ELI - 522 | How A Lockdown Idea To Fight ₹1.3 Trillion in Food Waste Became A Logistics Giant

Join us as Swarup Bose, Founder and CEO of Celcius Logistics Solutions, shares his incredible journey of digitizing India's cold supply chain. From his two decades of experience in the traditional cold chain sector to founding Celcius during the COVID-19 lockdown, Swarup discusses how his company is tackling critical issues like food and medicine wastage through innovative technology.Highlights:- The fundamental role of cold chain logistics in our daily lives, from ice cream to life-saving medicines.- How Celcius evolved from a pure marketplace to a 3PL partner, serving major brands like Parag Dairy, Godrej, Dr. Reddy's, Zomato, Blinkit, and Zepto.- The staggering 1.3 trillion rupees worth of perishables India loses annually and how Celcius is fighting this wastage.- The technological backbone of Celcius, including IoT devices, real-time tracking, and in-house management solutions.- His personal entrepreneurial path, from his father's influence to overcoming challenges in fundraising and market adoption.- The grand vision for Celcius: to create an unbroken, tech-enabled cold chain network that supports farmers, expands market access to Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities, and contributes to food security.Chapters[00:00] Introduction to Swarup Bose & Celcius Logistics[00:30] Celcius's Evolution: From Marketplace to 3PL Partner[01:02] The Crucial Role of Cold Chain in Logistics[03:25] Innovation & Modernization in Traditional Cold Chains[05:17] Combating 1.3 Trillion Rupees in Perishable Wastage & COVID's Impact[06:58] Understanding Current Market Problems: Supply Shortage & Mindset Shift[09:31] The Technology Powering Celcius: IoT, Tracking & In-House Solutions[10:53] Celcius's Customer Base and Asset-Light Model[13:05] Swarup Bose's Entrepreneurial Journey: From Family Business to Startup[19:00] Navigating the Zero-to-One Journey & Fundraising Success[23:27] The Grand Vision for Celcius Logistics & Industry Impact[29:25] Swarup's Key Learnings on Entrepreneurship: Perseverance & Belief[31:52] Closing Remarks