Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

DELIVERING SOCIAL IMPACT VIA THE FARM-TO-FORK STRATEGY AND SUSTAINABILITY LENS: THE KIWI KISAN WINDOW

Preeti Singh, Ritesh Dwivedi, Anjani K. Singh and Shalaghya Sharma

Abstract

This study examines the entrepreneurial story of KiWi - a portmanteau of the Kisan (meaning farmer) and Window (meaning window of opportunity) - a universally acknowledged Agtech start-up. The study exemplifies the continuous progress and innovations this start-up has made to develop a profitable model in the fresh food industry. KIWIKisan Window (KKW) aspires to provide a constant window of opportunities for Kisan (farmers) of India by means of Fair Trade practices that ensure transparency, respect, and fairness in business trading, as well as encouragement and support for marginalized farmers who strive for equality as they compete with middlemen and big players and loose on their fair share of access to business opportunities. The paper highlights milestones achieved in terms of the evolution of social enterprise KKW and Evolve Foundation, their business model to create a sustainable food system, and the challenges of initiatives to generate new ideas and experiments in the food industry. KKWaspires to live a healthy, sustainable life, and they apply this philosophy to all organic products, from farm to fork. It also emphasizes typical decisions and dilemmas faced by the start-up and the challenges ahead. Their strategic decision being analysed through VRIO framework.