Simmy Dhillon: The Founder Who Built Simmer Eats
How a £10 university meal idea grew into one of the UK’s fastest-growing food businesses
Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team
Introduction
Simmy Dhillon is a British entrepreneur and the founder of Simmer Eats, a prepared-meal delivery company that began as a small university side project.
His full registered name is Simran Singh Dhillon. He started the business in 2017 by using about £10 of ingredients to prepare eight portions of jerk chicken for university students.
The early business was called Rice n Spice. It later became RNS Meals before developing into the Simmer Eats brand known today.
Simmy built the company with support from his brother, Jhai Dhillon, and their mother, Kal. The family turned a small food operation into a growing subscription company serving customers across the United Kingdom.
As of July 2026, Simmy remains an active company director connected with Simmer Eats. The company also ranked fifth in The Sunday Times 100 list of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies for 2026.
Simmy Dhillon Quick Facts
| Fact | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Full registered name | Simran Singh Dhillon |
| Professional name | Simmy Dhillon |
| Born | January 1997 |
| Age | 29 as of July 2026 |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Entrepreneur and food-business founder |
| Known for | Founding Simmer Eats |
| Original business name | Rice n Spice |
| Business started | 2017 |
| Main company | Simmer Eats |
| Current verified position | Founder and active company director |
| Business partner | Jhai Dhillon |
| Education | Economics at the University of Bristol |
| Previous employer | |
| Main industry | Prepared meals and food delivery |
| Major recognition | Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year regional winner |
Who Is Simmy Dhillon?
Simmy Dhillon is the entrepreneur behind Simmer Eats, a company that prepares fresh meals and delivers them directly to customers.
The meals are designed for people who want convenient food without cooking every meal from the beginning. Customers can select meals online, receive them at home and heat them when needed.
Simmy did not begin with a large kitchen, outside investment or a national delivery network.
He began by cooking a small number of meals while studying at university. He sold those meals to other students and used the money to buy ingredients for the next batch.
This simple process allowed him to test whether customers were willing to pay for convenient, prepared food.
His journey is similar to other founders who noticed a problem in the way people bought meals. A related example is the story of a food-delivery entrepreneur who built a service around customer convenience.
However, Simmer Eats developed a different model. It prepares its own meals instead of mainly connecting restaurants with customers.
Simmy Dhillon’s Early Life
Simmy grew up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
His parents worked in factory and supermarket jobs. His father spent many years working night shifts in a car factory, while his mother worked in a supermarket and later became closely involved in the family food business.
Simmy and his brother showed an interest in earning money from a young age. They reportedly sold sweets at school and regularly discussed the idea of creating a business together.
These early experiences did not immediately lead to a major company. They did, however, teach the brothers simple lessons about customers, pricing and selling products.
Food also played an important role inside their home.
Their mother prepared balanced meals for Jhai while he was playing football. Other players became interested in the food, showing the family that busy people might pay for ready-made meals that supported an active lifestyle.
Education and First University Experience
Simmy first enrolled at the University of Warwick to study mathematics.
He left during his first year and took an administrative job. This early change did not end his education.
In 2017, he began studying economics at the University of Bristol.
His time in Bristol became important because it provided the setting for his first food business.
University students often have limited time, money and cooking experience. Many depend on takeaway food or simple supermarket meals.
Simmy believed there was space for convenient food that tasted homemade and could be purchased at a reasonable price.
Rather than only discussing the idea, he decided to test it.
How Did Simmy Dhillon Start Simmer Eats?
The company began with around £10 of ingredients.
Simmy used the ingredients to prepare eight portions of jerk chicken in his university accommodation. He offered the meals to students for approximately £5 each.
The meals sold quickly.
He reinvested the money into more ingredients and repeated the process. This early operation became known as Rice n Spice.
The first business model was simple:
- Prepare a small number of meals.
- Offer them to students.
- Collect customer feedback.
- Use the income to buy more ingredients.
- Increase production when demand grew.
This approach reduced the financial risk.
Simmy did not need to open a restaurant or rent an expensive office before learning whether customers liked the product.
