The brainchild of serial entrepreneur, Mira Jhala, FroGo is creating a robust frozen-only distribution channel for new D2C as well as established national brands
By Anurima Das
With a catchy name and a unique offering, FroGo is catering to the growing demand for high-quality frozen food products, FroGo retails and delivers a diverse selection or products from the market leaders like ITC, McCain, Kwality walls, Haldiram, etc. as well as upcoming promising brands like Keventers, Get-a-whey, Minus 30, Imagine Meats. Headquartered in Gurgaon, FroGo is currently serving customers in Gurugram and plans to expand across all metro cities by next year. The company is targeting a revenue of 100 crores in FY23 and expansion across all metro cities in FY224.
Uniquely crafted
FroGo’s strategy is to offer a wide variety of frozen items to customers who prioritize hygiene, taste, convenience, and affordability. Temperature plays a key role in the quality and taste of frozen items. FroGo maintains an ultra-low temperature supply chain and ensures that the food reaches the customers at the right temperature. The categories on FroGo include the products from the top brands like ITC Master Chef, Kwality Walls, and Nirulas to the new age D2C brands like Imagine Meats, Sankalp, and Get A Whey among others.
FroGo offers a unique distribution channel to D2C brands to build a larger presence. Mira says “Our mission at FroGo is to ensure that the products reach our customers at the right temperatures and also offer a wide variety of products that suits their taste preference, budget, and convenience needs”.
To reach the target customers, FroGo uses analytical tools and techniques to understand the pulse of the consumer landscape, including their shopping behavior and taste preferences.
Consumer reach
“We have had a wonderful learning experience through the customer behaviour insights. As we started out, several strategic decisions had to be made based on our understanding of consumer experience. To share a small example, we had decided to run our operations till 10 pm but after observing customer behavior we adjusted our hours of operations to 11 pm. With the ever-evolving market, consumer expectations are changing, and we are committed to being at the very front of this change and are looking forward to walking the extra mile to improve the customer experience,” Mira explains.
The underdeveloped supply chain and distribution network till now, has led to slow adoption, low trust, and adaptability for the frozen food category. FroGo’s promise is ‘Frozen, Delivered Frozen’. Through the brand’s 30-step quality process they ensure that the temperature and food integrity is maintained throughout the supply chain. The brand keeps the customers at the center of everything that they do. They understand the specific needs of each of the customer segments when planning the offering and promises. They are also promising under 60 minutes delivery of frozen items across ice-creams and non-ice-cream categories. Mira also assures us that soon the customers will be able to pick a slot to get their items delivered at their preferred time.
Brand support
Mira acknowledges, “We are receiving a lot of support from all the major brands in the frozen category. We are not only solving for the customer needs but also solving the distribution challenges faced by the brands. We are doing this by creating a unique frozen-only distribution channel and giving listing space to D2C brands as well as established national brands.”
With the availability of varied frozen foods under one roof, consumers are able to plan their meals and snacks based on their lifestyle and dietary needs. As a company, FroGo is committed to providing customers with the best assortment of products.
Their team of product experts meticulously selects and tests brands in a rigorous process before they are added to their platform. Currently, they are home to 60+ brands on the platform including ice creams, desserts, daily meals, veg and non-veg snacks, veggies and fruits, plant-based meat products, raw meat and seafood, and quick meal options.
Building categories
Growth happens with innovation and by putting the right strategies in place. Keeping this in mind, Mira says, “we continually scout for fresh categories to offer valued assortment to our customers. We assess the brand products based on their variety, quality, product integrity, and adherence to maintaining frozen temperatures”.
As for digital marketing and using it to spread the right word, Mira says that their brand purpose is clear and simple, yet powerful – Frozen delivered Frozen, the way it should be. They do this through various touchpoints – messaging, platform, and packaging – to allow customers to appreciate the purity of frozen products and distribution chores. She adds, “We also showcase our products via short form videos to help our customers make informed purchase decisions”.
Social voice
“With our digital marketing activities, we try to position the brand in front of the target customers and analyze their engagement. The new age consumers actively use social media platforms for brand discovery, experiment with the latest trends, and are vocal about their experiences. Through our digital marketing campaigns, we try to establish the brand association with the customers and analyze their engagement through different channels like the web, messaging, and social media platforms,” Mira notes.
This article was first published in the Sept-Oct issue of Phygital Magazine.
