Just Deliveries (JD) believes technology and innovation have the power to bring change and harness this power to build efficient solutions that deliver impact to customers, people, and the planet.

The company entered the perishable space when it saw the gap in cold storage solutions and last-mile delivery to retailers for frozen and fresh products. Due to the absence of organized players, the brands' logistics led to expensive and infrequent replenishment of food inventory—also, high wastage due to the dumping of extra stock. Almost 40% of the fresh produce resulted in waste.

Elaborating further, Mansi Mahansaria, director, Just Deliveries, says, "Not limiting to just grocery retail, the increase in cloud kitchens, QSRs, and cafe chains mean timely delivery of food items from the central kitchen is necessary. Food ingredients are to be carried at the right temperature, hygienic, and in perfect condition to all outlets. For this, timely intra-city logistics is crucial." As a brand, the company made sure to make it all possible and has been recognized for the same:

• Voted in the top 5 logistics start-ups globally that impact the food business

• Just Deliveries is Top-100 start-up in Maharashtra by MSINS in 2021

• It has been part of the GS 10000 women program in Dec 2021

• Selected by Supply Chain Labs, Lumis Partners Cohort 3

Just Deliveries' innovation is simple but effective. JD vans assure hygiene, temperature control, and reliability. Using a unique van sharing model (backed by technology) enables several food & beverage companies to reduce their supply chain costs and become sustainable.

According to Mahansaria, the idea is to make the F&B perishable ecosystem sustainable, with brands not only the beneficiaries, by utilizing existing assets and enabling customers to reduce their carbon footprint and congestion.

Keeping up with trends

As a company, JD was able to list three significant and sustainable trends:

Increase in demand for frozen foods

According to reports, the frozen food market was Rs 99 billion in 2020, and by 2025, the market is projecting growth at a compound annual rate of 18.17% to 225 billion. Until a few years ago, this concept was unthinkable and an alien notion in India. However, now it has become a mainstream food trend with an increase in QSRs and cloud kitchens that use it for consistency and convenience.

Mahansaria recalls, "There was a time when frozen food was only synonymous with desserts like ice creams or some imported frozen fruits. However, this has changed dramatically in the last few years as we witness its exponential growth and popularity among Indian consumers."

She believes that although the frozen food market is relatively untapped in India, the potential for growth is immense. "Once the cold chain system, which is a challenge in India, is well established, frozen food can reach every corner of the country, including remote areas," she adds.

Growth in eCommerce as a channel for sales for F&B and grocery

The boost in the sale of grocery items on eCommerce channels like Big Basket, Flipkart, and Dmart online is here to stay. Dark stores like Swiggy and Instamart are seeing high sales.

Logistics, once seen as a supporting service sector, has transformed into an essential and mainline sector

Resilient Supply chains, cold storage, reliable and hygienic transport solutions, and last-mile delivery fulfillment are robust frameworks in the success and sustainability of food brands.

Just Deliveries at Annapoorna - ANUFOOD India 2022

Just Deliveries is participating in the upcoming trade show Annapoorna – ANUFOOD India. The company plans to elaborate its logistics services, warehousing & cold storage solutions, and retail distribution.

Commenting on their participation and expectation from the show, Mahansaria, says, "We look forward to meeting potential customers and understanding their pain points, as we customize according to needs. ANUFOOD is a great place to do networking while getting brand visibility which would help us get new customer leads."

Broadening the horizon

JDs' vision is to enable F&B businesses with efficient supply chain solutions, so they can focus on growing their business while assuring seamless back-end operations. "The JD shared model helps create business sustainability and enables ramp up of outlets. We plan to scale operations from two cities to twenty cities within four years and help 500+ brands from the current 50+ brands," Mahansaria concludes.

Register Now and meet Just Deliveries at Annapoorna – ANUFOOD India from 14-16 September 2022 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.