Food As A Service (FaaS)

The Agri-food ecosystem plays a crucial role in the global market ecosystem, as the sustainability and productivity of natural resources, as well as the wellness and productivity of human resources, rely on it. However, the over-dependence on rice, maize, and wheat has led to dietary monotony, posing a threat to agroecological diversity and the resilience of the global food system. To counter this, diversifying our food choices not only improves human health but also benefits the environment by promoting a diversified production system of nutritious crops, including superfoods.

Unfortunately, the current agri-food marketplace suffers from monopolization, inefficiencies, and a lack of transparency and traceability. This hinders progress toward a sustainable agri-food ecosystem. Transforming this ecosystem is essential, but it is a complex task. The food we eat lies at the center of this ecosystem, and our choices as consumers have a significant impact on its health. Farmers, who are the true changemakers, provide us with the healthy food we need.

For example, rice, maize, and wheat account for almost 60% of the calories derived from plants in the human diet, excluding other sources of nutrition and depriving people of essential minerals and vitamins. Moreover, a staggering 84.2% of food products, such as fruits, vegetables, and milk, are thrown away directly, while the remaining 15.8% is wasted after being cooked. These practices also contribute to 8% and 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

At Origins, our goal is to introduce consumers to local and diverse foods like Ragi (finger millet) and highlight their advantages. However, there is a major issue associated with consuming diverse foods—food waste. Food waste poses a significant challenge for all stakeholders involved in the agri-food ecosystem. Addressing this issue is crucial for achieving sustainability and maximizing the potential benefits of diverse food consumption.

In conclusion, the agri-food ecosystem is integral to the global market ecosystem, impacting both the sustainability of natural resources and the well-being of human resources. Over-dependence on a few staple crops threatens agroecological diversity and the resilience of the global food system. The current agri-food marketplace suffers from monopolization, inefficiencies, and a lack of transparency and traceability. Transforming this ecosystem is a complex task, but it is necessary for achieving sustainability. Consumers' food choices are pivotal in shaping the ecosystem, while farmers are the key changemakers. Diversifying our food choices not only benefits human health but also promotes a diversified production system of nutritious crops. However, food waste remains a major issue associated with diverse food consumption, and addressing it is essential for a sustainable agri-food ecosystem.

We enable a decentralized network of SME food brands, leveraging their existing customer base for maximum impact.

Through the power of white labeling, we provide personalized touch, taste, and custom nutrition requirements to target consumers effectively.

Our intervention at every stage of the food-as-a-service offering streamlines the process, eliminating the need for food brands to invest heavily in sourcing, processing, blending, recipe formulation, packaging, branding, and tracing.

With our QR-enabled track-and-trace system, we ensure the entire value chain is provenance-ready, allowing consumers and food brands to trace back their journey.

By leveraging our channel and the scanning of the Origins QR code by consumers, we become a symbol of trust and truth in the Ragi value chain, without the need to invest in positioning our own brand.

We are not limited to a single superfood; we have numerous other superfood commodities and their formulations underway in our R&D pipeline. This gives us the leverage to disrupt a market that is currently controlled by a select few brands lacking consumer trust and personalized nutrition and recipe formulation.

In summary, our platform empowers SME food brands through a decentralized network, utilizing their existing customer base. We offer personalized experiences through white labeling and cater to custom nutrition requirements. By intervening at every stage of the food-as-a-service process, we simplify operations and eliminate high capital costs for brands. Our QR-enabled track-and-trace system ensures transparency and traceability throughout the value chain. With the Origins QR code, we become a trusted symbol in the Ragi value chain. Additionally, our diverse range of superfood commodities and ongoing R&D allow us to disrupt a market dominated by brands lacking consumer trust and personalized offerings.

Origins is a platform that connects consumers, a decentralized network of micro, small, and medium food enterprises, and farmers. Through this interconnected network, Origins aims to achieve the following goals:

1. Promote Superfood: Origins is dedicated to promoting superfoods that are beneficial for the environment and gut health. Superfoods are selected based on their alignment with the personalized nutrition and taste preferences of consumers.

2. Reduce Wastage: To combat food waste, Origins processes superfoods into powdered form. This form of processing helps extend the shelf life of the products and reduces the likelihood of wastage.

3. Personalized Nutrition and Taste: Origins focuses on providing personalized nutrition and taste experiences to consumers. Consumers can customize their food choices according to their preferences and nutritional needs through superfood recipe formulation and co-creation.

