How FarmDidi Brings Pickles Made By Rural Women to your Plates!

If there were to be a better love story than Heer-Ranjha, Romeo-Juliet, we are sure Indians would name Meal and Aachar (Pickle) as the best fit. Every meal, from whichever corner of the country is incomplete without the pickle on the plate. This sider is so versatile that it can be eaten with almost every food item on the plate; if you are gulping down a paratha or rice or even a simple roti, it can simply spice up things. And it makes the food even more delectable if it comes from an authentic source. This brand does exactly that. FarmDidi, a pickle and chutney brand brings this staple from the farms to your plates. 

The Journey 

The journey of FarmDidi started with Manjari, the co-founder's quest for a project that turned into an eye-opener. While she was out on the fields of Bihar, she noticed the women of the rural village doing chores ranging from fetching water to nurturing crops when their husbands were away for jobs. Moved by their resilience to work, she ventured on a pilot project to support these women whom she referred to as "Didis." Joined by her husband Anukrit and friend Asmita, all self-proclaimed foodies, they set out to create an impact-focused brand that not only celebrated the rich flavours of India but also provided employment to rural women. 

They ventured into the villages of Maharashtra to find women who were working independently but earning very little. The brand aimed to harness their skills in making pickles and chutneys using farm-fresh ingredients, free of chemicals or preservatives. They began by training 30 Didis, focusing rigorously on hygiene practices with gloves, masks, and hair nets at the brand's Pune headquarters. After training, each Didi set up her own pickle or spice kitchen and established a routine, checking in with Pune every morning with photos to show they were adhering to FarmDidi’s SOPs, ensuring quality, uniformity, and cleanliness. Following this, a streamlined process was established, enabling these women to produce a variety of pickles, some with regional flavours and others featuring diverse ingredients. With choices ranging from sweet and tangy to spicy and medium-spicy, FarmDidi’s product portfolio is rich and varied.

The brand was also seen in season 3 of Shark Tank India where they received an investment of Rs. 1 crore for 10% equity from Vineeta Singh, co-founder & CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics and Peyush Bansal Founder of Lenskart. This deal gave a major boost to the business's idea of expanding and providing labour to rural women and regional pickles to its customers.  

What started with a pilot project, FarmDidi today stands as a beacon of empowerment, with a community of over 1500 rural women. More than 50 of these incredible women earn a regular income through the brand, supported by initiatives that provide food licenses and essential training.