He first proved that people wanted the meals.
How the Family Joined the Business
Simmy’s mother began preparing meals for customers around Hitchin while he continued selling food in Bristol.
Jhai also helped the company while working in a corporate role. His early responsibilities included shopping for ingredients, managing orders and completing deliveries.
The family worked during evenings and weekends while continuing with their education or regular jobs.
As demand increased, the small home operation was no longer enough.
The family rented a commercial kitchen in Hitchin. This gave them more room to prepare food and follow a more organised production process.
The move created new opportunities, but it also increased costs.
Rent, equipment, ingredients and kitchen operations required regular payments. Sales were not always strong enough to make the work feel worthwhile.
The brothers sometimes worked late into the night before returning the following day to complete deliveries.
Building the Business While Studying
Simmy took time away from university to focus on the company and gain professional experience.
During this period, he completed internships in finance and technology. One of his most important experiences was working at Google.
He became interested in how technology could improve food operations.
Large kitchens need to manage many moving parts, including:
- Menu planning
- Ingredient ordering
- Customer demand
- Food preparation
- Delivery schedules
- Stock levels
- Waste reduction
- Product pricing
Technology can help a business understand these areas more clearly.
Simmy later applied some of these lessons to Simmer Eats. The company recruited software specialists as well as chefs, showing that its growth depended on both food preparation and technology.
He returned to university and completed his economics degree in 2020.
Simmy Dhillon’s Career at Google
After university, Simmy accepted a full-time role at Google.
Working for a global technology company offered a stable professional path. However, he continued developing the meal business with his family.
For several years, Rice n Spice operated alongside the brothers’ normal careers.
The business eventually reached an important turning point.
In January 2021, it reportedly generated around £100,000 in sales during a single month. It had also reached profitability and an annualised revenue level of approximately £1 million.
The numbers showed that the company was no longer a small weekend project.
Simmy and Jhai decided to leave their corporate careers and focus on the business full-time.
Why Rice n Spice Became Simmer Eats
The company later changed its name from Rice n Spice to Simmer Eats.
The original name reflected the business’s early meals, but the company was expanding into more food styles and serving a wider group of customers.
The Simmer name allowed the founders to create a broader brand.
A strong name is important because customers need to remember the company and understand what it offers.
The rebranding also marked a change in the size of the operation.
Simmer was no longer a student selling meals through local contacts. It was becoming a structured online food company with professional kitchens, employees, subscriptions and nationwide deliveries.
How the Subscription Model Supported Growth
One of the most important changes involved moving away from irregular orders.
Early customers often placed orders through messages. This made weekly demand difficult to predict.
A subscription model created a more organised system.
Customers could choose a regular number of meals, while the company gained a clearer idea of how much food it needed to prepare.
This helped Simmer manage:
- Ingredients
- Kitchen time
- Staff schedules
- Packaging
- Delivery planning
- Customer payments
- Weekly demand
Subscriptions can also create more predictable income than one-time purchases.
However, customers will only continue subscribing when the meals remain useful, enjoyable and reasonably priced.
The company therefore needed to keep improving its recipes, customer experience and delivery process.
Why Did Simmer Eats Grow?
Simmer Eats grew because it answered a clear customer need.
Many people want balanced meals but may not have time to shop, prepare ingredients and cook every day.
The company offered another option: prepared food delivered to the customer’s home.
Several factors supported its growth.
A Clear Customer Problem
Busy customers needed convenient meals.
A Product People Could Understand
The company did not need to explain a complicated idea. Customers could quickly understand prepared food delivered to their homes.
Repeat Orders
Meals are purchased regularly, giving the company opportunities to build long-term customer relationships.
Online Ordering
Customers could select products without visiting a physical shop.
Social-Media Marketing
Online creators and public figures helped introduce the meals to wider audiences.
Family Involvement
The founders had family members who understood the original product and purpose.
Technology
Digital systems helped manage demand, menus, deliveries and customer information.
Reinvestment
The brothers placed money back into the company rather than depending heavily on outside investors.
Simmer Eats and the UK Food Market
Simmer Eats operates within the wider prepared-food and delivery market.
