MKC Agro Fresh Ltd., established in 1966 and based out of Delhi NCR, is a leading player in the Indian fruit trade with a focus on marketing fresh fruits. The company’s objective has been to exert control at the procurement level, ensuring influence on fruit quality and competitive pricing. Over the years, MKC has invested in farmland, gardens, and orchards to secure its supply chain.
The company developed a unique model where farmers offer MKC the first right of refusal before selling their produce on the open market. This approach has been pivotal in establishing MKC as a renowned name synonymous with superior quality in the Indian fruit market.
MKC’s efforts extended to developing a terminal market in Himachal Pradesh, benefiting apple growers by providing fair pricing and aligning with the company’s socially responsible values.
In the domestic market, MKC holds a leading position in oranges. Its state-of-the-art cleaning, sorting, grading, and waxing plant in Warud District, Maharashtra, processes approximately 300MT of oranges per day during the 6-month season. MKC takes pride in being the first Indian company to import machinery from Italy for this purpose.
With a pan India presence, MKC has firmly rooted itself as the largest supplier of Indian fruits to modern retail giants such as Reliance Group, Big Bazaar, Future Group, More, and Mother Dairy (a Government of Delhi venture). The company caters to the Food and Grocery market estimated at close to USD 500 billion. Moreover, MKC invested USD 6.1 million in a cutting-edge Controlled Atmosphere (CA) cold chain facility imported from the Netherlands, boasting a capacity of over 5000MT.
India’s significant fruit and vegetable production, coupled with a yearly 15% growth in the fruit market, has led to an ever-increasing demand that cannot be fulfilled solely by local production. Data from customs indicates the import of approximately 350,000MT of fresh fruits valued at USD 400 million. MKC has taken the initiative to engage in direct imports from five continents to meet the growing needs of the country’s 1.3 billion population. Notably, kiwi fruit, citrus, and apple imports are experiencing remarkable growth rates of 60%, 30%, and 20% respectively. With the growing acceptability of Indian fruits on the global stage, MKC has ventured into the export market, shipping oranges to Bangladesh. The company is strategizing to expand its presence further in this industry, which is valued at over USD 500 million. Leveraging its strong relationships and standing in the industry, MKC aims to obtain quality produce at favorable pricing. In its first year of export, MKC has already achieved recognition, securing the 17th position in the country for mixed fruit exports by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Foods Product Export Development Authority).
With nearly 55 years of experience and annual revenues approaching USD 50 million, MKC is well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities not only in the Indian market but also globally. The company’s greatest asset is its uninterrupted supply of high-quality fruit, which can be sold locally, exported, or further processed to meet the increasing demand, especially when domestic fruit production falls short. India faces a significant challenge with a bottleneck in the supply chain between farmers and consumers, leading to a wastage of 14% per year of the world’s second-largest production of fruits and vegetables. However, MKC’s active involvement at every step of the supply chain gives them the resources and influence to address this issue.
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