Fragaria Fruits raises $2 Mn in seed round led by WEH Ventures

Farming company Fragaria Fruits has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by WEH Ventures, along with participation from Rainmatter, Spiral Ventures, and angel investors such as Sashi Kumar.

The startup had previously raised Rs 1.5 crore in a pre-seed funding round.

The fresh funds will be utilized to scale its operations in Bengaluru, expand its premium fruit portfolio to include blueberries and raspberries, and provide a year-round supply of high-quality, sustainable produce to the Indian market, Fragaria said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2024 by Harish Varadharajan, Timothy Chad Van Niekerk, and Damian López-Salazar, Fragaria Fruits aspires to address a critical gap in India’s fruit industry: the lack of consistently high-quality, fresh fruit available year-round. It aims to redefine the fruit-eating experience for Indian consumers by delivering premium, sustainably grown produce using world-class farming techniques.

According to the Chennai-based startup, its flagship brand, Oh! Fruits, offers European strawberries grown in Chennai using advanced vertical farming technology, which are twice as sweet as conventional Indian varieties, pesticide-free, and have a shelf life up to three times longer than typical market options.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in its water recycling systems, solar power integration, and efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of farming while maintaining affordability.

By using Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) and vertical farming, Fragaria has built a sustainable and scalable model to grow premium strawberries year-round. It plans to expand production in Bengaluru, increasing daily output from 2–3 kg to 120–150 kg.

The startup doesn't have any local brands to compete with for fruits, but there are limited imported fruit brands in India, such as Driscoll’s (berries), Zespri (kiwi), and Rockit (apples).