Qcomm and 100% digital media spends: How do D2C brands like Farmley scale "fastly"
Abhishek Agarwal, Co-Founder, Farmley pointed out ambitious plans to grow revenue by 60–70% in FY26, following a FY25 performance that saw Rs 370 crore in topline and its first-ever EBITDA profitability.
ADVERTISEMENT
India’s snacking landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by growing health consciousness, changing lifestyles, and a new wave of informed consumers. The shift is particularly pronounced among Gen Z, who are actively reading labels, questioning ingredients and experimenting with brands that align with their wellness goals. A report by Grand View Research shows the healthy snacks market in India is expected to reach a projected revenue of US$ 6,427.5 million by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% is expected of India healthy snacks market from 2024 to 2030.
Emerging healthy snacking brand Farmley is doubling down on its mission to become a household name across smaller towns. In a conversation with Storyboard18, Abhishek Agarwal, Co-Founder, Farmley pointed out ambitious plans to grow revenue by 60–70% in FY26, following a FY25 performance that saw Rs 370 crore in topline and its first-ever EBITDA profitability. “We’ll almost double what we’re doing today in small towns… coverage is still very small and improving that is our main job for this financial year,” he said.
Backed by a fresh $40 million Series C round, led by L Catterton, with participation from existing investors like DSG Consumer Partners and BC Jindal Group, the company is strengthening its offline footprint while staying laser-focused on affordable, tasty, and nutritious snacking. Prior to this, the company raised a $6.7 million pre-Series B round.
The company’s flagship offerings — flavoured Makhana, healthy Date Bites (a no-added-sugar dessert) and Makhana Munchies account for approximately 45% of revenue and boast repeat purchase rates of 50–55%. Other categories maintain a strong 42% repeat rate, reinforcing customer loyalty and opening doors for offline expansion. “No matter how healthy a snack is, if it’s not tasty, the consumption isn’t there,” Agarwal added.
Qcomm rules!
With quick commerce comprising 40% of the sales, followed by e-commerce platforms at 35%, the company is driving the bulk of its sales from online marketplaces. Farmley is also actively scaling up in modern trade as it has 10% share in the revenue and general trade with 7–8% revenue, remaining from institutional partnerships with major Indian airlines such as Akasa, Air India, Indigo.
"The sales from quick commerce is growing very fastly," Agarwal quips.
Despite an online presence, Agarwal revealed that D2C contributes minimally to revenues and is primarily used for gathering customer feedback and improving formulations. "We don’t target sales via the website, it’s more a product feedback engine than a revenue channel.”
The core segment of customer of the brand lies in the age bracket of 18-25 years. "This is where we see the highest traction and where our brand messaging resonates most strongly." From a geographical standpoint, while metros and tier-one cities remain the largest consumers, the brand is witnessing a rise in demand from tier-two and tier-three markets as well. "Initially, we expected metros to be our dominant markets, given the established demand and awareness around health-oriented products. However, the growing interest from smaller cities suggests a clear gap that we’re now able to address."
Marketing strategy...
Agarwal claimed that 100% of the brand’s media spend in FY24 was digital, with Rahul Dravid as the brand face. "We will introduce TV, OOH and territory-specific campaigns as the brand looks to build deeper resonance pan-India. Brand building is on the priority."
Farmley is riding three rising consumer trends — label literacy, brand experimentation among Gen Z and protein-rich snacking that are reshaping India’s post-Covid food habits. “People are reading labels now and asking tough questions. You can’t just put complex ingredients on the back and expect trust,” he said.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, Farmley is not rushing into new categories like children’s food but is actively experimenting with new snacking formats and formulations, especially in the impulse snacking price range. “There’s a lot of experimentation going on... core snacking at Rs 30 is where we’re focused.”