4. Decentralized Distribution: Origins facilitates the decentralized distribution of food products by collaborating with micro, small, and medium food enterprises. By connecting these enterprises, Origins provides them with a brand identity and a support system that enables them to cater to their consumers effectively.

5. Provenance: Origins enables a digital environment where transparency and traceability are prioritized. This digital platform allows people and points in the value chain to be visible and connected. The interactions and relationships among stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, are manifested through this platform, either directly or indirectly.

In summary, Origins strives to achieve its purpose by connecting consumers, decentralized food enterprises, and farmers. The platform promotes superfoods that are both beneficial for nature and gut health. By processing superfoods into powdered form, Origins aims to reduce wastage. Personalized nutrition and taste experiences are provided through recipe formulation and co-creation. The platform also supports micro, small, and medium food enterprises by offering them brand identity and a distribution network. Lastly, Origins ensures transparency and traceability by creating a digital environment that connects stakeholders and smallholder farmers, showcasing the relationships within the value chain.

Our proximity to the community is strengthened by our close association with food entrepreneurs and the farming community. Furthermore, our CEOs belonging to the tribal community of the country establishes a strong connection with the people, fostering trust and understanding.

Our model is built on the foundation of the theory of change, relying on three key pillars: convergence, collaboration, and connection. Through convergence, we aim to bring together farmers and food entrepreneurs, recognizing their market awareness while addressing the need for a diverse skill set to reach last-mile customers effectively.

Our goal is to establish a transparent and direct connection between end consumers and suppliers, ensuring that everyone involved benefits from this collaboration. By bridging the gap and facilitating communication, we strive to create a mutually advantageous relationship for all stakeholders.

Please find attached the conclusions from our pilot study, which provide valuable insights and inform our approach moving forward.

A two-pronged proof-of-concept was carried out by the team and its consortium partners.

October-December 2020

• Tested the value of letting consumers track and trace back the journey of their food; which resulted in consumers in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) paying an additional 10-12% on their purchase. Consumers do not mind paying extra for food that not only claims it is safe but also can show it digitally. 

January to December 2021

• Tested the consumer market with Ragi (Finger Millet) superfood in Bhubaneswar (Odisha). We procured Ragi from 7 farmers in Koraput district (Odisha) who were paid 48% higher than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) offered by the State. 
• We partnered with Blend Hub (Spain) to blend the Ragi into beverages and smoothies in assorted flavors.
• Supplied these beverages and smoothies to a food brand (Diet n Plus) in Bhubaneswar and distributed them through friends and family across multiple cities in India. 
• Diet n Plus, a woman-led food brand was able to generate US$ 30,000 in earnings by distributing ~ 7 metric tons amongst 14,000+ consumers across 

By adopting this approach, we were able to identify the pain points experienced by our partners. This invaluable insight has allowed us to construct a comprehensive model that aims to benefit all the stakeholders involved on a larger scale.

The decision to apply for the prize stems from the recognition that being selected would provide our initiative with invaluable resources in terms of financing, partnership opportunities, and procurement capabilities. With these resources at our disposal, our company would be empowered to expand our reach and production of superfoods, thereby addressing two critical challenges: reducing food wastage and combating dietary monotony.

The financial support offered by the prize would enable us to procure grains at fair prices, benefiting the farming community by creating a sustainable market for their produce. This fair trade approach not only supports local farmers but also contributes to the overall goal of enhancing the agri-food ecosystem.

Furthermore, the prize money would facilitate the acquisition of essential plant and machinery, as well as advanced technologies. These investments would lay the foundation for a transparent and holistic platform that connects all stakeholders involved in the production and distribution of superfoods. By integrating technology, we can ensure traceability, quality control, and efficient management of the entire value chain.

The holistic platform, made possible through the prize funds, would enable us to provide consumers with a comprehensive and seamless experience. They would have access to a wide range of diversified and nutritious superfoods, combating dietary monotony and promoting healthier eating habits. By addressing the issue of dietary monotony, we contribute to the overall wellness and productivity of human resources.

In addition to the immediate benefits, the prize money would create a ripple effect within the agri-food ecosystem. The increased production of superfoods and the transparent platform would generate new opportunities for employment and economic growth, contributing to the overall prosperity of the communities we serve.

