Rasa Worldwide Inc., which owns and operates a three-unit Indian fast-casual concept in the Washington, D.C., area, has drawn a financing round from equity-firm Rellevant Partners, the companies announced Tuesday.
Washington, D.C.-based Rasa Worldwide said it planned to use the Series A funding from New York City-based Rellevant Partners, led by Janice Meyer and Jessica Kates, to open new locations, implement new technologies and grow the Rasa team. The company did not disclose the amount or terms of the Series A funding round.
Rasa was created in 2017 by co-founders Sahil Rahman and Rahul Vinod, lifelong friends whose fathers were also in the restaurant business in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
“Since we started Rasa, our primary goal has been to use food as a vehicle for connecting our communities,” said Rahman in a statement. “We are honored to have the support of the top-notch team at Rellevant Partners as we move into our next chapter as a company and continue pursuing this mission.”
Rasa Worldwide said it was looking to expand beyond the D.C. area and is looking at options on the East Coast. Rasa offers a Chipotle-like menu of Indian-American grains and bowls with ingredients like kebab, turmeric shrimp and chicken tikka as well as local produce options.
An earlier funding round was closed just before the pandemic in 2020.
Meyer of Rellevant Partners said, “Rasa’s unique brand fills a major void in the industry. The quality, flavor profile and affordability of its offerings positions the company to become the clear leader in the category.”
Since the start of the pandemic, RASA has raised more than $70,000 in collaboration with the Vernon Davis Foundation and partnered with numerous non-profits to provide meals to medical worker, student and elderly communities.
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