Neil Banerjee
India’s agricultural landscape is witnessing a revolutionary movement which is reshaping the way we approach food production and consumption. Noida based Kisaan Se Kitchen Tak (KSKT), founded in 2020 by entrepreneurs Santosh Srivastava and Ishaan Hukku, is an innovative start-up that is not just about commerce but is also a movement towards sustainable, healthier farming practices and consumer choices.
SME Futures takes a close look at the start-up and its efforts to provide a better market for farmers. By making products easily accessible and foraying into e-commerce, KSKT has opened up a wide range of new opportunities for them.
Setting the stage
To truly appreciate KSKT’s journey, we must first understand the stark dichotomy in farming practices that inspired its inception. Santosh Srivastava, reflecting on his days as Head of Sales at Tata Steel, recalls, “I witnessed Indian farmers juggling between chemical-laden commercial farming and traditional, chemical-free practices for personal consumption.”
This observation ignited an overwhelming sense of purpose in Srivastava and Hukku. “We envisioned KSKT as a platform not just for transactions but also for transformation,” states Srivastava. They started KSKT with a missionary zeal and their mission was: “Creating Happy Kitchens and Happy Kisan’s.”
Today, it resonates deeply as it empowers consumers with healthier choices while ensuring fair returns for farmers.
Santosh Srivastava emphasises, “Our commitment lies in delivering healthier food alternatives to customers and creating supply chain and market linkages for farmers, ensuring that they receive fair prices.”
Syncollab Model: A catalyst for success
Central to KSKT’s success is its Syncollab Model, a strategic approach built on synergy and collaboration in the food and agriculture domain. “This model enables us to create supply chains for various product groups and segments,” Srivastava elaborates. By leveraging economies of scale and common infrastructure, KSKT optimises operations and delivers value to both farmers and consumers.
Programmes like ‘Misfits’ and ‘FRECO Markets’ play a significant role in KSKT’s strategy under the ‘Aadha Daam-Dugna Fayda’ scheme. ‘Misfits’ offers odd-sized F&V produce at half the market price, reducing wastage and providing consumers with attractive prices. ‘FRECO MARKETS’, on the other hand, creates micro local networks for value-conscious customer segments, further enhancing accessibility and affordability.
“FRECO markets is a unique asset-lite, omni-channel retail concept wherein we are creating a Micro Local Network of retail stores cum delivery centres for value conscious customer segments. Each store caters to a catchment area of 1-2 kms wherein customers can walk in and buy or place an order on an app/website/WhatsApp for hourly delivery. Small HORECAs and other retailers (B2B) can place orders and get deliveries of their desired products,” Srivastava explains.
“‘Misfits’ is a unique concept wherein FRECO is offering odd sizes of F&V produce which are absolutely fine for consumption and equally nutritious but at half the normal market prices. This initiative is termed as ‘Aadha Daam, Dugna Fayda’ for easy customer connection. This further helps the farmers to reduce wastages,” he adds.
Addressing industry challenges while focusing on sustainability
KSKT is addressing critical challenges in the agriculture and food production industry by focusing on food waste reduction and sustainable practices. “Our initiatives in the organic and natural divisions, gourmet offerings, and FRECO Markets contribute to reducing wastage and improving farmer earnings,” says Srivastava. Through processes like harvesting on order and fresh produce delivery, KSKT is creating a positive impact on both ends of the value chain.
“All these Initiatives have huge potential to make a positive impact on consumers by providing them with healthier food at affordable prices. They will also improve farmer’s earnings and reduce wastages in the supply chain,” he further adds.
KSKT’s commitment to natural farming practices and sustainability is evident in its collaborations with farmers. “We motivate farmers to switch to Jaivik farming by providing knowledge and market linkages,” says Srivastava. This commitment also aligns with the national initiatives promoting natural farming and environmental sustainability.
Adapting market trends and leveraging tech for efficiency
In a rapidly evolving landscape, KSKT remains adaptable and responsive to emerging market trends. “We stay updated with developments in the value chain and market dynamics,” Srivastava avers. By harnessing synergy and collaboration, KSKT has introduced niche product segments tailored to evolving consumer needs.
“It’s Important for us to keep an eye on the developments in the value chain and the market dynamics. The founders and the core team keep themselves updated with what’s new and how it can be adopted into KSKT’s business to give better value to consumers, create value for our farmers and suppliers as well as create value and growth opportunities for KSKT,” he asserts.
Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing KSKT’s operations. “Our robust IT solutions and business processes ensure a sustainable, scalable, and replicable model,” he underscores.
“Our efforts focus on digitising business processes, resulting in a customised ERP system for end-to-end material movements, user-friendly apps and websites, and efficient delivery route planning, rider allocation, and tracking systems for the last mile. These systems are seamlessly interconnected via APIs for smooth data flow across platforms,” he adds.
Ongoing projects and future aspirations
KSKT’s current priorities include building an aggregated e-commerce platform, integrating a CRM system for customer management, improving delivery compliance, and enhancing business model replicability. “Our vision is to be a go-to company for healthy food alternatives,” says Srivastava. KSKT aspires to reach millions of households and create impactful linkages between consumers and farmers while upholding environmental and societal values.
Kisaan Se Kitchen Tak (KSKT) exemplifies a transformative force in the agriculture and food production industry. Through visionary leadership, innovative strategies like the Syncollab Model, and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, KSKT is not just reshaping markets but is also empowering farmers and consumers alike. As Srivastava aptly summarises, “Our journey is a testament to the potential of collaborative synergy and purpose-driven innovation in creating a sustainable and thriving ecosystem.”
