FarmDidi Success Story : Empowering Rural Women Through Homemade Food

FarmDidi Success Story

How many for-profit social food techs are there in India and do you know of? Yes, not many but, here is one for you that is a must-know for all readers.

FarmDidi is a for-profit social food tech startup which has been a crucial company for women in our country.

This company has achieved record sales, a Shark Tank India deal, and many more within just a few years of its establishment. I am sure many of you are willing to know about this incredible success story of FarmDidi.

So, tune in with us and read the success story of this company and the founder of it.

Founders of FarmDidi

The founder of FarmDidi is Manjari Sharma and she founded this company in 2021. She was an IIM Calcutta graduate who quit her MNC job to do something different for the women in our country. She wanted to make the women of our country financially independent and that is how the idea of FarmDidi came into her mind. 

After she had completed her IIM, she had worked in Management Consulting but, was deeply impacted by the question posed by rural women “Aur ham kya kar sakte hai?”. Soon she recognized the potential impact of empowering women economically and started working on her idea as soon as possible. 

The Beginning of FarmDidi

It was not very easy for Manjari Sharma to take such a huge risk after quitting her stable job at an MNC company. But, with full determination and willingness to do something for the women in our country, she took this chance.

She started FarmDidi in 2021 in India by partnering with Self Help Groups and some Non-Governmental Organizations.

Her business model was on a large scale so that it could help millions of women in our country to earn good money and be financially independent. She spent 15 days in remote villages of Bihar to evaluate the state of women’s empowerment, she found out the real working of the women of India. Now, looking at this she wanted to use her education to help them do something great.

She found out that, women doing household chores most of them had learned from cultivating crops to make pickles, papads, chutney and more. Manjari started training self-help groups and educating them on all food safety components and business aspects. She then started this brilliant company, FarmDidi.

The company’s headquarters are in Pune, and it collaborates with 150 SHGs in Maharashtra. Its mission is to offer healthy, preservative-free, food items that evoke nostalgic feelings in consumers, reminiscent of homemade dishes from their childhood.

FarmDidi – Inside Shark Tank India

Yes, Manjari Sharma represented FarmDidi on the famous business reality show in India, Shark Tank India. She started by giving out some facts regarding how women spend their income for their households and men do not in India.

She also revealed how she got this idea and how she left her high-paying job to empower rural women through a for-profit social food tech startup and it surely impressed all Sharks on the show.

During her pitch on the show, she and her team aimed to secure funding to further expand their business operations and empower more rural women across India.

Her ask was Rs 50 lakhs for 2% equity to all sharks present on the show. Yes, the sharks were captivated by the vision and dedication to empowering 1 million rural women through homemade, preservative-free food products.

After presenting all the products, services, and their story FarmDidi acquired a total funding of Rs 1 crore from Vineeta Singh and Peyush Bansal.

FarmDidi Store – How Do They Do It? 

FarmDidi comes up with various homemade products through a meticulous product development process which aligns with its mission and vision. Here is how they do that:-

• Ideation – The development process for various products of FarmDidi begins with ideation, where the team brainstorms ideas for new products and for existing ones. 
• Research and development – Once the idea is selected, the team conducts thorough research to understand the ingredients required, traditional recipes that can be used, and the feasibility of production at scale. 
• Collaboration with rural women – They then collaborate closely with rural women who are skilled in crafting and culinary delights. These collaborations play a crucial role in the product development process, bringing their traditional knowledge and expertise to create unique flavours that are loved by customers. 
• Quality control and testing – After the product is finished, FarmDidi emphasizes quality control and testing to maintain consistency and ensure that each item meets their quality standards. This step involves tasting, feedback collection, and adjustments. 
• Packaging and presentation – Packaging is done once everything goes right and they are done in such a way that products reflect the authenticity and love that goes into making them. 
• Market analysis – FarmDidi also conducts market analysis to understand consumer preferences and tastes. This helps the company tailor products to meet demands effectively.

FarmDidi USP – How they are creating a Difference?

FarmDidi is in itself a unique company which stands out. Its working culture, business process, operations, product manufacturing, and selling them, have a women empowerment spirit. 

FarmDidi’s USP lies in its mission which is to empower rural women by providing high-quality, natural, and homemade food products. The brand simply celebrates and enjoys the authentic flavours of rural India while also ensuring incredible quality and taste. Yes, they would not be able to achieve such a huge task without the help of Self Help Groups and different Non-Governmental Organizations of India. 

The brand offers customers with 100% natural pickles, pappads, and chutneys which are prepared by skilled rural women of India. Interestingly, these products are crafted with farm-fresh ingredients, which are free from any type of chemicals or preservatives. As a result, it delivers a taste that perfectly resonates with traditional culinary wisdom. 

FarmDidi’s commitment to empowering one million rural women in India sets the brand apart as a socially impactful food tech startup. A startup which combines both nostalgic and traditional taste with health and authenticity is quite unique in itself.

FarmDidi Top Selling Products

FarmDidi offers a wide range of products to customers all across our country. Some of their top-selling products are the following:-

Garlic Pickle – It is made with fresh garlic from farm which is marinated with mustard oil. This pickle offers a spicy and tangy flavour profile. Additionally, it is loaded with antioxidants and lots of anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it a popular choice among consumers of India.

 Lemon Pickle – Made with fresh and organic lemons and has a secret blend of spices, which creates a burst of flavours that balances the taste while consumed with daily food products.

