BENGALURU: At a time when purchasing pesticide-free fresh fruits and vegetables has become a challenge, a Bengaluru-based startup is supplying these items to citizens, that too at 20 per cent lower cost. Humus, a store in JP Nagar 2nd Phase, is working on the Amul model: the firm procures fruits and vegetables directly from farmers, processes and sells them to customers in Bengaluru.
That is not all, the store is now so popular that citizens are looking for space for Humus to open branches in other parts of Bengaluru. They get customers from Uttarahalli, HSR Layout, Koramangala, Kengeri and Jalahalli. Manjunath TN, head of the firm, said they have had a tie-up with 500 farmers from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for the past two years.
“Earlier, we would procure supplies from farmers and give them to retailers. Later, we found that they were selling at the market price. The idea of tying up with farmers was to break the middleman chain. So we decided to open our own store, and the response has been good,” he said.
“We follow the Amul model, where produce is directly procured and there is minimal human interference in supply to consumers. We procure the items from Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Andhara Pradesh, Mysuru and Ooty. They are unable to come into the market and sell their stuff, so we are doing it for them, and there is 100 per cent transparency as there is no middleman chain,” he stated.
The firm comprises a team of 30 people, who procure and pack, with 10 core members who interact with farmers. “We work on the principle that you have to make it a people’s model. It works when there is transparency and affordability. This has proved more so during the pandemic,” Manjunath added.