Delivering hygienically packed fresh food products, directly to customers

Mohammed Sharik Alam – Founder, Minutes Management & Technology Pvt Ltd, Kolkata

Mohammed Sharik Alam’s Minutes Management & Technology was established in 2017 with an aim to delivery fresh products, hygienically packed at doorstep of customers. The firm’s flagship brand ‘Kolkata Meat’ (www.kolkatameat.com) is thereby serving customers since inception and churning out delighted customers. Born and brought up in Kolkata, Sharik realised that for raw meat home delivery there was no cold-chain delivery system in his city, that’s when he started his venture at the age of 28 and took care of cold chain and logistics to keep meat fresh and follow the parameter of FSSAI. It all started with a capital investment of around 8 lacs.

Today Kolkata Meat have grown in leaps and bounds, and have become first choice of customers wanting to get fresh meat delivered at their doorstep. Unregulated meat markets, tropical climate, inadequate slaughterhouse hygiene measures, and the lack of surveillance of meat-borne diseases enhance the risk of health-related and occupational hazards. According to research, there are about 8000 registered and more than 20,000 unregistered slaughterhouses in the country and most of them are devoid of basic amenities like light and ventilation. Moreover, the slaughtering and carcass-dressing processes are performed in open areas in highly unhygienic conditions following which the meat is sold with little or no veterinary inspection. This is where specialists like Kolkata Meat comes into play, to provide the best quality meat products to its patrons.

Sharik graduated in Accounts and Finance (major) in 2010 while pursuing an academic degree from Calcutta University, he was also working as a part timer in HP event. After completion of his graduation degree, he moved to Dubai for vocational studies in logistic management and supply chain. Further got hired by Dubai Islamic Bank as a sales executive.  He was diligently working and was happy with the job and after a year was also promoted as a senior coordinator. And then decided to open his own venture back in his home town.

Kolkata Meat is known for its chemical free products, temperature control between 0 to 4 degrees and 90 minutes delivery time, which has significantly increased customer satisfaction since 2018-2023. Operational across Kolkata, and districts like South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and other places in West Bengal state, Sharik wants to expand his presence in other Indian states as well by coming year – that’s something which is ambitious and keeping him busy these days.

After coming back from Dubai, he had gone out to buy chicken in his locality. However, seeing the entire process of slaughtering, and packaging of meat, he thought of starting online meat delivery business with a promise of 90 -120 minutes doorstep delivery time. During initial days of his venture, he did face some hardships. Sharik recalls,

“Problem faced by me was to delivery on time and it was getting very difficult to manage logistic/delivery partner for start-up. Customer is everything and we had to keep our commitment of 90 mins delivery by somehow.”

In this line of business, customer satisfaction and their positive word-of-mouth matters a lot. Taking their feedback, social media responses, we enhanced the quality of the products and improved delivery time. Sharik looks up to the Late Dhirubhai Ambani for professional inspiration. From trading spices to building an entire business empire is not a child’s play and need persistency and hard work. He also feels proper planning, business focus and strategies can keep one afloat in the business, even if rough waves might try to shatter everything.

Meat industry’s is one of the biggest markets globally, and India is second largest consumer of meat worldwide, as a result the future is bright for Sharik and his team. He has been an achiever and a hard worker. His efforts were recognised time and again by various industry bodies. He has lot of awards and accolades to his name, some of them are – Business Mint-Nationwide Under 40 Promising Entrepreneurs 2023, Indian Excellence Awards – Finest Meat Production 2022, 500 Challenger Brand – Yourstory 2022, Global Choice Awards – Young Entrepreneur 2021, Channelier- Brand Of The Year 2021, Leadership Awards – Organic Meat Supplier 2019, And Times Now Awards – Young Entrepreneur 2018.