By securing the prize, our initiative would be able to make significant strides towards achieving our mission of promoting sustainability, reducing food wastage, and improving nutrition. The resources provided would act as catalysts for positive change, fostering collaboration, innovation, and long-term impact within the agri-food industry.

In conclusion, the decision to apply for the prize is driven by the transformative potential it holds for our initiative. The financial support, partnerships, and procurement capabilities it offers would enable us to expand our reach, address critical challenges, benefit the farming community, and establish a transparent and holistic platform. Ultimately, the prize would propel us closer to our goal of revolutionizing the agri-food ecosystem and improving the well-being of individuals and the planet as a whole.

Our Team Lead has a strong connection to the community or communities in which our project is based. Firstly, our Team Lead, who happens to be the CEO of our company, belongs to the tribal community of the country. This personal connection provides her with a deep understanding of the community's culture, challenges, and aspirations. It allows her to empathize with the community members and ensures that their perspectives are considered and respected throughout the project.

Moreover, our Team Lead actively engages with the community through various means. She maintains regular communication with community leaders, local organizations, and individuals to stay informed about their needs, concerns, and aspirations. By participating in community events, gatherings, and meetings, she actively listens to the community's voices and seeks their input and feedback on our project.

Additionally, our Team Lead collaborates with local stakeholders such as farmers, food entrepreneurs, and other key community members. By building relationships and fostering partnerships, she ensures that our project aligns with the community's goals and addresses their specific needs. This collaborative approach not only facilitates a more inclusive and community-centric project design but also enhances the trust and acceptance of our initiative within the community.

In summary, our Team Lead's personal background and ongoing engagement with the community provide a strong connection to the community in which our project is based. By actively listening, collaborating, and respecting the perspectives of the community members, our Team Lead ensures that our project is meaningfully guided by their input, ideas, and agendas. This connection and engagement foster a sense of trust, authenticity, and community ownership within our project, enabling us to create a solution that truly serves the needs of the community.

Firstly, in terms of nutrition, our Origins superfood mix offers significant nutritional properties that surpass those of commonly consumed cereals such as rice and wheat. By providing a diverse range of nutritious options, we have the opportunity to break the cycle of over-reliance on these staple crops, promoting dietary diversity and addressing the issue of dietary monotony. This approach not only improves human health but also contributes to the sustainability of the agri-food ecosystem by reducing the strain on specific crops.

Secondly, our distribution strategy sets us apart. We embrace localized brands and employ a decentralized approach across single or multiple regions. This enables us to serve a broad spectrum of consumers, providing them with access to our nutritious superfood mix. By disrupting the blind faith often placed in big brands, we foster competition and empower smaller enterprises, creating a more sustainable and inclusive marketplace. This approach also supports local economies and communities, contributing to the overall well-being of the regions we operate in.

Lastly, our commitment to provenance is a key aspect of our solution's innovation and sustainability. We aspire for Origins to become the trusted label in the agri-food industry. To achieve this, we leverage non-cryptocurrency blockchain technology to implement a robust track-and-trace system. This ensures transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain, allowing consumers to trace the origin and journey of our superfood products. By providing this level of transparency and trust, we instill confidence in our consumers and reinforce our commitment to sustainability.

In summary, our solution is innovative and sustainable due to its focus on nutrition, distribution, and provenance. Through our superfood mix, we offer superior nutrition and challenge the over-reliance on certain cereals. By embracing decentralized distribution and supporting localized brands, we disrupt the dominance of big brands and create a more inclusive marketplace. Additionally, our commitment to provenance through track-and-trace technology establishes Origins as a trusted label, promoting transparency and consumer confidence. Together, these elements contribute to the long-term sustainability and impact of our solution in the agri-food ecosystem.

Our impact goals for the next year and the next five years are centered around empowering food enterprises and enhancing the consumer experience. We have a clear roadmap for achieving these goals.

In the next year, our primary focus is on supporting food enterprises. We aim to source sustainably grown, fresh produce at a competitive price for our partners. By facilitating direct purchasing from farmers, we not only offer better prices but also ensure that rural communities benefit from these transactions. Our platform enables food enterprises to plan their sourcing in advance, allowing farmers to align their harvest schedules with the enterprises' requirements, thereby providing consistently fresh produce. We meticulously track inputs and farming practices on every square foot of land, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Through our Proof-of-Concept, we have already demonstrated a significant impact on food enterprises. We helped a women-led food brand achieve capital cost savings of 100% and experienced a surge in earnings of 25%. Moreover, we successfully reduced food wastage to less than 1%, optimizing resource utilization and promoting sustainability. Building on this success, our goal for the next five years is to scale up these impact metrics, expanding our reach to empower more food enterprises and create a positive ripple effect within the agri-food ecosystem.

