Abhishek Agarwal Farmley has become a widely searched name in India’s food startup space. At 29, Abhishek Agarwal is the co-founder and director of Farmley, a food brand focused on dry fruits, nuts, and healthy snacks sourced directly from farmers. What began as a small wholesale operation in 2017 has grown into a national consumer brand with strong backend control, farmer partnerships, and steady financial performance.

Abhishek Agarwal grew up in a family where business discussions were common. Topics such as cash flow, vendor payments, and customer trust were part of daily conversations at home. These early influences shaped his interest in building a business rooted in fundamentals rather than quick wins.

Education and early exposure to startups

Abhishek Agarwal studied mechanical engineering at IIT Roorkee. While engineering gave him problem-solving skills, campus life exposed him to startup culture. He spent time with student founders, learned how early ventures operate, and worked on a small startup project during college. This experience helped him understand execution, risk, and teamwork.

After college, Agarwal moved to Delhi, where he shared a flat with Akash Sharma, an IIT Delhi graduate. Both wanted to start something of their own. In 2017, a visit to Bareilly became a key moment. During the trip, Agarwal noticed that many farmers earned little despite rising input costs. Middlemen controlled pricing, leaving farmers with thin margins.

This gap between effort and income led to the idea behind Farmley.

Starting Farmley as a B2B business

Abhishek Agarwal and Akash Sharma launched Farmley in 2017 as a B2B wholesale company. The initial focus was on supplying dry fruits and nuts to large retailers such as Reliance and Grofers. The model helped the founders understand sourcing, logistics, quality checks, and pricing at scale.

From the beginning, Farmley focused on direct sourcing. The company built links with farmers and producers instead of relying on long trading chains. This approach gave Farmley better control over quality and reduced costs for buyers, while improving earnings for farmers.

Growth in the early years was slow. Most investments went into backend systems such as sourcing, processing, and storage. This made fundraising difficult at first, but it created a strong base.

Shift to B2C during the pandemic

In May 2020, Farmley entered the B2C market. The shift came during the pandemic, when demand for packaged and hygienic food increased. Consumers began looking for healthy snacks with clear sourcing and longer shelf life.

Moving into B2C required changes. Farmley invested in packaging, branding, online sales, and customer support. The company used its existing supply chain to support direct sales without losing quality control.

Abhishek Agarwal has said that direct relationships with more than 5,000 farmers became critical during this phase. These links ensured steady supply even during disruptions.

Building farm-gate processing units

One of Farmley’s major steps was setting up five farm-gate processing units near sourcing locations. These units handle cleaning, grading, sorting, and packing close to farms.

This model reduces handling time and improves product quality. It also increases farmer income by moving value-added steps closer to the source. Farmers earn more than they would through traditional mandi systems.

Industry experts note that this approach gives Farmley tighter control over its supply chain than many consumer food brands.

Expanding into healthy snacks

Farmley started with dry fruits and nuts but soon expanded into healthy snacks. The brand now offers over 100 products, including date bits, roasted makhanas, flavoured cashews, and seed mixes.

This expansion helped Farmley reach urban consumers looking for convenient snack options with simple ingredients. It also reduced dependence on seasonal sales.

Abhishek Agarwal has stated that product decisions follow consumer demand and repeat purchase data rather than trends.

Financial performance and funding

Farmley’s backend-first strategy began to show results. The company crossed a ₹300 crore annualised revenue run rate and reported over 400 percent growth in the past two years. It also turned EBITDA positive, a rare milestone for a fast-growing consumer brand.

In 2019, Farmley raised its first institutional funding round, which helped validate its model. Investor confidence increased as the company showed control over sourcing and margins.

In early 2024, Farmley raised $6.7 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by BC Jindal Group. Existing investors DSG Consumer Partners, Omnivore, and Alkemi Partners also joined the round.

Investors have highlighted Agarwal’s focus on execution and cost control. Hariharan Premkumar of DSG Consumer Partners has noted that Farmley’s early B2B foundation helped it scale its consumer business with fewer gaps.

Recent focus and future plans

As of 2025, Farmley is expanding deeper into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The brand is also building a stronger offline presence while growing online sales. Supply chain expansion remains a priority, with plans to add more farmer partners and processing capacity.

Farmley is also exploring export markets for select products, especially dry fruits and value-added snacks.

Abhishek Agarwal continues to focus on long-term trust. He believes consistent quality and fair sourcing will decide which food brands last.

Why Abhishek Agarwal and Farmley matter

The Abhishek Agarwal Farmley journey shows how consumer brands can grow by fixing supply chains first. Instead of heavy spending on marketing, Farmley invested in sourcing, processing, and farmer income.

At 29, Abhishek Agarwal has helped build a profitable brand that connects health-focused consumers with farmers across India. As demand for traceable and healthy food rises, Farmley’s model places it in a strong position for the next phase of growth.

FAQs

Q1. Who is Abhishek Agarwal?
Abhishek Agarwal is an Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder and director of Farmley, a dry fruits and healthy snacks brand.

Q2. What is Abhishek Agarwal’s age?
He is 29 years old.

Q3. What is Farmley known for?
Farmley is known for dry fruits, nuts, and healthy snacks sourced directly from farmers through farm-gate processing units.

Q4. Who is the co-founder of Farmley?
Akash Sharma is the co-founder and CEO of Farmley.