Ayekart Fintech, a digital technology platform for the food and agriculture value chain, has announced a minority investment in Nature's Fresh Express, a producer and supplier of exotic vegetables. This move will strengthen Ayekart's product portfolio and expand its retail offerings while supporting the growth of Nature's Fresh Express.
With this investment, Ayekart will be able to tap into the extensive network of farmers and other stakeholders in the Indian vegetable market, providing the platform with the necessary resources to compete effectively in this space.
Commenting on the announcement, Debarshi Dutta, CEO and co-founder of Ayekart, said, " With its expertise in producing and supplying exotic vegetables, Nature's Fresh Express has the potential to transform the vegetable market in India, and we are pleased to be part of this journey. Ayekart looks forward to accelerating its growth and enhancing its reputation as a leading provider of digital solutions for traditional businesses and the agricultural value chain."
As traditional businesses in India continue to adopt digital technologies and automate their processes, there is an increasing demand for homegrown exotic vegetables and fruits. Agri-tech companies in India have a tremendous opportunity to capture this growing demand by creating products that address the specific needs of Indian consumers.
Ayekart is an integrated platform that enables traditional food and agri value chain businesses while retaining and enhancing trust in their ecosystem by delivering efficiency and convenience. It is engaged in the business by providing technology, finance, and services powering B2B and B2C business along with supply chain management. It also enables supply chain finance through financial institutions for pre-shipment finance and distributor/dealer finance to facilitate manufacturers with new market linkages.
Sameer Mulani, the founder of Nature's Fresh Express, added, "We are delighted to have Ayekart as our investor and partner in this venture. Their extensive experience and in-house technology solutions will be invaluable as we work towards scaling up the exotic vegetable market."
Pune-based Nature's Fresh Express was founded in 2005, and its operations are based on organized farming across pan-India by associating farmers with their produce. Partnering with over 1000 farmers, its clientele includes Godrej Nature Basket, CCI, Pizza Hut, Tacobel, Subway, TFS KFC, BOX8 and Haiko Supermarket. With its network spanning five states—Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, MP, and Kolkata—the start-up will soon establish its presence in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.