For consumers, our impact goals revolve around providing transparency, quality, and satisfaction. With Origins, consumers know exactly what they are buying. We guarantee sustainable methods and ensure that healthy food is accessible to everyone, including our international customers. We maintain stringent food standards, consistently meeting the highest level of quality and safety. By sourcing responsibly and supporting sustainable practices, we create a sense of satisfaction among consumers, knowing that their food choices align with their values.

We have received valuable feedback from consumers during our pilot phase in 2021, which has helped us refine our offerings. Based on consumer testimonials, we have learned about their preferences and concerns. For example, consumers appreciated the decent strawberry smell and original ragi fragrance in our products, enjoying the taste both with and without sugar. However, some consumers found the sedimentation of ragi a bit off-putting. We take this feedback seriously and continuously strive to improve our products and packaging. We are focused on targeting millennial consumers and associating with their preferences. We also acknowledge the importance of convenient storage after opening, and we are actively working on enhancing our packaging to address this concern.

In summary, our impact goals for the next year and the next five years revolve around empowering food enterprises, providing transparency and quality to consumers, and continuously improving our offerings based on feedback. Through sustainable sourcing, capital cost savings reduced food wastage, and consumer satisfaction, we aim to create a positive and transformative impact in the agri-food ecosystem.

The whole idea behind our initiative is to create a sustainable agriculture ecosystem that benefits Farmer Prosumer Organizations (FPOs), farmers, and other farmer-centric organizations, while also providing value to end consumers by ensuring food security and improved nutrition. In order to optimize our objectives, we plan to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) solutions with traditional farming methods to promote transparency and enhance productivity. To effectively track our progress, we have identified several key parameters that will help us gauge our success.

One of our primary goals is to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which focuses on ending hunger and achieving food security and improved nutrition. To measure our progress in this regard, we will track indicators such as the average income of farmers and food entrepreneurs. By increasing their income, we aim to empower them economically and contribute to alleviating poverty within farming communities. Additionally, we will monitor the proportional area of land dedicated to productive farming practices, as this will help us assess the overall efficiency and sustainability of agricultural operations.

Reducing food wastage is another critical aspect of our initiative. We will measure this by employing the food loss and food waste index, which quantifies the amount of food lost or wasted during production, processing, distribution, and consumption. By implementing strategies to minimize food wastage, we can ensure that resources are utilized more efficiently and contribute to a more sustainable food system.

Dietary monotony is a common issue in many communities, leading to a lack of diverse and nutritious food options. To address this, we will aim to reduce dietary monotony and promote a more varied and balanced diet. This can be achieved by supporting the cultivation and distribution of a wider range of crops and promoting the consumption of locally grown, nutrient-rich foods.

In addition to these metrics, we recognize the importance of measuring our coverage in terms of farmers and food entrepreneurs who engage with and benefit from our services. By expanding our reach and attracting more participants, we can have a greater impact on the agricultural sector and the livelihoods of those involved. The revenue generated from the sale of their products will not only provide them with a sustainable source of income but also benefit the suppliers who often struggle due to limited skills, lack of technology, and inadequate funds.

By monitoring and analyzing these parameters, we will be able to assess the effectiveness of our initiatives and make informed decisions to improve our services. Ultimately, our goal is to create a holistic and sustainable agricultural ecosystem that addresses the challenges faced by farmers, promotes food security, and ensures improved nutrition for all.

Our solution, based on the three key business drivers - ORIGINS FOCUS, ORIGINS SMART, and ORIGINS ACCELERATOR - aims to implement a comprehensive agriculture ecosystem with a lean supply chain. This solution focuses on collaboration, communication, and convergence, along with a range of services, to address the problem at hand.

Collaboration is the first pillar of our solution, bringing together stakeholders such as food SMEs, farmers, suppliers, and consumers. This farmer-centric procurement and processing model provides support and resources to enhance farmers' productivity and profitability. Streamlining the supply chain through collaboration reduces inefficiencies and costs, benefiting both farmers and consumers.

