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Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

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Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#231

Post by moate »

ajacksified wrote: post #98
neya wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> MTR provides just the spices, you have to bring everything else. This includes vegetables/meat, seasoning, additional spices, oil/salt, etc. Our products include all of this so that the only ingredient you add is water which makes it much more convenient. Sorry, this is not accurate. If I buy an MTR Sambhar rice, or Paneer masala, everything is included. I just need to heat it and eat it. > Our packets are 100% fre…

> seems like there isn't much difference between ordering from a decent Indian restaurant and you guys I know it seems absurd on HN, but there are people who live in areas without decent Indian restaurants.

That's fine, but then the question becomes "How many people who want fancy 'high quality' Indian food also live far from decent Indian food". At this price point, your demographic seems to be people who have a decent amount of disposable income who also want QUALITY Indian food who also don't want to have to prepare it themselves and who don't live near Indian restaurants of comparable quality to the product. How much of that 5 Billion dollar pie have you carved away from your product when it's framed like that?

I have to agree with OP. I wish you well, but if I want to pay this much money for Indian food I'll likely go to an Indian Restaurant near me. I'm supporting a local business and being provided with a restaurant experience.

(of note: I worked in restaurants for over a decade, so my food spending tends to fall into "dining experience at a great restaurant" or "ingredients to prepare my own food because it's cheaper than convenience foods". I was going to be a hard sell from the start).

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#234

Post by moate »

baddox wrote: post #227
ajacksified wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> seems like there isn't much difference between ordering from a decent Indian restaurant and you guys I know it seems absurd on HN, but there are people who live in areas without decent Indian restaurants.

Coming from small-town Missouri and having traveled very little even within the US, I had literally never heard of any specific Indian dish (authentic or not) until I moved to San Francisco. I had no idea what naan or chicken tikka masala were until my company in SF ordered some.

So before you moved to SF, you never ate any of these products. Most people don't start eating new cuisines from a product like this, they start at restaurants (under the assumption that these cooks have experience cooking the food and will likely make a good product) or after having a meal prepared for them by another person.

That's not to say you wouldn't see this product at a store and go "oh, I've heard of Indian food and always been interested!" but that's not the common buyer behavior. People tend to pick convenience foods based on established food preferences/familiarizes.

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#236

Post by RayDonnelly »

ajeet_dhaliwal wrote: post #140

Good luck Mitra, I’m currently in the U.K. so can’t try it but one thing I’ve never seen done right is Indian food when it comes to takeaway/deliveries/orders, it’s never comes close to home cooked or restaurant quality so it’s a tall order for sure.

Why not order your takeaway from a good Indian restaurant? All the ones around here provide such a service.

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#237

Post by ma2rten »

t1o5 wrote: post #200

You will have a hard time balancing the spice levels. You can't satisfy both Indian and non-Indian demographic or you will have to have a spicy, less spicy type of each item. As an Indian, I cant stand the westernized non spicy versions of the supposedly authentic Indian foods. So I wouldn't buy them nor eat in those type of Indian restaurants. Its the same case vice versa. Non Indians may not like the spicy versions…

My guess is that they are not trying target typical westerners. There already is a lot of westernized pre-made Indian food you can buy at the supermarket.

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#238

Post by nicklovescode »

t1o5 wrote: post #200

You will have a hard time balancing the spice levels. You can't satisfy both Indian and non-Indian demographic or you will have to have a spicy, less spicy type of each item. As an Indian, I cant stand the westernized non spicy versions of the supposedly authentic Indian foods. So I wouldn't buy them nor eat in those type of Indian restaurants. Its the same case vice versa. Non Indians may not like the spicy versions…

I wonder if they could do something like include a capsaicin dropper and guidelines?

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#239

Post by deepGem »

"Our team spends hours in the kitchen tweaking each recipe so we can prep and cook it just enough"

This is super tricky to achieve. But, are you sure that this process is what makes your food flavoourful yet preservable by just freezing/refrigerating ?

Good luck though!

Re: Launch HN: The Buttermilk Company (YC S18) – Homemade Indian Food in 5 Minutes

#240

Post by theNextEpisode »

Hey, best of luck to you! I'm in the UK so unfortunately can't try this out. Your product looks great though!

To the rest of you - why is there so much negativity and doubt in this thread? HN generally has some negativity but it feels like there's a lot of mansplaining in here. Stop it.

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