Metro Cash & Carry, wholesaler and food specialist, has introduced a new pesticide-free grocery range - Fine Life Bio, under its in-house own brand.
Metro had piloted the pesticide-free product range with 30 select products in Hyderabad and Bengaluru last year. After receiving overwhelming response to the products, Metro has expanded the range to provide complete kitchen grocery and has made the pesticide free range available across its 27 wholesale outlets in India.
With the proposition of making healthy living affordable, Fine Life Bio has been rolled out with over 120 products at a very competitive price in different categories such as pulses, grains, rice, millets, flours, dry fruits, spices and sugar and sweeteners.
Speaking about the launch, Arvind Mediratta, MD & CEO, Metro Cash and Carry, India said, “Consumers today are becoming increasingly conscious about their health and what they eat. Organic products have been gaining steam, but has limited acceptance due to its premium pricing. At Metro, we firmly believe in providing value-proposition to our customers, and have introduced a new pesticide-free produce category. We are extremely focused on nurturing a healthy and sustainable living and through Fine Life Bio range we want customers to consume healthy, pesticide-free good food in an affordable and sustainable manner.”
Metro Cash & Carry has collaborated with over 65,000 small and marginal farmers directly and indirectly through associated partners to source around 2,700 tonnes of pesticide-free produce for Fine Life Bio range. Each product is thoroughly tested and undergoes multiple checks right from the farm till to the store. The products are tested for over 150 pesticides in order to qualify as pesticide-free. With the tagline ‘Choose Health, Choose Fine Life Bio’, the entire range has been launched with a focus on healthy lifestyle and healthy eating in daily life.”
He further added, “The entire Fine Life Bio range is grown without the use of pesticide, promising health in every grain consumed. Our partners are responsible for consolidating produce from the farmers and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), providing them guidelines and procuring the pesticide-free produce. The products are stored, cleaned, graded, processed and packed under Metro’s own brand with multiple levels of critical control management. With the roll-out of Fine Life Bio range, Metro is trying to educate and garner awareness about the pesticide-free segment to the consumers at affordable prices.”
Direct Farm Programme
Through Fine Life Bio range, Metro is strengthening the agrarian fabric of the economy and is working towards the welfare of small and marginal farmers who practice sustainable farming and environment. As part of its efforts to fortify the agrarian eco-system, Metro runs a ‘Direct Farm Programme’, wherein it has set up six collection centres to procure fresh fruits and vegetables directly from farmers.
The company sources over 12,000 tonnes of produce per annum positively impacting over 5,000 registered farmers across the country. Metro procures 40 per cent of total produce requirement by direct sourcing from the local farmers. In addition to this, Metro conducts regular training programs for native farmers covering wide range of topics leveraging in-house and external agricultural experts. The program includes intervention such as trainings on production enhancement, farming techniques, quality improvement, optimum pesticide usage, soil nutrition and management and post-harvest techniques. The direct sourcing from farm benefits local farmers in reducing their transportation cost; eliminates farmer’s produce being exchanged through many hands; and supports them in sustainable production of high-quality fruits and vegetables.
Metro Cash& Carry anchors close to a three million customer base in India. Today, the company operates 27 wholesale distribution centres, catering to over 5,000 suppliers, and has created over 13,500 direct and indirect jobs across the country.