Hoovu: Fresh Pooja Flowers

Hoovu Fresh, a Bangalore-based startup founded in 2019 by sisters Rhea and Yeshoda Karuturi, is revolutionizing the traditional puja flower industry. The company aims to deliver fresh, high-quality flowers directly to customers’ doorsteps through a subscription-based model. Leveraging advanced technology and innovative supply chain methods, Hoovu Fresh ensures the longevity and freshness of their flowers, addressing the industry’s key challenge of short shelf life. Their vision is to create an efficient, organized, and sustainable flower supply chain that benefits both farmers and consumers, thus revitalizing India’s traditional flower market.

Rhea Karuturi, a Stanford graduate with a Science, Technology and Society degree focused on communication, has experience in research, teaching and journalism (Times of India, Stanford Daily). She serves as Co-founder and CTO at Hoovu Fresh. Yeshoda Karuturi, Co-founder and CEO at Hoovu Fresh holds a Master’s in Accounting and a B.S. in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis.

India’s traditional flower market spans 481,907 acres, suffering a 40% wastage rate, equating to 192,000 acres of discarded flowers. Despite their daily use in rituals and decorations, flowers take 36-48 hours to reach consumers, often without proper care. Hoovu Fresh aims to revolutionize this $1.2 billion market by partnering with farms to reduce turnaround to 12-24 hours and extend shelf life from 2-3 days to 15 days using innovative packaging. Collaborations with Big Basket, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart help make fresh, high-quality puja flowers more accessible across India.
Hoovu Fresh has secured multiple rounds of funding from prominent investors like Techstars, enabling them to scale operations and expand market reach. The startup was recognized with the FICCI Flo Incubator Virtual Start-up Award in 2020. By focusing on reducing wastage, Hoovu Fresh not only enhances farmers’ livelihoods but also meets the daily cultural needs of millions across India. Their commitment to sustainable practices significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with floral transportation. This dual impact on social and environmental fronts positions Hoovu Fresh as a key player in promoting sustainability in the traditional flower market.