Mayank Mahapatra
Producing locally & selling internationally, OVO Farm of Balangir adds value to the emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem of Odisha
One of the leading egg-producing businesses in India, OVO Farm from Odisha, is spearheading the trade to elevate the market segment with innovative processes, while applying blockchain technology to ensure traceability. Having the capacity of 1 million eggs per day, the company lets the consumer track the product from farm to the plate.
“Through the blockchain technology, we facilitate the process of informing the modern consumers about the life cycle of our products. The buyers can scan the QR code printed on the package & instantly get details on the product’s journey from the production facility till the retail outlet”, says Samarendra Mishra, Co-founder of OVO Farm.
Every egg coming out of OVO Farm carries the date of its production. It is printed with food grade ink, thus adding a great value to the consumers’ trust.
OVO Farm, an enterprise of over 2 decades established at Balangir in Western Odisha, has created a name for itself in the Agro market in the country. It caters to the local & various national markets while having its footprints in some of the international regions like Middle East and Africa etc.
“Western Odisha was not a business-friendly place when we started OVO Farm. People from the vicinity were leaving to nearby states for livelihood. With time, we were able to engage the young people from local communities offering them a decent opportunity”, narrates Soumendra Mishra, Co-founder of OVO Farm & the elder brother of Samarendra Mishra.
Balangir was known as a dry place & having almost no industries when the Mishra brothers started this business. However, their success today inspires many youth of the region to venture into entrepreneurial pursuit.
Producing nutritious eggs for the national & international market is not a child’s play. At OVO Farm the birds are kept in a secure environment and undergo regular health checkup. In addition, techniques like UV treatment, dry cleaning, candling, grading, and environmental friendly packaging are used to deliver high quality eggs.
“At OVO Farm we follow global standards in egg production. The core area of the farm is a ‘Bio Secure Zone’ which helps us to ensure disease free birds & healthy eggs”, adds Samarendra Mishra.
OVO Farm takes necessary measures to keep the birds antibiotic free. The birds are ‘veg-fed’. With automation facilities & a touchless functioning, OVO Farm promotes ‘Happy Birds, Healthy Eggs’.
Eggs are a powerhouse of nutrition, including high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals. The company’s flagship brand, KENKO, sells six variants of eggs like Hi-Pro, Brown, Immuno, MoreOVOr, Hearty and On-Day. The packs come in 6, 10, and 20 eggs.
“Kenko is a Japanese word – meaning good health. So under this brand name we aim to produce nutritious eggs for the consumers” informs Samarendra.
The Mishra brothers had started their business with mere 300 chicks. Their enterprise has now grown manifold making them a major egg producing company of India.
“Due to lack of opportunities in Balangir district, we had to seek employment elsewhere to support our families. Despite putting in hard work & being miles away from home, the income was meager. OVO Farm, came as a boon for us”, says Magan Nial. Magan serves the company as a driver transporting the eggs from the plant to different destination.
Both Soumendra & Samarendra understand the value of the communities in businesses.
“OVO Farm humbly takes care of one nutritious meal daily for over 50 needy people including Senior Citizens and PwDs in the local area”, elaborates Soumendra while recalling OVO’s journey & reiterating their commitment to the society. OVO family takes it as a CSR effort.
“Getting two square meals was a challenge for us earlier. Thanks to OVO Farm for ensuring us a meal everyday” expresses Durlav Tandi, an elderly person of the locality.
From humble beginnings in Balangir, OVO Farm today strides ahead as a leading egg behemoth. Producing locally & selling internationally, it adds value to the emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem of Odisha.