Effective communication, the second pillar, is crucial for coordination and understanding among ecosystem participants. Services like sourcing, blending, packaging, labeling, research and development, and consulting facilitate transparent and efficient communication channels. This empowers stakeholders with the necessary information to make informed choices, meet consumer demands, and drive innovation.

Convergence, the third pillar, leverages expertise and resources to create value-added solutions. Services like result-oriented accelerator programs and customized packaging support struggling food SMEs and promote sustainable practices. This convergence enhances food product quality, supports local food entrepreneurs, and opens up multiple market opportunities.

In the short term, our solution expects several positive outcomes. The implementation of a farmers-to-consumers lean supply chain ensures efficient delivery of quality and nutritious powdered food from Farmers' Producer Organizations (FPOs) to consumers. A farmer-centric procurement and processing model improve farmers' livelihoods and access to better markets. Value addition and customized products meet consumer demands while supporting local food entrepreneurs.

The concept of one quality and multiple brands facilitates the democratization of the brand, allowing small-scale enterprises to compete and thrive. The Origins consortium acts as a food service provider, bridging the gap between producers and consumers. Data, analytics, and transparency further enhance efficiency and trust within the ecosystem.

In the long term, our solution aims to create a tailored portal or amenity for underserved small-scale entrepreneurs and farmers. By providing support and amenities, we empower them to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods. This benefits the entire ecosystem, fostering economic development and improved quality of life.

To ensure effectiveness, our solution relies on a strong theory of change supported by third-party research, impact evaluations, and data from target population interviews. By establishing logical links between activities, outputs, and outcomes, we are confident in the potential impact of our solution.

Overall, our solution's collaboration, communication, and convergence, combined with the services provided, are expected to have a significant impact on the problem at hand, benefiting all stakeholders involved.

Our solution relies on a customized IT platform as its core technology, serving as a digital backbone for various aspects of our initiative. This platform is designed to support product sales, provide traceability and transparency through blockchain technology, and enable e-commerce functionalities.

A key aspect of the technology platform is the digital marketplace to allow partners to sell their products, with pricing variations based on the volume of Origins-supported products. The technology platform also offers smart farming advisory services to farmers, providing insights on crop planning, nutrient management, pest management, and risk scoring. Leveraging data and analytics, the platform assists farmers in making informed decisions and optimizing their farming practices.

Furthermore, the technology platform enhances the digital capacities and capabilities of farmer cooperatives and micro-entrepreneurs. It facilitates access to credit and insurance by assessing resource gaps, recommending inputs, and evaluating risk scores to improve agricultural practices.

Soil testing is another crucial component of the platform, utilizing field testing and remote sensing to provide support in this area. The technology recommends the right rate, type, quantity, and quality of nutrients based on the specific needs of each farmer. This helps farmers optimize their fertilizer usage and promote sustainable farming practices.

The platform delivers timely pre-harvest information, risk assessment, and predictive analytics for planting advice, providing farmers with tailored best practices and advice. Leveraging remote sensing, the platform monitors crops and ensures compliance with established standards.

The marketplace feature of the platform enables the onboarding of agricultural SMEs and processors, granting real-time visibility into product attributes and pricing. This marketplace fosters transparency and facilitates efficient transactions between farmers and buyers.

To ensure traceability in the agricultural value chain, the platform generates unique digital identities for products. These identities capture spatial and physical attributes of the crops, enabling traceability and building trust in food safety. Additionally, they provide secondary data from portfolio management and marketplace interactions, boosting the profile of farmers and enhancing their marketability.

The technology platform allows for readily available products that are uniquely blended to increase nutritive formulation. For example, different ingredients can be combined to create diverse product offerings. The platform ensures quality assurance through chemometric analysis and guarantees traceability at each step of the production process.

Each product is equipped with a QR code, enabling consumers to view its journey from soil to shelf. This transparency empowers consumers to make informed choices and builds trust in the origin and quality of the products they purchase.

In summary, the customized IT platform serves as the core technology powering our solution, acting as a digital infrastructure. It supports e-commerce, traceability, and transparency through blockchain technology. The platform provides smart farming advisory services, credit and insurance access, soil testing support, compliance monitoring, and a marketplace for agricultural stakeholders. It also generates digital identities for products, offers blending capabilities, ensures quality assurance, and enables traceability through QR codes. This technology is instrumental in optimizing the agricultural ecosystem and empowering stakeholders with digital tools and information.

