Milkbasket co-founder Anant Goel's Handpickd turns EBITDA positive in Gurugram, enters Bengaluru

Handpickd, an online platform for fruits and vegetables, has turned EBITDA positive in Gurugram and has expanded its presence in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Launched in Gurugram in April 2024 by Anant Goel (co-founder of Milkbasket) with Nitin and Sahil (also ex-Milkbasket), Handpickd enables consumers to buy ‘any quantity of any quality’ of fresh produce as per their personal preference, akin to offline buying and hence a favorite of consumer households in Gurugram. 

Leadership comments

“Our entry into Bengaluru is a strategic step in scaling Handpickd’s match-making platform to new markets,” said Anant Goel, Founder, Handpickd.

We hypothesised that we do not know what is a good quality for a given family. Every family is unique, and so is their F&V. They tell us what they like, we match-make and deliver exactly that to them! And we now know that we can do it at scale and profitably. Our advanced technology, processes, and unique learnings from every order we deliver are our core differentiators, and with every order, we just keep getting better at it.”

Handpickd's market presence

According to Goel, customers spend an average of around Rs 4,000 per month on fruits and vegetables from Handpickd—nearly 10 times what they spend on any quick commerce platform and five times more than on traditional e-grocers. 

"For the first time, a family's online spending on fresh produce has surpassed offline spending," he added.

The latest expansion follows the startup's successful operations in Gurugram. With its launch in Bengaluru, the startup aims to further refine its supply chain and identify any shortcomings that may have been overlooked by the founding team in Gurugram.

Operation on a zero-inventory model

Handpickd said it is betting big on its ‘match-making’ system, where families get handpicked fruits and vegetables specific to their family needs within 7-8 hours of harvest.

The startup operates a zero-inventory model, sourcing directly from farmers to ensure high-quality fruits and vegetables while minimizing waste.

Aiming for further expansion

Looking ahead, Handpickd plans to expand its footprint across key Indian cities, targeting 30 new micro-markets by the end of 2025. it is betting on technology-driven solutions to drive efficiencies, cut down supply chain wastage, and cater to the evolving preferences of urban consumers.