Fresh commerce 2.0: The new model of farm delivery

IT NOW OPERATES in Bengaluru and Noida and plans to triple its footprint with 12 new transit stations for sorting and last-mile delivery. "In fresh, quality takes precedence over speed,"Anant Goel, founder and CEO of Handpickd, said.

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"No two apples are the same, norare any two carrots. We want to deliver what the customer wants, and still make money. The business must be longterm, scalable, and sustainable," he added. This recalibration comes after the first wave of farm-to-table startups fell prey to quick commerce's explosive growth. Zepto, for instance, sold 2.21 million units of produce daily in May 2025, up from 640,000 a year earlier.

The resulting price wars and unrealistic delivery promises squeezed smaller players. But the tide is turning again, as consumers begin to distinguish between"quick" and"fresh".