Imagine ordering fresh, odorless, and ready-to-cook fish online and getting it home-delivered. Imagine knowing where the fish came from, how it was grown, and what it was fed. Coimbatore-based Vridhi Techno Farms (VTF) goes the extra mile to ensure that their fish is free from harmful chemicals, hormones, pesticides, heavy metals, and additives, thus safeguarding the health of consumers and preventing environmental damage.

VTF ensures a 100-percent traceable food chain for farmed fish by providing a product label code on each fish product pack, wherein customers have idea on the fish's origin, history, and quality. The company harvests fish on order, processes them locally in a hygienic and FSSAI-certified fish processing unit, and delivers them within 20 hours to the kitchen in a cold chain of 0-4 degrees Celsius. As a result, VTF’s products are always fresh, tasty, and rich in flavor, with excellent muscle texture. The company offers a diverse range of 12 varieties and 24 SKUs of farmed fish, including both high and low-saline and freshwater species – roopchand rohu, prawn, murrel, karimeen, sea-bass, mullet, tilapia, basa, catla, and more.

As a DPIIT-registered social startup founded in April 2020, VTF is revolutionizing the fish industry by reimagining fish farming, processing, and delivery. VTF proudly operates as India's first online store for farmed fish and Coimbatore's first biosafe fish processing unit.

The founders of VTF – Sandhya, the Director, and Vasukumar N, Founder, MD, and CEO – transformed their passion for sustainability and well-being into a vision to provide urban citizens with natural, nutrient-rich food, promoting a healthy lifestyle.

"We also sought to foster a next-generation community of women entrepreneurs among small and marginal farmers (SMFs), harnessing the power of intensive tech farming”, emphasizes Vasukumar. With invaluable support from the Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry, Government of India, through the National Fisheries Development Board, VTF offers safe and naturally nourishing food to health-conscious consumers. VTF's twofold objective involves creating awareness and building demand for traceable food chain products rich in nutrition and establishing a robust supply chain to meet this demand.

The company achieves this objective by utilizing innovative farming techniques, including buying from local farmers, contract growing, and leasing tech farm units. Besides, by ensuring traceability, quality checks, certifications, and minimal biodegradability, VTF guarantees that its products meet the highest standards. VTF follows the principle of compassionate capitalism, aiming to empower marginal and SMFs in India. By equipping them with tech farm units and the necessary skills, VTF enables these farmers to generate additional revenue and double their income.

VTF ensures a 100 percent traceable food chain for farmed fishes by providing a traceability label on each of the fish pack delivered to their home at 0-4 Degree Celsius

The company plans to replicate this model in multiple inland cities of Tier II & III, promoting economic growth and sustainable farming practices across India. As an aspiring leader, VTF fosters a culture of micro-entrepreneurship and promotes a positive work environment. The company recruits team members from Tier-III cities and villages, providing them with training and induction programs to align their skills, knowledge, and attitude with VTF's vision and values.

Looking to the future, VTF aims to expand its geographic reach and product portfolio by adding more varieties of farmed fish as well as vegetables, fruits, and eggs. The company plans to develop new strategies, techniques, ideas, services, and products while targeting multiple inland cities in India. By prioritizing sustainability, quality, and customer satisfaction, VTF aims to build wellness communities and run a network of more than 500 Small & Marginal Farmers to supply pristine, natural, and nutrient-rich farm produce across India.