THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Fish vendors losing business to computers? That’s crazy in Kerala, where vendors have a virtual monopoly over door sales of both sea and inland fish. Ask Ms Celine, the matron among fish vendors at Connemara Market in Palayam. For more than 15 years since her husband’s death, she has catered to a rich clientele. A basketful procured at Poonthura landing centre for Rs 10,000 used to sell at Palayalam for a profit of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. But that reality is fading. “You know these ‘compooters’ they meddle with. Instead of people like me carrying it on head, compooters will deliver it home”, Ms Celine reveals her idea of e-commerce in fish vending and door delivery. Ms Celine first noticed the changing scene as the beeline of VIP drivers started dwindling. Over the past months, they hardly came.
“I thought it was because of cold stores in the city. But now I know that fish booked online is door-delivered at reasonable prices. There is no way I can compete, except through cutting on profit margins and procuring judiciously at odd hours at landing centres”, said Ms Saline, who struggles to meet her medical expenses after a recent road accident. Looks like the ubiquitous Celines will be around for some more time till dedicated websites catch up. Already half a dozen e-commerce sites- www.freshtohome.com, www.dailyfish.in, www.dfish.in, www.wildfish.in, www.achayansfishonline.com, www.kada.in- are doing good business.
Orders are just a touch away on android mobile apps, an SMS or a call. Ecommerce sites offer a rich array, mostly the variety available on Kerala coast. Preordered fish reaches your doorstep in curry cut, steak, fully cleaned or even as whole fish at prices affordable to the discerning homemaker. Some online sites charge Rs 50 for delivery while others do it free. Mathew Joseph, 48, the brain behind www.freshtohome.com credits wife Lillamma, who advised him to explore the Indian market than invest overseas. Cherthala Pallipuram native Joseph is the pioneer in online fish selling. He launched www.seatohome.com in Aug 2012, catering to markets in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvanantha-puram and Coimbatore.
A seafood exporter since 2000, Mr. Joseph used to ship frozen fish to Dubai, Singapore and Taipei. But the 2011 recession hit seafood exports. “I happened to sell fish at lower prices at these three Asian cities though the procurement rates in India were still high. I was fast losing out but not ready to give up. It was then my wife told me to focus back home”, said Mr Joseph. He approached a software company in Kochi to help him to set up the online ecommerce portal. He is all praise for former assistant professor K. Dinesh at Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies at Panangad in Kochi, who along with three students helped him re-launch www.freshtohome.com.
Mr. Dinesh now heads the prawn hatchery unit of Fresh to Home at Cherthala. With over 65, 000 online customers, Mr. Joseph’s ecommerce network covers New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. A 420-man workforce procures 90 percent of fish from small harbours like Fort Kochi, Chellanam, Arthunkal, Chethi, Ambalapuzha, Omanapuzha. “Right from the time we collect fish from harbours, quality control kicks in; we sell fresh fish, not frozen. The biz has been good that we plan to chart new waters in Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Jaipur”, added Mr. Joseph, who tackles 2000 online orders daily from four centres.
Fresh to Home got ample angel funding. According to reports, the firm netted an incredible amount. Apart from more than 35 varieties of fish, he also sells poultry and halal marinades like Nawabi mutton, Seekh kebabs, marinated tender chicken chilli, Nawabi kakori mutton kebab and tender chicken tikka. Some sellers are taking baby steps. www.Dfish.in run by 27-year-old M. S. Sreeremya sells ‘fresh fish’ in the capital city.
An electronics engineering diploma holder, she is assisted by husband G. S. Vishnu, a sales head with a private company, and friend Jithu. They have door delivery six days a week. “Our claim is that our fish is free from chemicals while our rivals proclaim they have not added chemicals. We have just nine staff. We do 120 - 150 deliveries daily and don’t have any storage facility”, said Mr Vishnu.
Daily Fish, backed by parent company Baby Marine Eastern Exports, which has been in freezing and export biz for the last 40 years, launched the online fish portal this February.
Daily Fish managing director and Baby Marine strategist Alex K. Thomas says online fish selling is yet to come of age because profits depend on large volumes, for which the mindset has to change. “The big question is how fresh is the fish sold online? Customers still feel fresh fish is available in the local market. Seeing is believing. They even think online or mobile buying is a desperate act by those who have no time and so have to be content with whatever is delivered”, said Mr. Thomas who had chucked his medical school studies half way before plunging into his family business.
Ms Smitha Kurup, 43, homemaker, who buys fresh fish online, says the advantage is it is hygienic (with quality ice). She prefers it to the frozen fish that comes two hours after order. The biggest advantage for e-commerce is savings on logistics and infrastructure in comparison to the conventional biz dependant on counter sales. A mouse click or a mobile app touch activates the dynamic inventory, ensuring adequate stocks. And it is not long before fresh fish vending at the doorstep will be history.
