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Back 2 Basics Farm: Bengaluru's Most Trusted Farm Delivering Farm Fresh Produce, Direct from their Farm to Your Plate

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Madhusudhan S,Chief Farmer & Founder

Madhusudhan S

Chief Farmer & Founder

Although the Indian economy is witnessing a slowdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for premium, fresh vegetables and fruits is on a constant rise. In fact, people are now greatly inclined towards consuming fresh produce in their meals with increasing concerns about their health. No wonder, India is currently the world's second largest producer of fresh fruits and vegetables while the burgeoning application of innovative technologies is augmenting the productivity of India's agriculture sector. Despite majority of the Indian populace having access to farm-fresh produce, none of them know where it was grown or have paid a visit to the farm the fruits & vegetables came from. Besides being ignorant about the source of fresh produce that we consume, most of us are unaware of the pesticides, insecticides and other harmful chemicals that go behind the farming process.

Thanks to Bengaluru-based BACK2BASICS FARM, these concerns are being addressed. The farm doesn't just provide consumers with the freshest produce possible directly from their farm to our plate, but also takes consumers to their farms to demonstrate the entire farming process. Yes, you read it right! Currently, no other producer or retailer in Bengaluru is capable of making this a reality. Breathing the tagline ­ `OUR FARM TO YOU, DIRECT', the company offers a wide range of local and exotic fruits, vegetables and greens, grown using world-class techniques and chemical-free inputs. All these produce are cultivated across its own farms spanning 500 acres of fertile land, in contrast to sourcing them from markets or unknown sources. This indeed places BACK2BASICS FARM with an edge above its peers in the market ­ the company is able to maintain unparalleled standards of uniformity and consistency in taste, colour, texture and finish across all its produce. Isn't it ironic that we purchase footwear from air-conditioned showrooms, but buy fruits and vegetables from the footpath?

The Story of Perseverance
Wondering how BACK2BASICS FARM came into existence? It is a story of grit, perseverance and determination of S Madhusudhan (Chief Farmer), who is an IIM-B alumnus. Prior to laying the foundation for his brainchild, Madhu was involved in advertising and marketing at Bharti Airtel (South India) and served as a Senior VP ­ Global Marketing at Manipal Group. Life was going pretty well for him until the day he collapsed in his office and was diagnosed with a health issue. Madhu adds, "This incident propelled me to re-evaluate my fast-paced lifestyle and food habits". He wondered if his job was providing him with aathma-laabh (benefit for the soul) ­ whether the job was fulfilling to him and was helping him sleep better at night. When he realized that he was missing this important aspect in his current profession, he was triggered to step away from the monotonous corporate life and foray into the world of agriculture.

Madhu started growing some greens in a 30ft x 40ft piece of land he owned with the help of one employee and very soon produced far more than his family needed. Despite being happy with his small-scale farming, Madhu was a little disappointed because he didn't learn the complete science of farming. With a motive of mastering this science, he enrolled himself in a university program but later came to a realization that none of the students were studying to actually gain knowledge. Majority of the students were aiming to just gain a certificate from the course. Thus, Madhu quit the course and travelled across India & overseas to explore the world of farming, understand the diverse practices followed and what kind of crops are being grown, and many other aspects. He also meticulously understood the variegated problems faced by the Indian farmers and clearly articulated their three biggest mistakes ­ monoculture, dependence on middlemen & reluctance to follow batch processing.

Beyond Just an Organic Farm
After studying and researching about the Indian organic produce market, Madhu decided to put an end to the issues faced by farmers by delivering fresh organic produce directly to the consumers' plates. In 2010, he established BACK2BASICS FARM and has been taking it to incredible heights since then. Leveraging his farming knowledge along with marketing skills, he eliminated the need for middlemen or commission agents and thus, has grown his business to 500 acres of organic farms today. Madhu articulates, "I'm extremely proud of the fact that we
are not traders who just buy and sell produce to customers but the real producers or farmers of chemical-free and fresh produce. I was also elated to generate revenue from my business which is more than three times my last drawn CTC. Surely you can make money in agriculture if you work smart at it."

