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In India’s food and agri start-up boom, Akshayakalpa puts faith in sincerity over speed
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Friday, 23 January, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
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Akshayakalpa Organic, India’s leading organic dairy brand believes that the long-term success of India’s rapidly expanding food and agri start-up ecosystem depends more on sincerity than speed. At a time when many young companies prioritise rapid scaling and aggressive growth, the organic dairy brand argues that staying true to farmers, consumers, and sustainable practices is what builds enduring value.
According to the company, meaningful impact in agriculture comes from patient capital, transparent operations, and a genuine commitment to quality rather than chasing quick market dominance.
Shashi Kumar, founder and CEO, Akshayakalpa Organic, said, “When India speaks about its start-up ecosystem, the spotlight often falls on technology and valuations. My own journey has taught me that some of the most transformative start-ups are being built quietly in sectors like food and agriculture, where the problems are structural, long-term, and deeply human. National Startup Day is a timely moment to recognise entrepreneurship that is not just about scaling products, but about rebuilding broken systems."
"We began with a simple but difficult question: why does farming, despite being essential, fail to provide stable and dignified livelihoods? The absence of predictable income has pushed generations of young people away from agriculture, leading to migration, social stigma, and economic insecurity. We believed that unless farming became economically viable and aspirational again, no innovation downstream—whether in food, health, or sustainability, could be truly meaningful," he added.
"Our approach has been to fix the problem at the farm level. By building a dairy-led model that ensures daily cash flows, improves productivity, and reduces farmers’ dependence on external inputs, we have helped restore dignity to farming and enabled reverse migration. Many of our farmers were once migrant workers in cities; today, they are entrepreneurs in their own villages and role models for the next generation. We deliberately work with one farmer per village, because visible success changes mindsets faster than scale alone," Kumar told FnB News.
This philosophy has shaped Akshayakalpa Organic’s growth. "From selling just 18 litres of milk in 2012, we have built processing capacity of around 2.8 lakh litres per day across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and an upcoming facility in Telangana. Today, we work with 2,800 farmers and closed 2025 with monthly sales of around Rs 50 crore demonstrating that farmer-first businesses can also be commercially resilient," he said.
Equally important is the consumer impact. "By making clean, traceable and responsibly produced food accessible, we aim to empower consumers to make better food choices that support farmer livelihoods, animal welfare and a more sustainable food system. When farmers and consumers are connected through trust, the entire ecosystem benefits," Kumar said.
"In my view, the future of Indian start-ups, especially in the food and agriculture sector, lies not in speed, but in sincerity. In building institutions that improve livelihoods, encourage conscious consumption, and help leave behind a healthier planet for the generations to come," said Kumar.
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