Mumbai's famed dabbawalas fed millions for over 100 years

2 days ago

Mumbai's dabbawalas have delivered home-cooked lunches using an efficient, manual coding system for over a century.
Their service, studied by institutions like Harvard Business School, was once a symbol of Mumbai's precision.
The COVID-19 pandemic and remote work reduced demand, causing many dabbawalas to leave or take second jobs.
Food delivery apps and cloud kitchens now offer alternatives, further diminishing the dabbawalas' customer base.
The number of active dabbawalas dropped from about 4,500 in 2018 to roughly 1,500, threatening the tradition's survival.

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