deswal/sandbox

Experiment 001

FoodNode

The members' table for India's food & agriculture industry — every link of the value chain, verified and invite-only.

Workingversion 0.xWebiOSAndroid

Started

2025-03

State since

2025-10

Categories

Business Ops

Pricing

Subscription

Version

0.x

Platforms

3

The problem#

India grows the world's second-largest food economy, but its supply chain still runs on phone calls and cold introductions. A processor in Pune trying to source organic turmeric from Sangli, or a packaging buyer hunting a verified PE supplier, is searching WhatsApp groups and trade-show business cards.

There is no premium, trustworthy network where every stakeholder — FPO to financier — can find each other.

The approach#

Three layers.

A profile-and-portfolio layer so businesses present themselves with the dignity the industry deserves. No more PDF brochures pasted into Google Drive.

A verified directory across nine categories — FPOs, processors, machinery, packaging, food-grade chemicals, certification labs, cold chain, govt-and-finance consultancy, and industry professionals.

A discovery layer with editorial filters by industry, state, and verifications. Subscribers can browse; listings are members-only; every member is KYC'd against FSSAI, APEDA, MSME or equivalent.

Food and agriculture move on trust. The internet is bad at trust at scale. We're rebuilding it for one industry at a time.
— Working notes, October

What it does#

  • A signed-in member browses a verified directory of nine categories.
  • A subscriber (without membership) can browse but not list.
  • Editorial filters surface businesses by certification, state, and industry vertical.
  • An innovations feed surfaces what new members are shipping.
  • A members' calendar lists offline mixers — Mumbai first.

What's next#

Closed alpha seeded with members across nine categories — from FPOs in Anand to cold-chain operators in Nashik. Innovations feed and events calendar in active build. Members' Mixer · Western Chapter targeted for Mumbai mid-year. Public preview of the briefing later this year.

If you run a food, agri, or supply-chain business in India and want to be part of the alpha, write in.

[ what it does ]

The things it does well.

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