Farmtheory buys the “ugly” yet fresh and fit-for-consumption vegetables from Indian farmers and then sells and delivers the produce directly to restaurants in India. They bridge the gap between buyers and sellers of ugly produce from farms to restaurants, thereby increasing farmer incomes and reducing food waste. Restaurants can buy farm fresh ugly produce at a 30% discount for making sauces and purees. The startup gives them the option to buy regular shaped and sized fresh produce for salad dressing and presentation. Farm Theory will be leveraging the use of Artificial Intelligence to regularise the grading procedure and quality checks of the agri-produce.

B2B agri-food startup Farmtheory has raised $1.45 million in a funding round led by Merak Ventures, a Gurugram-based early-stage venture capital firm. Farmtheory had raised $150,000 from American startup accelerator Y Combinator in March 2020 prior to this round.The firm intends to increase its operations with the money it raised, concentrating on growing its supply arm, improving its technology infrastructure, and fortifying its supply chain by enlisting more farmers to guarantee a reliable and sustainable source of produce.

Farmtheory was established in 2019 by Arpit and Sakshi Agarwal. It employs a cutting-edge strategy to reduce food wastage at its source, boosting agricultural yields and guaranteeing the supply of high-quality supplies to commercial kitchens. Unrealistic cosmetic standards cause a sizable amount of India's food supply to go unsold at the source; fruits and vegetables that appear different on the outside but are perfectly edible are frequently thrown out.In order to tackle this problem head-on, the startup buys this "freeform" produce straight from farmers and distributes it to a range of establishments, such as restaurants, caterers, cloud kitchens, and food processors, where it can be used exactly like regular produce. "Farmtheory embodies a vision where every connection between farmer and consumer signifies more than just a transaction — it represents a commitment to enriching lives and fostering sustainability. Through our platform, we empower farmers to share their harvests with the world, creating meaningful connections that sustain communities and promote environmental responsibility," said Arpit Agarwal, Co-founder of Farmtheory. Over 1,500 kitchens and 3,000 partner farms have reportedly been served by Farmtheory. The startup now wants to raise these figures in order to have a greater influence on farming communities across the country.In addition to addressing the pressing issues of food waste and farmer income, Farmtheory's novel model advances the more general objective of halting climate change. Farmtheory repurposes edible produce that would otherwise go to waste, setting a precedent for sustainability in the agri-food industry.