Fragaria Fruits, an Indian agritech company specializing in controlled environment fruit cultivation, has secured $2 million in seed funding led by WEH Ventures, with participation from Rainmatter, Spiral Ventures, and angel investors including Shashi Kumar, CEO of Akshayakalpa Organic. The funding will be used to expand operations in Bengaluru and develop new fruit lines, including blueberries and raspberries.

Co-founded in 2024 by Harish Varadharajan, Timothy van Niekerk, and Damián López-Salazar, Fragaria developed its first indoor strawberry farm in Chennai to demonstrate that high-value crops could be grown locally under tropical conditions. “India is falling short with a lack of domestic supply of high-quality agricultural products, despite the cost advantages of producing here. So we took a stand and chose a difficult crop in a challenging climate. We tested our ideas, and within a year, we were successfully growing strawberries right here in Chennai.”

Timothy van Niekerk, Harish Varadharajan, and Damián López-Salazar. © Fragaria Fruits

The cultivation test

According to Varadharajan, investor skepticism was part of the initial steps. “Initially, when we presented the idea to different investors, the reactions were skeptical. I promised Tim and Damian that if we built a strawberry farm and went back to the same investors with a box of strawberries, the reactions would be very different. That’s exactly what we did.”

"We invested our own money, added some angel funding, and set up a 500-square-meter facility capable of producing three kilos per day. In the last six months, we've sold to over 200 customers across India, and the response has been incredible. We're now partnering with WEH Ventures to expand our operations to Bengaluru and expand into new fruits within India's diverse fruit basket."

The Chennai pilot project, powered by the company's flagship brand, Oh! Fruits, grows European strawberries in a vertical system that combines hydroponics, LED lighting, and environmental control. According to the company, the strawberries have a longer shelf life and a sweeter flavor than field-grown strawberries, without the need for pesticides.

Investment to create category

For WEH Ventures, Fragaria represents a model of localized innovation. “At WEH Ventures, we are dedicated to backing category-creating companies that solve problems with a focus on India,” says Gautam Ravi, a member of the WEH Ventures investment team. “We are incredibly excited to announce our investment in Fragaria Fruits, a full-stack agri-tech company that aims to become a global leader in premium fruits.”

Rohit Krishna, Partner at WEH Ventures, adds: “We believe Fragaria is addressing a critical inefficiency in the Indian fruit supply chain. Their model combines cutting-edge agricultural technology with sustainable practices, which is a game-changer for the Indian premium fruit market. We support them in providing consumers with fresh fruit year-round, without compromising quality or sustainability.”

Gautam Ravi. © Fragaria Fruits

Expansion of sustainable fruit growing

Fragaria is now preparing to increase its daily production from an initial 2 to 3 kilograms to 120 to 150 kilograms once its Bengaluru facility is operational. The company is integrating solar energy and water recycling into its infrastructure to reduce its environmental impact and ensure a consistent supply.

"This funding will allow us to expand our operations and reach a broader consumer base with fruit of consistent quality," says van Niekerk. "It's a key step forward in our mission to build India's most trusted and beloved fruit brand, providing fresh produce year-round to millions of people across the country."

© WEH Ventures