These three friends help people set up microgreens unit with just Rs 70,000 investment

When Basil Varghese returned home to Wayanad, Kerala, after studying international business at the UK’s University of Hertfordshire, he saw people around him struggling with low immunity. Children in his family and even those related to his friends would fall ill frequently. 

“Doctors attributed it to low immunity. While they were eating home-cooked food, it was not enough to meet all the nutritional requirements,” Basil tells 30Stades.

Along with his friends Anurag Mohan and Mohammed Razin, Basil researched natural ways to boost immunity and they came across microgreens -- young edible seedlings, harvested after they develop their first true leaves, usually within 7-10 days of sprouting. 

A concentrated source of nutrients and flavour, they are known to reduce the risk of diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. “They offer up to 40 times more vitamins than traditional leafy greens. So a serving of microgreens is far more beneficial than regular vegetables,” says Basil.

Seeds of microgreens cultivation

Unable to find microgreens locally, the three friends decided to cultivate them. Basil, Anurag and Mohammed learned everything from the internet. “We invested around Rs1.5 lakh in buying trays, vertical racks, cocopeat (the growth medium) and other equipment and set up a trial infrastructure over 100 sq ft,” he says.

Also Read: Chennai’s urban farmer sets up low-cost microgreens unit; earns Rs 1 lakh monthly

The trio began sourcing organic seeds from local vendors and also online.

“After some trial and error, we perfected the method of growing microgreens. We began commercial production under the Mikrogrenz brand in January this year," says Basil.

“We do not use chemicals and harvest the crop every seven days. We sell the produce within our community of friends and relatives and through a subscription model,” he adds.

They produce organic microgreens of pak choi, pink and white radishes, fenugreek, beetroot, wheat grass, amaranthus and other varieties. “We sell it at Rs1400 per kg,” Basil says.

Basil comes from a well-established business family and is a director at T.C Tea and Enterprises Pvt Ltd.

Also Read: This man quit his high-paying MNC job to grow microgreens; clocks Rs12 lakh monthly turnover

Spreading health through microgreens training

The primary aim of Mikrogrenz, he says, is not to earn money but to create awareness about microgreens cultivation and its health benefits. “Since microgreens are best eaten fresh, transporting them over long distances is not a good idea. We want to create franchisees that can sell microgreens locally and improve the general health of people,” the agripreneur says.

For this, their startup Mikrogrenz has developed a well-researched and tech-backed model that can be replicated across India. The space requirement is just about 100 sq ft. 

“After learning through trial and error, we have perfected the technology to set up a microgreen production unit for Rs70,000. This unit can produce 4kg to 5kg of microgreens per week,” he says.

“We give all the material for the first harvest and help set up the unit. People can also opt for our knowledge-sharing model, costing Rs 20,000, where we don’t provide the materials but guide them about the set-up. They can find a local vendor to fabricate all the equipment,” says Basil.

At rates ranging from Rs1300 to Rs2000 per kg, an entrepreneur can earn Rs6000 to Rs8000 per week from a corner of the house. The profit margins are very high, around 70 percent. 

“But for us, it is important that microgreens reach the maximum number of people. They can be grown for self-consumption or sale,” he adds.

Growing awareness of the nutritional benefits of microgreens, such as their high vitamin, antioxidant, and mineral content, and their culinary versatility has increased demand. Research firm IMARC Group expects the India microgreens market to grow from 73 million dollars in 2024 to 157.7 million dollars by 2033, a CAGR of 7.86 percent. 

For setting up a unit, Mikrogrenz can be contacted at mikrogrens@gmail.com

(Riya Singh is a Ranchi-based journalist who writes on environment, farming, sustainability, startups, & women empowerment).

Also Read: Banker quits job to grow microgreens; earns Rs5 lakh monthly from just a 64 sq ft unit

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