Its customers may compare the service with supermarket ready meals, restaurant delivery, meal kits and home cooking.
Each option solves a slightly different problem.
A meal kit normally gives customers ingredients that still need to be prepared. Restaurant delivery provides food intended for immediate eating. A prepared-meal subscription provides several meals that can be stored and heated later.
Simmer’s position combines convenience with regular planning.
The company is also part of a long tradition of founders changing how people buy convenient food. Readers can compare its development with the work of a British food-business founder who created major ready-to-eat brands.
The comparison shows how customer habits continue to create new opportunities in the food industry.
Major Business Growth
Simmer Eats has reported strong growth during recent years.
The company generated sales of £36.1 million during the financial year ending in January 2025, according to reporting published by The Times.
It also achieved a high position in major business-growth rankings.
In 2026, Simmer Eats ranked fifth in The Sunday Times 100, which lists fast-growing private companies in Britain.
The published ranking reported annual sales growth of 264.56% over its three-year measurement period.
A high growth rate does not mean that every year will produce the same result. Food companies must continue dealing with ingredient costs, wages, delivery expenses, customer expectations and competition.
Fast growth can also create operational pressure.
A company must prepare more meals, recruit employees, maintain quality and solve customer problems without losing control of costs.
Simmy Dhillon’s Current Role
As of July 2026, Simmy remains the founder of Simmer Eats.
His official UK company records identify him as an active director of RNS Meals Ltd and Simmer Ltd.
His brother Jhai is also an active director of the main meal company.
Simmy’s work now includes more than preparing food.
A founder leading a company of this size may be involved in:
- Business strategy
- Product development
- Technology
- Marketing
- Recruitment
- Partnerships
- Financial planning
- Customer growth
- New market expansion
- Company culture
The founders have also discussed investing in automation and technology to improve kitchen efficiency and control waste.
Awards and Business Recognition
Simmy and Jhai were selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2023 in the retail and e-commerce category.
The recognition highlighted the growth of their meal-subscription company and its development from a small university project.
Simmy was also included in The Sunday Times Young Power List in 2025.
In the same year, EY named him a regional Entrepreneur Of The Year winner for the South of England.
These awards increased his public profile, but the strongest evidence of the company’s progress remains its customers, sales and continued operation.
Awards can bring attention to a founder. They do not replace the daily work required to run the company.
Simmy Dhillon’s Business Approach
Several clear ideas can be seen in the way Simmy developed Simmer Eats.
Start With a Small Test
He did not begin with a large factory.
He prepared eight meals and checked whether customers wanted them.
Reinvest Early Income
Money from the first sales was used to buy more ingredients.
Learn Directly From Customers
Selling to students allowed him to receive quick feedback.
Continue While Working Elsewhere
The business operated alongside university and corporate employment until it became strong enough to support full-time work.
Use Technology for Practical Problems
Technology was used to improve operations rather than only make the company appear modern.
Work With People Who Understand the Purpose
His brother and mother were involved from the early stages.
Change the Model When Needed
The business moved from individual orders to subscriptions and adopted a new brand name as it expanded.
What Can Entrepreneurs Learn From Simmy Dhillon?
Simmy’s journey provides several useful lessons for people starting businesses.
Test Demand Before Spending Heavily
A small test can show whether customers are interested.
It is usually safer to sell a basic version of a product before investing in a large operation.
Solve a Common Problem
Busy people need food every day.
The company focused on a problem that was easy to recognise.
Use Existing Skills and Support
The family already understood home cooking, sport-focused meals and customer service.
Be Ready for Difficult Periods
The commercial kitchen created financial and physical pressure before the business became profitable.
Know When to Commit Fully
Simmy did not immediately leave university or his professional career forever.
He waited until the business had clearer demand and stronger income.
Keep Improving the System
A growing company cannot depend on the same process it used for its first ten customers.
It needs better technology, stronger staff and more organised operations.
Family Involvement
Simmer Eats has remained strongly connected with the Dhillon family.
Jhai Dhillon is Simmy’s brother, co-founder and business partner.
