AI-powered grocery scoring and recommendation startup – Xume launched

Xume, the AI-powered platform for personalised grocery scoring and recommendation, has been officially launched to address the complexity in choosing packaged food in the country.

In the backdrop of reports terming India's packaged food ecosystem as one of the least healthy globally, the platform aims to empower users to make informed decisions about the food they consume by providing personalized grocery scoring and recommendations, utilizing more than 60 key dietary preferences, health, and lifestyle goals. Having been seven years in development, Xume boasts of an extensive database comprising over 60,000 products, 10,000 ingredients, and 3,500 brands within the Indian packaged food and beverage ecosystem. 

With multiple reports predicting the size of the grocery market in India to touch $1 Trillion in the next few years, with health driving most of the growth, Xume aims to empower up to one million (10 lakh) users by the end of 2023. 

According to the latest FSSAI Annual Report 2020-21, out of over 1 Lakh samples analysed, more than 28,000 were found to be non-conforming in terms of safety, sub-standard ingredients, and misleading labelling, resulting in penalties exceeding INR 50 Cr. This is just the tip of the iceberg, as the Indian packaged F&B ecosystem is currently plagued with mislabelling, false claims, and the use of substandard ingredients to save costs and improve margins.

A recent survey by The George Institute for Global Health, Australia, analysing over 4 lakh products from 12 countries, declared Indian packaged food as the least healthy globally. In this context, Xume empowers users with the ability to scan the barcode of any packaged food item and receive a personalized health score along with a comprehensive understanding of its ingredients, nutritional value, and allergens. 

Renowned education entrepreneur and VC, Aakash Chaudhury, has backed Xume with undisclosed seed funding for its initial growth journey. "When I personally tried Xume, I was blown away by the depth of research and insights it provides. Every week I am inundated with dozens of pitches from brands that claim to be the healthiest. I see great value in Xume’s scoring methodology and nutrition intelligence both as a health-conscious consumer and investor," said Aakash Chaudhary, Chief Mentor of Aakash Educational Services Limited. 

Akshaye Jalan, Founder & CEO of Xume, said, "You are what you eat, but how can we eat right if we don't know what's really in the food we are eating? Furthermore, how do you choose what’s right for you when every product claims to be the healthiest? We exist in a marketplace where every consumable claims to be the healthiest for you. With many brands choosing unhealthy alternatives to drive profit margins, it’s not a coincidence that India has been touted as the lifestyle disease capital of the world. We are more than a startup idea; we are a movement on a mission to empower every citizen to make informed and better choices and take back control of their health. We’re here to make a difference and cherish the support of Aakash, who has been instrumental in helping us build the Xumeverse." 

Xume currently operates via Android and iOS apps, B2B APIs, and its website xume.co. The platform aims to revolutionize the way Indian consumers select packaged foods, fostering a healthier nation and promoting transparency in the food industry.