After making a profitable mark in Gurugram, fresh produce delivery platform Handpickd has now set its sights on Bengaluru, promising to revolutionize the way urban households buy fruits and vegetables. Launched in April 2024 by Anant Goel — co-founder of Milkbasket — along with Nitin and Sahil (also former Milkbasket team members), Handpickd is built on a unique premise: giving consumers the freedom to buy exactly what they want, in any quantity, and of any quality, just like they would at a local vegetable market.
The result? Handpickd has turned EBITDA-positive in Gurugram within a short span and is now poised to replicate its success in Bengaluru, a city known for its high-demand grocery market.
Founder Anant Goel believes Handpickd’s approach is fundamentally different from other fresh produce delivery platforms. Rather than dictating quality or quantity to consumers, the platform works on a match-making principle. Every family has its own definition of ‘good quality’ when it comes to fruits and vegetables — some prefer soft, ripe bananas while others want them firm and green. Some households want small, tender bottle gourds while others prefer larger, mature ones. Handpickd allows families to communicate their preferences, and the platform matches those preferences with the freshest available produce, ensuring they get exactly what they like.
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According to Goel, the platform has already witnessed an incredible response in Gurugram, with families spending an average of ₹4,000 per month on fruits and vegetables — nearly ten times higher than the spending on quick-commerce platforms and five times higher than traditional e-grocers. This shift, Goel believes, is a clear indicator that families are ready to move their fresh produce shopping online if the experience mirrors that of an offline market.
Following its success in Gurugram, Handpickd has now expanded its operations to Bengaluru — a market known for its tech-savvy consumer base and demand for premium-quality groceries. Goel said the decision to enter Bengaluru was strategic, allowing them to test their model in a larger and more diverse market. The platform aims to iron out any operational gaps and further streamline its supply chain in Bengaluru before expanding to other cities.
What sets Handpickd apart is its zero-inventory model. The platform sources fruits and vegetables directly from farmers within hours of harvest, eliminating storage time and reducing wastage. Produce is delivered to families within 7-8 hours of being picked, ensuring freshness while minimizing supply chain inefficiencies. This hyper-efficient model not only maintains superior quality but also helps Handpickd operate with minimal wastage, setting it apart from conventional online grocery platforms.
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Goel believes that one of the biggest advantages of Handpickd’s model is its ability to capture granular consumer preferences. With every order, the platform learns more about what families like and fine-tunes its sourcing accordingly. This level of personalization has resulted in deep consumer loyalty and a rapidly growing order value, driving profitability in Gurugram within a matter of months.
The company now has ambitious expansion plans. Handpickd aims to scale its presence to 30 micro-markets across key Indian cities by the end of 2025. The team is betting heavily on technology, data-driven insights, and highly optimized supply chains to drive profitability at scale while maintaining the superior quality and customization that has become its hallmark.
As Handpickd enters Bengaluru, the company is keenly observing customer behavior and preferences to see how well its match-making model translates to a new market. If the platform can replicate the same success it saw in Gurugram, it may very well redefine how urban India shops for fresh produce — not just in terms of convenience but also in offering a deeply personalized buying experience that feels as close to an offline market as possible.