Punjabi Mango Pickle – This recie is one of the most popular and most-ordered product on FarmDidi. It is prepared with sun-ripened mangoes and aromatic spices like hing and kalongi, it is known for its tangy and savoury taste.

Red Chilli Pickle – It is an authentic recipe which was originated in Benaras, Uttar Pradesh. This pickle is marinated in mustard oil along with fillings with various seeds such as yellow mustard seeds, fennel, kalonji, and back mustard seeds

FarmDidi Funding and Valuation 

FarmDidi made its establishment in 2021 and within the next four years they did receive some good funding. Although there are not many of them but, the companies tat invested on this company have surely invested in a futuristic company.

The first investment that FarmDidi received was from Peyush Bansal and Vineeta Singh of Rs 1 crore. Very recently, on April 1, 2024 they received an un-revealed sum from DBS Foundation Business for Impact Grand Award. Unfortunately, the exact amount is not revealed but, it proves that the company is heading into significant milestones and will continue to empower rural women of India.

According to Shark Tank Season 3, the total valuation of FarmDidi was a whopping Rs 20 crore. We are hoping that it have increased by a lot today.

FarmDidi Tagline and Logo Meaning

FarmDidi has a very special and deep tagline which gives a good message to our society. Its tagline is “Empowering Small Farmers.” This tagline has a very deep meaning and it emphasizes the brand’s mission to help small farmers by providing them with technology and resources to improve agricultural pactices and help increase their income.

The name of the brand FarmDidi reflects this mission, as “Didi” which means “older sister” or “elder sister” in Hindi. It symbolizes the company’s role as a supportive and nurturing figure for small farmers especially for the women in India.

The FarmDidi logo is a very unique and stylized image of a farmer woman who is wearing a saree along with a pot in front of her. The pot simply symbolizes the homemade products that are sold by this brand which are manufactured by women of rural India. Additionally, at the background we can see a sun rising in yellow colour it simply proves the rise in women’s empowerment.

FarmDidi Awards and Achievements

FarmDidi has won several awards and achievements ever since it made its establishment in India. All the credit for such goes to their unique process of work and the huge problem that they are solving in today’s Indian culture. Here are some of the notable awards bestowed upon FarmDidi:-

• 91 Springboard – One of the most prestigious awards won by FarmDidi. They won the “Startup of the Year” award at 91 Springboard’s annual Startup Summit back in 2020. This recognition highlighted the company’s innovative approach to empowering farmers using technology. 
• Zone Startups – The brand received the “Emerging Startup of the Year” award at Zone Startups in 2019. This was given becasue of the company’s commitment to creating impactful solutions for the rural communities. 
• Google for India – They won an award at Google’s Women Will Entrepreneurship Programme in 2018. The award was given for their dedication to women-led entrepreneurship and social impact initiatives. 
• Ministry of Science and Technology – It was in 2017 when FarmDidi received an award from the Ministry of Science and Technology for its innovative use of technology in agriculture and rural part development of India. 
• Outstanding Women Leadership – The Founder of this company was recognized with the “Outstanding Women Leadership” award in 2016 which was led by the World Women Leadership Congress (WWLC). This award proved her exceptional leadership skills and commitment to promoting sustainable agricultural practises among small farmers. 
• Wharton India Economic Forum – It was in 2015, that FarmDidi won the “Social Impact Award” at Wharton India Economic Forum. This award given to the company demonstrated its significant impact on society through innovative solutions addressing real-world problems faced by Indian farmers. 

These are some of the prestigious awards received by FarmDidi. It highlights the brand’s commitment to growth, sustainability, and empowering small farmers especially women to have a stable income.

FarmDidi Year on Year Growth and Turnover of Last Few Years 

Ever since this company was founded, it has shown immense growth and impact. It’s focus on empowering rural women of India has led to the establishment of a successful business model. In just a year, FarmDidi enabled over 1080 women entrepreneurs through its initiatives, this impacted more than 40 villages in rural Maharashtra.

The growth trajectory of this brand has seen good expansion to work with 108 Self Help Groups across different regions. This company has further plans to expand their reach to cities like Sholapur, Kolhapur, and Amravati.

Financial growth and turnover of FarmDidi are not explicitly given by the officials but, we are sure they are doing great in that department. FarmDidi’s journey from inception to empowering more than a thousand women entrepreneurs within a very short span reflects a promising outlook for rapid and constant growth and impact in coming years.

Conclusion

FarmDidi is one of those rare companies in our country which is actually thinking of rural women empowerment. By focusing a lot on product quality, standards, taste, and demand this company is growing and will grow in the coming few years. After presenting themselves on Shark Tank India, the company has received huge publicity and more people have come to know about them and what they are up to.

FarmDidi Reviews

FarmDiDi Website

Website Link : www.farmdidi.com

FAQ :-

Q1. Do you use any preservatives to make these pickles? 

Ans – No, FarmDidi do not use any preservatives or artificial additives to make pickles.

Q2. What is the shelf life for these pickles? 

Ans – It is best to eat shelf-stable pickles within 1 year of canning.

Q3. What type of oil do you use to make these pickles? 

Ans – The two most common oils used for making pickles are mustard and sesame, both have antimicrobial qualities. 

Q4. How much is the delivery time? 

Ans – For domestic orders, FarmDidi delivers products within 2-7 working days from the date of dispatch depending on location.