FreshToHome raises $121 million in funding from Investment Corporation of Dubai, others

News Network

October 27, 2020

New Delhi, Oct 27: FreshToHome, an online brand in fresh fish and meat e-commerce, on Tuesday said it has raised $121 million (about Rs 890.8 crore) in funding led by Investment Corporation of Dubai, Investcorp, Ascent Capital, DFC, Allana Group and other investors.

Iron Pillar, the lead investor from the previous series B round, also participated in this round (series C) with an investment of USD 19 million, a statement said.

Barclays was the advisor for the transaction, it added.

Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) is the principal investment arm of the Government of Dubai, while Investcorp is a global manager of alternative investments and DFC is a US government development finance institution.

Covid-19 transformed the fish and meat purchasing behaviour of consumers dramatically and due to safety concerns, consumers made the habit-forming shift to e-commerce, FreshToHome co-founder and CEO Shan Kadavil said.

"...we saw online demand for our products going up many folds this year...We are just beginning to scratch the surface of a very large market and the current capital raise will help us realise our full potential through rapid expansion in India and the Middle East," he added.

According to a report by Euromonitor International, the consumer market size of fish and meat segment in India in 2019 was estimated to be at USD 94 billion.

FreshToHome claims to be the world's largest fully integrated online brand in fresh fish and meat e-commerce, with approximately 1.5 million B2C orders per month and USD 85 million (about Rs 600 crore) annualised sales run rate on the platform.

FreshToHome enables its marketplace sellers to source and sells high-quality meat and fish directly from livestock farmers and fishermen in most major Indian cities and the UAE.

Some of the early backers of FreshToHome include Mark Pincus (Zynga founder), David Krane (CEO of Google Ventures), Pete Briger (Chairman of Fortress), Abdul Aziz Al-Ghurair (Chairman of Mashreq Bank), Rajan Anandan of Sequoia and other renowned investors.

"DFC's first equity deal with FreshToHome demonstrates the power of our new equity tool to drive development and advance U.S. foreign policy," said US Government's DFC CEO Adam Boehler.

This project will support economic growth and strengthen agricultural supply chains in a key US partner, he added.

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Mangaluru: Man duped of Rs 1.7 cr by fake TRAI, CBI officials

News Network

November 22,2024

Mangaluru: A man fell victim to an online scam, losing Rs 1.7 crore after fraudsters posed as officials from TRAI. According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, the incident began on November 11, when the complainant received a call from an unknown number at 9:49 am.

The caller, claiming to represent TRAI, alleged that another mobile number registered under the complainant's name was involved in illegal activities in Andheri (East), Mumbai. The caller further stated that an FIR was lodged against the complainant for harassment under the guise of marketing. He was instructed to contact Andheri (East) police station immediately or risk his mobile service being deactivated within two hours.

The complainant was subsequently connected to an individual named Pradeep Sawant, who claimed the complainant was implicated in a money laundering scheme linked to the Naresh Goyal fraud case. Sawant alleged that a fraudulent bank account under the complainant's name was opened at Canara Bank, Andheri, and used to purchase a SIM card for illegal activities. He warned that the complainant could face arrest.

Later, the complainant was contacted via WhatsApp video call by individuals posing as Rahul Kumar (a police officer) and Akanksha (a CBI officer). They allegedly sent fabricated CBI documents to his WhatsApp number. The fraudsters demanded money to "resolve" the case. Fearing threats, the complainant allegedly transferred Rs 1.7 crore through RTGS in batches of Rs 53 lakh, Rs 74 lakh, and Rs 44 lakh between November 13 and 19. A case has been registered at the CEN police station and an investigation is ongoing.

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