For consumers who are curious about the source of their produce, BACK2BASICS FARM is proud to not only enlighten them with the details but also give them a personal tour of the farm. This has enabled their consumers to have the utmost confidence about their produce which includes a whopping 254 varieties of fruits, greens, vegetables, exotic greens and exotic vegetables. Producing chemical-free fresh fruits and vegetables is no piece of cake in the current world we live in! Every single input that goes into the aforementioned produce is organic and devoid of chemicals including Desi Gobar (cow-dung). The vegetable and fruit waste from BACK2BASICS FARM is fed to the cows at an ashram, from where the cow-dung is collected and used as manure back to the plants at their farms. He says, "The unsold fruits and vegetables become the input for the cow and the waste from the cow is our input for the farm. We share an osmotic relationship promoting zero-waste farming."

The food you eat can be either the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. Think about yourself for a moment. Your last meal probably had some fresh produce. Do you know where it was grown? Did your retailer show you where & how it was grown? At back2basics farm, we make this a reality


Other organic inputs and fertilizers used by BACK2BASICS FARM include cattle and poultry manure, neem and other oilseed cakes, along with neem oil sauna bath (a very effective repellent or insecticide). The company cultivates in seven farms in total ­ five near Bangalore and two in Tamil Nadu. Madhu adds, "We aim to deliver top-notch produce at reasonable prices to our customers in Bengaluru. Yet, we are able to satiate only 80 percent of the influx of demands in this market".

Wall of Fame
So far, BACK2BASICS FARM has been experiencing a happy and successful journey! Madhu always believed in the fact that `You don't have to chase money, but money itself will chase you, if you do a good job'. In fact, his farm holds good a B2C presence ­ over 85 percent of his customers are returning customers since they are satisfied with its produce quality and price. Besides, receiving heartfelt appreciation from customers, etching a huge impact in their lives with good food, and enjoying his work to the fullest have been Madhu's biggest milestones in his entrepreneurial journey.

During the recent COVID-19 lockdown, BACK2BASICS FARM has witnessed a tectonic shift in its business since people have been majorly dependent on online deliveries even for basic groceries. People are concerned about their health now than ever before and thus, prefer only high quality vegetables and fruits. In July of 2020, the company has achieved six times increase in its revenue as that of June 2020.

“We are not just traders who just buy and sell produce to customers but the real producers and farmers of chemical-free and fresh produce”

Madhu concludes, "The food you eat can be either the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. Think about yourself for a moment. Your last meal probably had some fresh produce. Do you know where it was grown? Did your retailer show you where & how it was grown? At BACK2BASICS FARM, we make this a reality," he says with a profound smile.

BACK2BASICS FARM in Spotlight:
• Breathing the tagline ­ `OUR FARM TO YOU, DIRECT', BACK2BASICS FARM offers a wide range of local and exotic fruits, vegetables and greens, grown using world-class techniques and chemical-free inputs.

• All these produces are cultivated across its own farms spanning 500 acres of fertile land while maintaining unparalleled standards of uniformity and consistency in taste, colour, texture and finish.

• Post studying and researching about the Indian organic produce market, Madhu decided to put an end to the issues faced by farmers by delivering fresh organic produce directly to the consumers' plates.

• Leveraging his farming knowledge along with marketing skills, Madhu eliminated the need for middlemen or commission agents and thus, has grown his business to 500 acres of organic farms today.

• Every single input that goes into the aforementioned produce is organic and devoid of chemicals.

• Besides over 85 percent of returning customers, receiving heartfelt appreciation from customers, etching a huge impact in their lives with good food, and enjoying his work to the fullest have been Madhu's biggest milestones.

• During the recent COVID-19 lockdown, BACK2BASICS FARM has witnessed a tectonic shift in its business since people have been majorly dependent on online deliveries even for groceries.

• BACK2BASICS FARM aspires to educate farmers and consumers about sustainable farming and healthy food, while contributing its best to the organic food space in India both in terms of quality production and effective marketing.

S Madhusudhan, Chief Farmer
With over 30 years of work experience across diverse verticals, Madhusudhan is quite an unusual farmer ­ producing large quantities of fresh and organic produce across 500 acres of his organic farms.

Quick Facts:
• Inception Year: 2010
• Location: Bengaluru
• No. of Employees in Farms: 450
• Produces: Exotic Fruits, Exotic Vegetables, Fruits, Greens & Vegetables