NutriFresh: Redefining Fresh in India's Food Revolution

How two agri-finance professionals are reshaping farming with hydroponics and delivering clean, pesticide-free produce at scale.

When Finance Meets Farming

In 2019, two unlikely entrepreneurs were about to change how India thinks about fresh produce. Sanket Mehta, a Master's in Agriculture graduate working at Central Bank of India, and Ganesh Nikam, a Bachelor's in Agriculture with finance experience, both came from farming families but had chosen different paths.

When they met while exploring agri-finance opportunities, they discovered a shared frustration: despite India's agricultural heritage, finding truly clean, pesticide-free vegetables in the market was nearly impossible. Their solution seemed almost too simple—grow it themselves.

The Hydroponic Revolution

Starting with just ₹1 lakh in personal savings, Mehta and Nikam launched their first venture in 2014 with an organic sugarcane farm on rented land. However, by 2019, they'd discovered something that would revolutionize their entire approach: hydroponic farming.

Based in Pune, NutriFresh now operates across 28 acres with over 20 under active cultivation. Their controlled-environment agriculture facilities grow more than 42 varieties of vegetables, herbs, and fruits using RO-purified water, fertigation, and insect-proof greenhouses.

The Numbers That Matter

NutriFresh's first hydroponic facility, launched in October 2020, spans 10 acres and produces 1,100 metric tons of premium produce annually. The real innovation lies in their efficiency: they use 90% less water than traditional farming while maintaining year-round growing cycles.

The company delivers produce to customers within 24 hours of harvest. Over 60% of their staff are women, many trained in modern farming techniques—combining business success with social impact.

Recognition and Growth

In May 2022, NutriFresh secured $5 million in seed funding from investors including Archer Investments, Green Frontier Capital, and Sky Kurtz. Founder Sanket Mehta was recognized at the Times 40 Under 40 awards in 2023 for his agricultural innovation.

Today, NutriFresh delivers to more than 100 B2B partners including BigBasket, Swiggy Instamart, Nature's Basket, McDonald's, and Reliance Fresh, while also catering to over 80,000 households.

The Bigger Picture

NutriFresh represents something larger than hydroponic farming—it's about reimagining India's food system. By blending deep agricultural knowledge with modern technology, they've created a model that's resource-efficient, socially conscious, and scalable.

Their journey from a ₹1 lakh pilot farm to a multi-acre hydroponic leader proves that innovation in agriculture isn't just possible, it's profitable. As India grapples with food security and health concerns, NutriFresh offers a glimpse of the future: clean, reliable food systems that honor farmers' wisdom while embracing tomorrow's technology.

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