Ripplr, a Bangalore-based tech distribution and logistics platform has announced that it has raised USD 40 mn in a Series B round from new and existing Investors. The round was led by Fireside Ventures. The fundraising also saw participation from new investors Bikaji and Neo Foods along with existing investors 3one4 Capital, Zephyr Peacock and Japanese conglomerate Sojitz Corporation. The funds will be utilized to fortify its tech platform, for team expansion, and to build a pan-India presence. The round also witnessed debt participation from Strides Ventures, Alteria Capital, Northern Arc Investments and Trifecta Capital.
Set up in 2019, Ripplr is a Plug-n-Play integrated distribution network offering Distribution as a Service (DaaS) to Brands managing and digitising operations, helping create visibility & reach with a management layer for the supply chain.
In the quest to build and scale up an asset-light, tech-enabled FMCG distribution network, Ripplr had earlier raised USD 12mn in a funding round with a mix of equity and debt from Japanese firm Sojitz Corporation and Stride Ventures in December 2021. The company has grown exponentially in last 4 years scaling business across 12 cities and is operationally profitable.
Abhishek Nehru and Santosh Dabke, Co-founders, of Ripplr, said, “The funding is an indicator of the company’s ‘strong unit economics’ and validation of our business model. Each Indian State is like a country having multiple dimensions on buying patterns, price points, and consumer sentiments. Our Goal is to stitch this multi-dimensional gap, helping distributors & retailers in connecting with brands. With this round, we are aiming to increase our geographical footprints in India to solve the reach and visibility complications faced by all the FMCG Brands in offline distribution and supply chain. At Ripplr, we aim at becoming one of the trusted long-term partners for brands, distributors, and Kirana stores by building an omnichannel model to optimise supply chain inefficiencies”
Commenting on the fundraise, VS Kannan Sitaram, Co-Founder, and Partner, of Fireside Ventures said – “There is an increasing focus on offline expansion that we see with D2C brands after they acquire a strong consumer franchise. Ripplr’s Plug -n-Play model will work superbly well for such D2C brands. We at Fireside Ventures believe that there is a massive untapped potential in plug-and-play retail and are certain that Ripplr’s distribution platform operating at scale across the country will unlock the potential in the offline retail space”.
The Indian FMCG business is one of the fastest-growing markets globally. The Indian Economy is also growing healthily at 7-8% annually, with a population of 1.4 bn consumers. Ripplr would like to evolve as a futuristic omnichannel tech platform to make both distributors and retailers ready for front-end business scaling and optimisation of backend efficiencies.
About Ripplr
Set up in 2019, Ripplr is a Plug-n-Play integrated distribution and supply chain network for brands offering Distribution as a Service (DaaS), supporting partners managing and digitising distribution supply chain operations, helping create visibility and a management layer for the complete ecosystem. The company’s platform facilitates AI-based predictions and decisions, efficient loading and routing decisions, live inventory tracking, and buying patterns, enabling brands to deliver an integrated customer experience by elevating certainty and quality for consumers. The company deploys predictive analytics to manage demand and inventory for both brands and retailers. Ripplr has been backed by multiple investors and has raised a total of USD 56 mn so far. Its’ distribution network has 24 warehouses across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune along with tier 2 cities servicing 80,000+ retailers having long-term partnerships with all major FMCG brands like HUL, Britannia, ITC, Nestle, Mondelez, Colgate Reckitt Benckiser, Godrej, Dabur, and Nivea among others.