Their mother, Kal, helped prepare the early meals and supported the development of recipes and kitchen operations.
The company’s success also allowed the brothers to support their parents financially. They have publicly discussed paying off the family mortgage and helping their parents retire from their previous jobs.
This family involvement is important to the Simmer story because the business was not created by one person working alone.
Simmy developed the idea, but its growth depended on shared work.
Does Simmy Dhillon Have a Confirmed Net Worth?
Reliable public records do not provide a verified personal net-worth figure for Simmy Dhillon.
Company sales should not be treated as the founder’s personal wealth.
Revenue belongs to the business and may be used for ingredients, employees, kitchens, delivery, technology, taxes and future growth.
Online estimates that do not show company filings, financial disclosures or reliable transaction records should not be treated as confirmed facts.
Public Presence
Simmy uses professional and social platforms to discuss entrepreneurship and the growth of Simmer Eats.
His content often focuses on:
- Starting with limited money
- Building a family business
- Leaving corporate employment
- Reinvesting company income
- Managing rapid growth
- Supporting working-class founders
- Learning from business mistakes
- Using technology in food operations
His public presence has helped make him recognisable beyond the company’s customers.
However, follower numbers change regularly and should not be used as permanent facts.
Interesting Facts About Simmy Dhillon
- His full registered name is Simran Singh Dhillon.
- He was born in January 1997.
- He started selling meals while studying at university.
- His first batch used around £10 of ingredients.
- The first batch contained eight jerk-chicken meals.
- The original business name was Rice n Spice.
- His mother prepared meals for early customers.
- His brother helped with shopping, orders and deliveries.
- He studied economics at the University of Bristol.
- He previously worked at Google.
- He left his corporate career after the business became profitable.
- The company later adopted the Simmer Eats name.
- Simmer Eats ranked fifth in The Sunday Times 100 for 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Simmy Dhillon?
Simmy Dhillon is a British entrepreneur and the founder of Simmer Eats, a prepared-meal subscription and delivery company.
What is Simmy Dhillon’s full name?
His full registered name is Simran Singh Dhillon.
How old is Simmy Dhillon?
He is 29 years old as of July 2026. UK company records list his birth month and year as January 1997.
What is Simmy Dhillon famous for?
He is best known for starting Simmer Eats with approximately £10 of ingredients while studying at university.
What company does Simmy Dhillon own?
He is the founder of Simmer Eats. The business operates through companies including RNS Meals Ltd and Simmer Ltd.
What was Simmer Eats originally called?
The business was originally called Rice n Spice. It was also associated with the shortened RNS Meals name before becoming Simmer Eats.
Did Simmy Dhillon work at Google?
Yes. He completed an internship and later accepted a full-time role at Google before leaving to focus on the meal business.
Who founded Simmer Eats?
Simmy Dhillon started the original business. His brother, Jhai Dhillon, later joined him as a co-founder and company director.
When did Simmy Dhillon start the business?
He began selling meals in 2017 while studying at the University of Bristol.
How much money did he use to start?
He has said that the first test used approximately £10 of ingredients.
Is Simmy Dhillon still involved with Simmer Eats?
Yes. As of July 2026, he remains publicly identified as the founder and is listed as an active company director.
Why did Simmer Eats become successful?
Its growth was supported by a clear customer need, prepared meals, repeat subscriptions, online ordering, social-media awareness, family involvement and investment in technology.
Conclusion
Simmy Dhillon is the British entrepreneur who turned a small university food experiment into Simmer Eats.
The company began with around £10 of ingredients and eight meals. It grew through repeat sales, family support, a commercial kitchen, online subscriptions and full-time commitment from its founders.
Simmy completed his university education, worked at Google and continued building the company before deciding to leave corporate employment.
Simmer Eats later became one of Britain’s fastest-growing private businesses and ranked fifth in The Sunday Times 100 for 2026.
His journey shows that a company can begin with a simple test rather than a large investment.
The most important lesson is not only that Simmy started with £10. It is that he tested a real customer need, reinvested the early income and continued improving the business as demand increased.




