The company
In the bustling lanes of Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore, Fresh Mills stands as a beacon of freshness, nurturing organic goodness since 2019. Founded by childhood friends Bharathi Kannan, a former software engineer, and Kadhiravan, who has deep roots in his family's wholesale business of agricultural commodities, shared a common love for food. Their journey began with exploring various food-related ventures, which led to undergoing extensive training at the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology. There, the two took courses on diverse topics ranging from masala processing to mushroom cultivation. In response to the cumbersome nature of traditional retail, they came up with a clear vision of establishing a modern retail store with an on-site micro mill, a concept rarely explored in contemporary retail.
In 2019, Fresh Mills emerged not merely as a retail store but as a holistic experience store for customers. What sets Fresh Mills apart is its unique micro mill, seamlessly integrated into the store, allowing customers to witness the entire processing journey.
The micro mill, producing an array of products such as flours, masalas, spice powders, nut butters, and cereals, allowed customers to not only purchase organic goods but also observe the transparent processing methods in the micro mill. In addition, the retail store includes a comprehensive selection of products that go beyond what is processed in-house. Customers can find various grocery items, expanding the store's offerings to cater to a broader spectrum of consumer needs. The combination of self-processed products from the micro mill and externally sourced groceries allows Fresh Mills to provide a one-stop shopping experience for its customers.
The challenge
Fresh Mills faced significant challenges in streamlining its retail operations before discovering Zakya. The traditional billing software they used initially was limited to basic functionalities, focusing solely on billing without other critical aspects of the business.
When Fresh Mills launched its ecommerce platform, the absence of a common inventory system for both the physical retail store and the online platform led to various operational inefficiencies. This realization prompted the exploration of reliable software that could bridge the gaps in their business.
The turning point came when the founders attended Zoholics, Zoho's annual user conference, that marked the beginning of their transformative journey to optimize their retail operations with Zakya.
The solution
Zakya seamlessly integrated with Zoho's suite of applications and slowly became the backbone of Fresh Mills's business. The transition was remarkably smooth, with the implementation process proving to be a significant time-saver. Unlike previous experiences, Zakya's simple interface facilitated quick adoption by the staff, eliminating the need for extensive training.
We used three different software before Zakya, and each transition took almost 20 days, employee training took 2-3 days, and then a minimum of 40-50 customer bills to get accustomed with the software. With Zakya's seamless transition and user-friendly interface, training became unnecessary. Our employees started using it effortlessly from the moment of implementation.
As a result, the founders of Fresh Mills were no longer tied down to daily in-store operations. "We monitor the sales, purchases, and inventory through the dashboards we have in Zakya, from anywhere, Kannan noted. "We stopped being there in the store and started focusing on the production part, as our store is not dependent on us. Now, all we do is constantly think about innovation, manufacturing, and launching new products. All this is because of Zakya."
Zakya's efficiency allowed them to shift their focus towards production, customer engagement, and business expansion. The ease of use and integration with Zoho's ecosystem provided Fresh Mills with a comprehensive solution, addressing their specific needs and paving the way for future growth.
Benefits and ROI
The implementation of Zakya led to a significant reduction in the time spent on manual tasks, particularly during the transition from previous software. Billing, accounting, and inventory management became more streamlined, saving 50–60% of the overall time spent. Zakya's integration with Zoho applications provided a solid foundation for scaling operations. Previously daunting tasks, such as handling increased foot traffic, now appeared seamless and hassle-free.
Zakya's features, such as SMS sending and CRM integration, enabled Fresh Mills to enhance customer interactions and plan for future improvements. The positive impact on customer billing experiences further solidified Zakya as an asset in elevating customer satisfaction.
Looking forward
Fresh Mills envisions a promising future with Zakya, outlining key plans for growth from leveraging their production unit to expanding their offerings in response to market demands. As part of their expansion, Fresh Mills is aiming and working towards opening three new branches within the city.
Zakya has truly changed the game for us. Before Zakya, we were a bit wary of stepping up our marketing efforts, fearing the challenges that come with increased foot traffic—billing complexities, accounts, and the panic that usually follows. Zakya has completely turned things around for us. It's not just a point-of-sale system; it gave us 100% confidence to grow big in all aspects.
"Though ours is a non-tech-centric business, adopting the right technology solution, like Zakya, helped us overcome challenges, save time, and keep expanding. The investment is remarkably modest, given the considerable time saved, operational ease, and confidence it brings to our business", Kannan boasted happily.
- Industry typeRetail
- EmployeesBelow 50 employees
- Type of businessGrocery
- Previously Used Software