Mumbai's famed dabbawalas fed millions for over 100 years - now they are disappearing
Summary
Mumbai’s dabbawalas, known for delivering home-cooked meals across the city for over 100 years, have seen their numbers fall sharply from about 4,500 in 2018 to around 1,500 today. The pandemic and the rise of remote work have reduced the demand for their lunch delivery service.Key Facts
- Dabbawalas deliver lunchboxes filled with home-cooked food to office workers in Mumbai every day.
- Each lunchbox is marked with a special code showing its origin and destination, allowing precise delivery without technology like apps or GPS.
- The system started in the late 19th century to help workers eat fresh food while at work.
- The dabbawalas’ delivery network peaked at around 4,500 workers delivering 50,000 lunchboxes daily.
- The COVID-19 pandemic caused offices to close, drastically lowering demand for the service.
- Many dabbawalas left the job due to reduced customers and few savings.
- Hybrid and remote work models have kept the demand lower even after offices reopened.
- The dabbawalas are known worldwide for their efficient, low-cost delivery system and have been studied by business schools.
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