ISHIRA MEHTA QUIT HER
job with International Finance Corporation (IFC) with a dream to help farmers and bring healthier, safer food alternatives to consumers. Having worked on agricultural value chains at IFC for over six years, Mehta soon realised the existing disconnect between farmers and customers. “Seeing this gap and opportunity, I started my venture CropConnect and have been building market-based models to connect farmers to markets more efficiently since 2013,” she says.
Building healthy initiatives
She travelled for over 80,000 km across 21 states along with her business partner Puneet Jhajharia to understand different perspectives of Indian agriculture. Subsequently, she launched the brand Original Indian Table in 2015 under CropConnect, a Delhi-based start-up that aims to bring traditional food experiences to customers, who are looking for nutritious and local alternatives. “The products are directly sourced from farmer groups including women farmers, following sustainable agriculture methods thereby cutting the involvement of middle men ensuring that maximum benefit goes back to farmers,” says Mehta.
Fitting into consumers’ diet
Understanding that a number of people are suffering from lifestyle diseases due to consumption of chemical-laden food items, the products sold at Original Indian Table have unique health benefits and are ideal for those who are conscious of what they consume. CropConnect has partnered with restaurants across India to introduce indigenous ingredients on their menus. Recommended products Black rice, amaranth, barnyard millet, bamboo rice, and Himalayan lemon rind rock salt
Price `80 to `220
Available at Foodhall outlets across the country; AnnaMaya, Andaz Delhi, Aerocity; e-commerce websites