment facilities, all while avoiding operational headaches and upfront costs. In 5 days, a brand may open a new location, and service orders can be completed in less than 25 minutes.
In early 2020, ZFW expanded into a full-stack expansion platform before raising pre-seed funding from Mumbai Angels, Expert Dojo, and a slew of super-angels. The platform is an important step in restoring the F&B sector, which has been one of the hardest hit since the outbreak began, to pre-COVID levels. Dark or cloud kitchens are expected to become a $2 billion market in India by 2024, according to RedSeer Management Consulting.