Agriculture is a business as old as human society and its evolution both defines and caters to the changing needs and times. Food is a necessity and the demographics of India are such that innovation is an absolute must in meeting the demands of an ever-growing population. Homeneed Agri Pvt Ltd, a Karnataka based startup ventured into this space by becoming an intermediary between farmers, retailers and consumers.

Led by Anand BL and Ganesh Hegde and mentored by serial entreprenuer B.V. Venkatesh, Homeneed is different from the usual intermediary in that they provide support to the community of farmers they engage with. They empower them by providing with information on what is required so that they can allocate their resources better and maximise revenues. By providing retailers and consumers with produce at their doorstep with the benefit of a relationship manager, they are gradually changing the face of how produce goes from farm to plate.

In conversation with GlobalLinker (GL) Anand BL (BL) shares the journey of the firm and his business growth plans.

GL: Tell us about your business and how it came into being.

BL: Homeneed Agri Pvt Ltd was established with an ambition of bringing fresh farm grown vegetables directly from farmers to retailers & consumers at their doorstep at a competitive price. The company has been registered and based out of Bangalore since July 2015. Based on research on the supply chain for vegetables, we realised that retailers are struggling with the logistics of acquiring supply and transporting produce in a hygienic way. Also it was necessary to educate the farmers on quality parameters of products, demand for various new varieties of vegetables etc.

We understood that there is a need for an intermediary between consumers and farmers. Homeneed Agri Pvt Ltd has been established to provide an optimised solution to this problem which would benefit both consumers and farmers.

Homeneed supplies a wide range of vegetables and fruits throughout the year in a hygienic way. We ensure that we meet our quality parameters before sourcing the product. We have reduced wastage by up to 80% by adopting otimised means of transporting produce. Homeneed also ensures that all supplies to retailers reach by early morning which reduces the transport cost for retailers.

In our bid to ensure the best customer service, we have a return policy for our customers and also a dedicated relationship manager for all queries.

We also act as an agro-consultant to farmers for advice on in-demand vegetables and means to maximise revenue. 

GL: What are the challenges you have faced in establishing your business?

BL: We knew from the beginning that establishing a venture in an unorganised sector would be a challenging and adventurous journey. Some of the primary issues encountered were identifying sources from who vegetables must be bought, convincing them to sell to us and gaining retailer confidence. Further, we realised that it is critical to manage the supply chain which includes analysing the demand, figuring how to meet the demand, managing logistics, reducing wastage cost etc.

All initial issues were resolved by travelling extensively in and around Karnataka. Meeting farmers personally was an advantage in our bid to gain their confidence. Having an astute team is an advantage in facing and resolving daily operational issues.

GL: What is the USP of your business?

BL: Our USP is sound business processes. We pride ourselves on acquiring products and reaching consumers every day without any delay, with minimum wastage of perishable products. Retailers do not have to travel to the main market to collect vegetables, we provide the products at their shop. Also, we believe in supporting our farmer community by being agro-consultants.

GL: What are some of the milestones of your business?

BL: Homeneed has been recognised as a fast growing and emerging player in the green market. We supplied around 100 products at the initial phase of the business and increased to 150 at the end of the year. We have successfully achieved our target in the first year itself and expect to enjoy a growth rate of 30% each year.

GL: What role do you feel GlobalLinker plays in connecting and assisting SMEs?

BL: GlobalLinker acts as a platform for sharing inspiring stories of unsung entrepreneurs to readers around the world. This inspires others to be the one featured. GlobalLinker facilitates easy linking of one entrepreneur with another which helps them to grow their network without expending time and money.

GL: What is your big business dream?

BL: We would like to expand our business to other cities. We also plan to expand our client base to hotels and restaurants.

GL: What is your message to aspiring entrepreneurs?

BL: Having strong basics about the nature of the business you want to pursue will lead to a strong foundation for your business.

Disclaimer: This article is based solely on the inputs shared by the featured member. GlobalLinker does not necessarily endorse the views, opinions & facts stated by the member.