Currently, our initiative is in the ideation stage, and as a result, all team members are currently engaged part-time. Our team consists of six members, led by our CEO, Miss Ruchika Murmu. The division of authority within the team is structured as follows: two members are responsible for partnership and communication, two members focus on identifying and locating Farmers' Producer Organizations (FPOs) and related partners, and two team members are dedicated to marketing activities. Despite working part-time, our team is committed to driving the success of our initiative and collaborating effectively to achieve our goals.

Our team has been working on our solution, Food as a Service (FaaS), since the year 2020. The idea for FaaS originated during the COVID-19 pandemic when the importance of food security and the sustainability of agriculture became even more apparent. The team leader conceptualized an idea that combines data analytics, supply chain management, and e-commerce to create a solution that benefits all stakeholders while maintaining the integrity of the system. In 2021, we conducted our first pilot to test and refine the implementation of FaaS.

Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity is a fundamental aspect of our work and forms an integral part of our approach. We believe that diversity brings unique perspectives and experiences that can drive innovation and foster inclusive decision-making processes. Our approach to diversity, equity, and inclusivity extends across various aspects of our initiative.

First and foremost, our leadership team embraces diversity. We have consciously ensured that our team consists of individuals from diverse backgrounds, bringing a range of skills, knowledge, and perspectives. This diversity of expertise and experiences enriches our decision-making processes and allows us to better understand and address the needs and challenges faced by various stakeholders.

In terms of our team's goals, we are committed to becoming even more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We recognize that there is always room for improvement, and we strive to create an environment where all team members, partners, and beneficiaries feel valued, respected, and empowered. We aim to foster a culture of inclusivity, where everyone's voices are heard and considered.

To achieve our diversity, equity, and inclusivity goals, we have taken specific actions. Firstly, we ensure that our initiatives and opportunities are accessible to individuals of all ages, genders, and income levels. Our model does not discriminate against beneficiaries based on these factors but instead aims to provide equal opportunities for those who may lack skills or amenities, empowering them to earn the income they deserve.

Moreover, our approach of co-branding products under a shared value system enables us to boost local entrepreneurs. By partnering with these individuals, we promote their products and increase their market coverage. This inclusive approach helps create economic opportunities and supports the growth of local businesses, regardless of their background or resources.

Additionally, we leverage technology to promote inclusivity and cultural preservation. Through the use of QR codes and technology, we enable consumers to trace the lineage of the products they consume. This promotes transparency and cultivates a connection between consumers and the origins of their food, which is particularly relevant in an era where cultural heritage can sometimes fade. This technological advancement also allows our partners to enhance their businesses by leveraging our support, ultimately leading to increased revenue and growth.

In conclusion, diversity, equity, and inclusivity are core principles that guide our work. We believe in embracing diversity at all levels, from our leadership team to our beneficiaries. Our goals include further diversifying our team and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone's voices are valued. We actively take action to ensure that our initiatives provide equitable opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds and empower them to thrive. By co-branding products and leveraging technology for traceability, we support local entrepreneurs and preserve cultural heritage. Through these efforts, we are dedicated to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive ecosystem for all stakeholders involved in our initiative.

Our business model relies on a franchising approach, partnering with anchor partners on a revenue-sharing basis to expand our initiative globally. Our target customers include women, children, and elders who can benefit from our nutrient-rich powdered superfood products. We collaborate with food entrepreneurs to develop products that cater to their specific nutritional needs. Additionally, we engage in the B2B segment by supplying high-quality powdered ingredients to food producers as intermediate goods. Our involvement in the wholesale market, both import, and export, supports our revenue generation and operational sustainability.

As a service-based initiative, FaaS serves as an aggregator, offering services such as labeling, branding, sourcing, and consulting. Suppliers can access these services through our digital platform, and we connect them with commercial partners after conducting due diligence. Our revenue primarily comes from nominal service fees charged for facilitating these connections and supporting business growth.

Branding, marketing, and e-commerce operations are handled internally to enhance recognition and consumer trust. We sell our products under a unified value proposition, emphasizing transparency and traceability. By showcasing the origin of our products through packaging and maintaining high standards without adulteration, we build consumer confidence. The growing awareness among individuals about healthier choices aligns with our market strategy, creating a demand for our products.

