In India’s fast-growing food sector, farm-to-table is no longer new. What sets Project Hum apart is not just clean eating, but its effort to bring farmers into the dining conversation. Founded by Raghav Simha, Pragun Bajaj and Jatin Talreja, the Mumbai-based restaurant is built on transparency, local sourcing and steady operations.

All three founders studied together at the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad. During college, they often discussed opening a restaurant of their own. Turning that idea into reality required a hard choice.

Each of them held high-paying roles at leading hospitality brands. Their resumes included stints at ITC Royal Bengal, JW Marriott and Eleven Madison Park in New York. Leaving those jobs meant giving up financial comfort and career security.

They made the leap in 2022.

Launching Project Hum

Project Hum opened its first outlet in Bandra, Mumbai, in September 2022. The founders describe the early phase as demanding. Building supplier trust, managing costs and finding customers took time.

From the start, they chose to avoid traditional wholesale markets. The restaurant does not buy produce from mandis or large suppliers. Instead, it works directly with farmers across Maharashtra.

The goal was clear. Keep sourcing local and seasonal.

Working Directly With Farmers

Project Hum sources its produce from three farmer producer organisations. Each group includes over 75 farmers. These farmers operate in regions such as Junnar, Nashik, Thanegaon and Nanded.

The menu changes with harvest cycles. Ingredients shift based on season and availability. Alongside this, the restaurant features a “Farmer of the Month” board. It highlights the farmer behind a key ingredient on the menu.

Another initiative, “Meet the Farmer”, allows diners to interact directly with farmers. These sessions focus on crop cycles, pricing challenges and daily realities of farming.

The founders say this approach helps customers understand where food comes from and what it takes to grow it.

Kitchen and Sustainability Choices

Pragun Bajaj, who oversees kitchen operations, designed menus that keep preparation simple and ingredient-focused. The aim is to serve food at its freshest state, without heavy processing.

Sustainability plays a role in daily operations. Meals are served on trays and disposable bowls made from sugarcane bagasse. This switch has helped save an estimated 6,000 litres of water each day.

Shorter supply chains also reduce transport distance, which cuts emissions tied to food delivery.

Growing Demand and Revenue

Project Hum now handles close to 400 orders a day through dine-in and delivery. In FY24, the business reported revenue of ₹4.48 crore.

The steady demand encouraged the founders to expand.

In January 2025, they opened a second outlet in Versova, Mumbai. This location introduced a breakfast menu and a healthy bakery, options not available at the Bandra outlet.

The team plans to expand to other cities over the next few years, while keeping sourcing local in each region.

Investor Interest

In October 2024, actor Agastya Nanda invested in Project Hum. He says what stood out was not only the food, but how the founders run the business.

He noted that the restaurant challenged assumptions about healthy food being bland. The focus on process and values influenced his decision to back the brand.

Building Community

Project Hum’s regular customers describe it as more than a restaurant. Many visit multiple times a week. The founders say this loyalty matters as much as growth numbers.

Jatin Talreja, who handles business operations, says trust from diners and farmers keeps the team grounded. Expansion plans exist, but they want to scale without losing the core idea.

A Long-Term View

The founders remain aware of the risks in the restaurant business. Costs fluctuate. Supply chains face weather and market pressure. Customer tastes change.

They believe staying close to farmers and customers offers some stability. The model depends on relationships rather than volume.

At under 30, Simha, Bajaj and Talreja are still early in their journey. Project Hum reflects their shared training, discipline and choice to build slowly.

In a crowded dining market, their focus remains simple. Serve clean food. Source it honestly. Show who grows it.

FAQs

Q1. What is Project Hum?
Project Hum is a farm-to-table fast-casual restaurant based in Mumbai.

Q2. Who founded Project Hum?
It was founded by Raghav Simha, Pragun Bajaj and Jatin Talreja.

Q3. Where does Project Hum source its ingredients from?
The restaurant sources produce directly from farmer producer organisations in Maharashtra.

Q4. How much revenue did Project Hum make in FY24?
Project Hum reported revenue of ₹4.48 crore in FY24.