WayCool: Reimagining the food supply chain
Year: 2015
Founders: Karthik Jayaraman, Sanjay Dasari
Funding: $350M+
Investors: Lightrock, Lightbox, 57 Stars, IFC, FMO, LGT Impact
Introduction
One of the biggest food and agritech companies in India, WayCool, was established with the intention of modernizing the agricultural supply chain in the nation. By using a tech-enabled, AI-powered platform to link over 200,000 farmers directly with retailers, processors, and institutional buyers, it removes middlemen, reduces food waste, and increases profits. WayCool is building a productive, scalable, and sustainable farm-to-fork ecosystem with its branded staples, fresh produce (such as Madhuram and Kitchenji), and Censa’s SaaS products.
Tackling Agricultural Challenges
India’s fragmented agricultural supply chain results in 14–30% food loss, with farmers grappling with low market access, unfair pricing, and high logistics costs. Challenges like lack of cold chains, price opacity, and inefficient demand matching affect both producers and buyers. WayCool addresses these through AI-driven forecasting, cold-chain logistics, and a demand-responsive supply platform. As a result, there is a strong network that supplies more than 200,000 farmers and 169,000 retailers, cuts post-harvest waste to less than 2%, guarantees digital payments in 3–5 days, and delivers more than 2,000 tons of food every day. WayCool is establishing new standards for the resilience, sustainability, and impact of the food supply with a strong emphasis on ESG.
Key Offerings
- B2B Supply Chain Platform: Connects farmers to retailers and HoReCa buyers
- AI-Based Demand Forecasting: Reduces mismatch, waste, and inventory costs
- Branded Products: Includes Madhuram rice, Kitchen staples, and more
- SaaS Solutions via Censa: End-to-end digital supply chain management
- Farmer Programs (Outgrow): Support in pricing, procurement, and quality enhancement
Real Impact
WayCool has reduced supply chain inefficiencies that traditionally plagued Indian agriculture. By integrating AI, logistics, and farmer engagement, it cut food loss from over 20% to under 2%, while improving farmer profits by up to 30%. Its digital-first approach ensures real-time traceability, better shelf life for retailers, and faster payment cycles for producers. Moreover, WayCool’s initiatives around sustainable sourcing and ESG frameworks position it as a leader in responsible agri-commerce.
Success Story
A tomato farmer in Tamil Nadu joined WayCool’s Outgrow program and reduced post-harvest waste from 18% to 2% in a single season. With direct market access and real-time demand data, the farmer increased income by Rs.0,000 annually, with instant payments replacing delayed mandi settlements.
Lessons for Agri-Startups
- Data-led supply chains drastically cut post-harvest loss and improve market matching.
- Hybrid models (tech + logistics + engagement) outperform tech-only or asset-heavy players.
- Branded aggregation of commodities helps stabilize quality perception and pricing.
- SaaS and digitization of agri trade can be monetized as additional revenue streams.
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