Farm-to-fork startup KisanKonnect raised undisclosed amount of funding from renowned actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The omnichannel startup, founded in 2020 by Vivek Nirmal and Nidhi Nirmal, operates a unique model that sources food directly from a network of 5,000 farmers through village-level collection centers. It then delivers the produce to consumers in Mumbai and Pune, eliminating middlemen from the supply chain.
Shetty Kundra expressed her motivation for investing in the startup, stating that KisanKonnect not only solves the problem of safe-to-eat food but also connects farmers directly with consumers. She emphasized the importance of promoting health in a country where agriculture is a major occupation.
Unlike other players in the space like DeHaat, Ninjacart, and WayCool, KisanKonnect offers its services directly to customers through its mobile app and farm stores. The startup manages around 1.75 lakh acres of cultivated land and provides a wide range of over 200 types of vegetables and 100 types of fruits online. It claims to deliver approximately 1.5 lakh boxes of produce every month.
Founder Vivek Nirmal highlighted the company’s focus on building a robust supply chain and ensuring customer satisfaction. KisanKonnect has already achieved an annualized revenue run rate of INR 120 crore and serves over 1 lakh consumers in Mumbai and Pune.
KisanKonnect aims to capitalize on the immense potential in the agritech sector, which is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 50% by 2027, reaching a market size of $34 billion, according to an Avendus Capital report.
The startup’s integrated model, which includes soil testing and regenerative agriculture practices, benefits both farmers and consumers. By nurturing healthy soil and offering better returns to smallholder farmers, KisanKonnect ensures the availability of fresh and nutritious food.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra’s investment in KisanKonnect follows her recent funding in the ready-to-cook D2C brand WickedGud and her undisclosed investment in women-focused upskilling platform Hunar Online. Additionally, she increased her stake in IPO-bound D2C unicorn Mamaearth last year.