In summary, our business model relies on franchising and revenue-sharing partnerships with anchor partners. We focus on serving women, children, and elders with our nutrient-rich powdered superfood products. We also cater to food producers in the B2B segment by supplying high-quality powdered ingredients. FaaS acts as an aggregator, offering services to overcome barriers to business generation. Our revenue primarily comes from service fees, and we create the need for our products by emphasizing traceability, and product quality, and responding to the market's demand for healthier options.

To ensure long-term financial sustainability, we have devised a multi-pronged approach to generate revenue and fund our work. Our plan includes raising investment capital, selling products and services, and exploring service contracts with governments and other entities.

Investment Opportunity: Our immediate goal is to raise a seed round of US$ 100,000 from friends and family. We offer equity in return, with a minimum ticket size of US$ 10,000 and a maximum ticket size of US$ 50,000. This investment will provide us with the initial capital needed to kickstart our operations and scale our business.

Selling Products and Services: In the Indian market, we aim to partner with 40 additional food brands in 2022, in addition to the existing 10 partnerships. This expansion will allow us to increase our turnover and revenue. As of March 2022, we have achieved a total turnover of 8 metric tons (MT) from two entrepreneurs, generating US$ 10,000 in revenue. By the end of the year, we project a target of 300 MT and revenue of US$ 150,000. Our focus is on producing and selling nutrient-rich powdered superfood products that cater to the nutritional needs of our target customers.

International Expansion: There is a significant demand for our products and services in the UK, Europe, and US markets. To tap into these opportunities, we have initiated targeted outreach efforts in these regions. Our primary focus is on the UK and US markets, where we aim to establish a presence and gain an understanding of consumption patterns for powdered food and healthy alternatives. This will enable us to adapt our offerings to meet the specific needs and preferences of consumers in these countries. We will then expand our operations to select countries in Europe, where there is a potential for growth.

Service Contracts: To diversify our revenue streams, we are exploring service contracts with governments and other entities. These contracts would involve providing consulting, sourcing, and branding services to support the development of local food systems and promote healthier food choices. By leveraging our expertise and resources, we can contribute to the improvement of food security and nutrition on a larger scale.

By combining these revenue streams, including investment capital, product sales, and service contracts, we aim to cover our expected expenses and achieve long-term financial sustainability. We will continually assess our financial performance, adapt our strategies as needed, and explore new opportunities to expand our reach and impact.

In our pursuit of financial sustainability, we have achieved notable successes that highlight the viability and market demand for our initiatives. These examples demonstrate the positive outcomes we have experienced through our tested strategies:

Tested Consumer Market and Track-and-Trace Value: We conducted a market test in Bhubaneswar (Odisha) where we allowed consumers to track and trace the journey of their food products. This transparency and digital verification resulted in consumers being willing to pay an additional 10-12% for their purchases. The value of safety and traceability resonated with them, and they were willing to invest in food that offered these assurances.

Partnership with Blend Hub and Ragi Superfood: We established a partnership with Blend Hub, a company based in Spain, to blend Ragi (Finger Millet) into beverages and smoothies in assorted flavors. By collaborating with Blend Hub, we were able to create innovative and appealing products that catered to consumer preferences.

Supply and Distribution through Diet n Plus: We supplied these Ragi beverages and smoothies to a local food brand called Diet n Plus in Bhubaneswar. Through our network of friends and family, we distributed these products across multiple cities in India. Diet n Plus, being a woman-led food brand, was able to generate earnings of US$ 30,000 by distributing approximately 7 metric tons of products to over 14,000 consumers. This success story showcases the market acceptance and demand for our products, resulting in tangible financial returns for our partners.

Capital Cost Savings and Reduced Food Wastage: Through our Proof-of-Concept initiative, we assisted Diet n Plus in achieving significant cost savings. The utilization of our services resulted in a capital cost savings of 100%, enabling the food brand to allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, our collaboration led to a surge in earnings by 25%, indicating the positive impact of our interventions. Furthermore, by implementing efficient supply chain management practices and traceability systems, we were able to reduce food wastage to less than 1%, contributing to sustainability efforts and cost reduction.

These examples demonstrate the tangible outcomes we have achieved in terms of revenue generation, cost savings, and consumer acceptance. They showcase the successful implementation of our business model and the value we bring to our partners and customers.

Moving forward, we will continue to build upon these successes and seek further opportunities for financial sustainability, exploring grants, investment funding, and other revenue streams to support the growth and impact of our initiatives.