From a Small Farm in Bihar to 6 Lakh Eggs a Day: How 3 IITians Built a Rs 100 Crore Business

Think of a typical Indian morning. The aroma of chai, the clatter of utensils, and almost inevitably, the sight of a steaming omelette or a perfectly boiled egg. It's a staple, a quick and reliable source of protein. 

But how often do we truly consider the journey of that egg? From the farm to our plate, it's a path often shrouded in uncertainty. Were the hens healthy? Was the egg fresh? 

In a country where eggs are a breakfast staple, three IIT graduates — Abhishek Negi, Aditya Singh, and Uttam Kumar realised that most eggs on the market lacked freshness and quality. Determined to change this, they launched ‘Eggoz, ’ a brand that guarantees farm-fresh, chemical-free eggs while organising India’s fragmented egg industry.

Who doesn’t love eggs?

Abhishek Negi, a 32-year-old electrical engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur, always had a penchant for eggs. “I've loved eggs since childhood, consuming two to four daily,” he recalls. 

However, his entrepreneurial drive, ignited by a previous venture, Roader, a travel venture, propelled him towards a more specific purpose. Partnering with Aditya and Uttam, he sought to address a pressing issue in India — protein and nutritional deficiency. 

“Nutritional well-being is the first step to making India a superpower,” says Abhishek. Their focus on eggs came from a realisation that, despite being a trusted source of vital nutrients, the Indian egg industry was letting its consumers down.

“Eggs are sold loose, often smelling and stained with litter,” observes Abhishek, pointing out industry issues like a lack of standardisation, unsafe practices, and chemical-laden feed.

“We saw a completely unorganised and fragmented industry riddled with problems. But we also saw a chance to make a meaningful impact on consumer protein quality and build a sustainable business,” shares Abhishek. 

Thus, the seeds of Eggoz were sown, leading them to abandon corporate aspirations and embrace the challenge of transforming the egg market.

The first step: Starting a poultry farm

“The very first thing which we realised when we started the company was that we knew nothing about poultry,” Abhishek admits. “We had no right to be in this industry,” says Aditya, accepting their lack of expertise.

To bridge this knowledge gap, they invested their initial capital in setting up a 12,000-bird farm in Bihar in 2017. “Uttam’s family were in a remote village near Bihar. So we decided to quit our corporate metropolitan lifestyles and get back to the roots,” says Aditya.

“We constructed the farm, brought in the chicks, and started poultry farming,” Abhishek smiles.

For three years, they immersed themselves in the intricacies of poultry farming, gaining insights into the challenges faced by farmers. “We understood the real problems faced by farmers better – starting from weed, bird management, and getting standardised quality,” Abhishek explains. 

This hands-on experience, coupled with the development of their technology, breed selection, and feed science, laid the foundation for their brand, which was launched in 2020.

Cautious on not ‘breaking’ the trust of the farmers

As an early startup, establishing trust with farmers was a significant hurdle for the trio. However, their commitment to providing better rates, guaranteed egg pickups, assistance, and financial security gradually won over farmers. 

“The farmers saw improved bird health, increased productivity, and reduced mortality rates in birds while following our guidelines of herbal-feed and other metrics. This validated our approach, demonstrating that better feed and better care led to superior results,” Abhishek shares.

Their model, built on collaboration and mutual benefit, has allowed them to scale their operations effectively. “We emphasise two key benefits — improved income and a guaranteed buyer,” Abhishek states. The provision of comprehensive support for bird health through high-quality feed and ongoing care further solidified their partnerships.

“We see our farmers as our partners,” Abhishek emphasises. “It is their dedication and effort that allow them to enhance the consumers' lives.” 

What makes Eggoz stand out?

What sets Eggoz apart is its commitment to quality and freshness. “As a brand, Eggoz stands for freshness, promising herbal feed and 11 safety checks for every egg,” Aditya Singh, an agricultural and food processing engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur, emphasises.

Their eggs are exclusively sold in packaged formats, ensuring freshness and hygiene. “We prioritise freshness, delivering eggs from chicken lay to customer within one to two days,” Abhishek shares, who sells six lakh eggs on a daily basis to 5000 retailers.

The unique herbal feed, formulated with a blend of corn, soya, groundnut, rice bran DOC (de-oiled cake), and other vegetarian components, is the secret of their quality. “We have designed a feed for our birds that primarily has only veg components that will keep the protein, vitamin and energy levels in check of the produce,” Aditya states. 

“This feed formula results in eggs with a distinctive dark orange yolk, rich in carotenoids, lutein, and Vitamin A, offering enhanced nutritional benefits,” claims Abhishek.

Every Eggoz egg goes through an 11-step safety check — from UV screening to post-harvest quality control to ensure consumers get the freshest, safest eggs on their plates. “Our quality assurance process is built on a two-tiered system, ensuring safety and freshness from farm to consumer,” Abhishek elaborates. 

“We also have a dedicated manager and quality check officer for each farm in order to provide the guidance and support if required. This also helps us to monitor the quality of the farm and the hens,” shares Aditya.

Becoming a staple in metro cities

Eggoz has rapidly expanded its presence across major metro cities, including Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Pune. Their eggs can be brought both online via Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, etc, as well as directly from their website and offline store.

Their revenue, which reached Rs 100 crore in the previous year, has doubled to Rs 200 crore, a clear demarcation of their growing popularity. “Currently, we're demonstrating a doubling of our revenue year-over-year,” Abhishek states.

Their primary goal of getting customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “Many consumers have an allergy to salmonella (a bacteria causing diarrhoea, fever, etc.), which can be present in eggs, and when you eat older eggs, it will cause discomfort in your stomach,” Abhishek explains. 

“With Eggoz eggs, they don't face these issues because the eggs are sterilised as part of the safety checks.” The freshness and quality of Eggoz eggs have also resonated with children and chefs alike.

Looking ahead, Eggoz aims to further organise the egg industry and expand its product portfolio. “We want to improve the quality and accessibility of protein and eggs in India and ensure the individual per capita intake of eggs annually reaches 180,” Abhishek states. 

“We are building a category around eggs, like egg momos, egg nuggets, etc.” Considering conventional farming methods involve caging the birds, the brand is also experimenting with free-range farming, where hens are let free on the farm, feeding on their own. 

“We have launched Eggoz free range eggs a few months ago, and consumers have supported our initiative as well,” adds Abhishek. Their goal of reaching 1000 crore revenue reflects their confidence in the vast potential of the market.

“Eggoz is more than a brand but it's a mission to transform India's egg industry,” shares Aditya. By empowering farmers and ensuring quality, they're building a future of nutritional security, one reliable egg at a time.

Visit their website to know more.

Edited by Megha Chowdhury; All images courtesy Eggoz