Development of business plan for a leading Indian conglomerate expanding into agri-business sector

Project Scope

The client evinced interest in exploring agribusiness opportunities in fallow land available with the groupthat led to conceptualization of the project. Sathguru helped the client in assessment of the business goals of the client, identification of a thematic area and developed detailed business plan to for venturing into agribusiness.

Project Approach

Sathguru adopted a two-phase engagement model, wherein the initial phase involved in detailedassessment of thematic areas through expectations alignment, options analysis and opportunity selection and the second phase involved formulation of comprehensive strategic business plan.

Phase 1:

1. Sathguru conducted a one day Management Workshop for expectations alignment with the Group Promotors, key decision makers. The workshop helped in understanding the Goals, Strategies, Operations and Key Performance Indicators for consideration.
2. Based on the outcomes of the workshop, Sathguru converged their sectoral expertise with the objectives and expectations set forth for identification of 2 – 3 thematic areas based on following parameters

1. Industry attractiveness and outlook, level of competitive intensity, returns, etc
2. Ease of entry, process complexity, technological affinity/ capability, scalability & sustainability
3. Risks – strategic risk, financial risk, operational risk, technological risk, regulatory risk, time-to-market
4. Existing and potential linkages with the group to draw capabilities, transferring of skills and sharing of activities/ assets

Phase 2:

Sathguru with its techno commercial expertise and holistic understanding of the agri-business developed a detailed business plan for finalized thematic area with financial projections. Detailed business plan included:

1. Opportunity Assessment & Landscape analysis: Overall market growth trends, key segments, policies, Potential Crops/Products, Value Chain Assessment, Competitor Analysis, Customer trends
2. Technology Assessment: Technology trends, Technology access, Regulatory pathway, Commercialization options
3. Business Strategy: Articulation of vision & mission Business goals & objectives, Business model, Technology strategy, Product/ Market Strategy Distribution & Channel Strategy HR strategy & Organogram
4. Financial Model and projections: Feasibility Analysis, CAPEX and Funding Requirements, Risk Analysis

Recommendations

1. A high tech vertical farming/ protected cultivation as a promising thematic area for the group based on the industry attractiveness, high growth potential in the country, client’s expectations, existing linkages and strategic alignment with group activities,
2. Cultivation of high value exotics vegetables to fetch higher profits and target both B2B and B2C segment. In B2C segment, Sathguru recommended to target the premium retail stores and online market,
3. Access to innovative technology providers globally to address market requirements and sustainable growth, and
4. Developed a unique business model that integrated the farm services aspect into product sales to effectively capture the market share

Impact/ Client benefit

The output of this engagement immensely benefited our client to understand the dynamics ofagri-business industry in general and high tech vertical farming/protected cultivation in particular. The plan presented by Sathguru was acceptedby the management team.