We are currently living in a world, we’re asking for fully organic food is a luxury. The growing population has forced farmers and crop producers to adopt synthetic methods to grow food. As a result, many of our daily meals are the result of lots of artificial pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Are you one of the people who is frustrated from buying expensive fully organic food from the Market. Are you one of the people who want their food to be fully organic and not a result of artificial chemicals? Then you need to approach Living Greens, a Jaipur based startup, yielding portable farming solutions to its clients living in urban spaces.
Background of the startup and its founder.
Prateek Tiwari, the mind behind this wonderful startup, is an Agricultural Engineer who completed his agricultural studies from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi. After working for a good while some of India’s most renowned agro-based companies like M&M, Reliance Fresh, ITC’s Agri-Business Division & Walmart India, Pratik decided to open his startup focused on organic urban farming.
After leaving his employment life in May 2011 Pratik invested his time in developing a do-it-yourself portable farming system. In 2013, he bagged seed funding from some foreign investors and started “Living Greens”.
Before starting the business officially in 2013, the firm started inviting people since July 2012, to take a portable farming system on rent for trial purpose. However, the idea was so successful that people ended up buying the setup. Hence, the company scrapped the idea of renting the setup and started selling the product.
Prateek’s vision for starting the company
“People are eating a bit of cancer every day. The food we consume is grown using synthetic chemicals. Plus, the water used for irrigation carcinogenic heavy metals,” the founder says.
“Covering the rooftops with lush green portable organic farms help in cooling the building and generates tones of fresh oxygen in urban areas which are suffocating with pollution. This is the best use of under-utilised urban spaces,” he adds.
Serving their client with such a unique idea, the startup soon bagged a great customer base. They started focusing on improving its service and customer experience. Soon, the clients started referring their friends and relatives about this wonderful idea. As a result, Living Green’s team has since been able to sell the setup to around 400 houses. The client families are more than happy as they grow fresh vegetables on their rooftops.
Products and Services
Living Greens offers a range of products and services. Portable Farming Systems (PFS), the main product of the company comes in a standard size of 10 feet X 4 feet. The installation process takes merely 2 to 3 days times. A family can take more than 1 PFS is they have a large number of consumers or they have sufficient space to install the setup.
Besides the main product, the company offers a series of organic farming products for pests, diseases, nutrients and much more. A single kit can serve two PFS for 4 months. Apart from the main setup, the client needs to take four kinds of root fertilizers as they need to be used regularly in the PFS.
Being aimed at organic farming techniques, every product of the startup is fully organic and is 100% free of chemicals. The sprays developed by the company are made of organic materials like neem oil, a liquid fungus called Beauveria bassiana, etc.
Apart from the PFS & organic ailments, the company also offers services like weekly and monthly visits to the client’s place. The service is free for the first 4 months and afterwards, it is clients can demand paid visits if they feel the need. Online support is yet another service of the startup.
Initially, the company had to face many problems. Reason being the people have a general tendency that farming is the job of Farmers and can be done in rural areas and agricultural land only. The idea of growing food on their terrace was not digestible. Further, the team of Living Greens also lacked knowledge and expertise regarding organic and urban farming techniques. This was a major challenge in the line of success of this idea.
Although it took many ups and downs for the company, it has successfully served 400 houses with its wonderful products and services. Also, the company is up to hiring skilled individuals, who can be the drivers of the further growth of the business.
Expansion and challenges
In past years, the startup has expanded its operations from Jaipur to New Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. When an installation order comes from cities and places outside Jaipur, one installation expert is sent to the site. The PFS is transported to the destined place & the installation expert arranges local labour to install the PFS.
Living Greens has also set up franchises in Lucknow, Bhopal, and Pune. They have a vision of expanding their business to primarily other parts of India and then going global with their idea of becoming the largest urban organic farming company in the world. A company which helps you grow your food while creating a greener and more breathable cities for future generations.
