This 10th Dropout Once Worked 18 Hours Daily as a Labourer, Built Vensai Floritech to Export Flowers Worldwide; Now Clocks ₹70Cr Annually

Humans use flowers for many occasions, such as weddings, graduation ceremonies, and moments of loss. We also decorate our homes with flowers; they are often seen on windowsills, in gardens around our houses, or on patios, decks, and backyards. 

Flowers have been studied for centuries by researchers around the world to understand how they grow, how they relate to humans, and how to cultivate them better so others can use the same techniques. 

Researchers working in floriculture continue this work today and have influenced the lives of many people through flowers.

There have been many instances where science and people’s lives intersect in horticulture. One such example is when a Dutch flower breeder names a patented flower after someone who has worked hard and made sacrifices for its creation. 

This flower, called Moksha Sree, is a beautiful Gerbera developed by Vensai Floritech and named after the daughter of farmer Srikanth Bollapally.

The name Moksha Sree and the flower itself reflect the journey of the man behind it, a journey defined by perseverance. Srikanth left his home in Telangana at the age of 16 due to his family’s debt and had to work extremely hard just to survive. 

Three decades of hard work made him knowledgeable across business, sales, and floriculture, and he considers these years his alternative education, his street-side MBA.

"Floriculture is not as easy as it seems. Unless you give your 100 percent and do it seriously, you can't see good results. From planting to marketing, you should get involved full-time," Bollapally Srikanth tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview.

About the owner of Vensai Floritech, Bollapally Srikanth

Bollapally Srikanth is the founder and managing director of Vensai Floritech and the proprietor of Om Sri Sai Flowers. He is widely recognised as one of India’s most successful floriculturists and is often referred to as the Flower King of South India. 

Born and raised in a traditional farming family in Bodhan, Nizamabad district of Telangana, his family faced mounting debt due to the unpredictability of agriculture. He left school after Class 10, and at the age of 16, was compelled to support his family financially. 

Through the practical struggles he faced, he learned business management, sales, marketing, and advanced floriculture techniques.

In 1995, at the age of 16, he moved to Bengaluru in search of work. There, he was employed as a farm labourer at a flower farm in Nelamangala, earning around Rs. 1,000 per month. During this time, he mastered the entire floriculture lifecycle.

"I call my early years a 'street-side MBA.' I didn't learn business management in a classroom; I learned it by working 18 hours a day in the fields of Nelamangala. Leaving home at 16 was a necessity. The debt my family faced gave me a hunger to succeed that no degree could ever provide," the founder tells Startup Pedia.

Also Read: With a ₹5L investment, this Ahmedabad engineer built a ₹6 Cr turnover biz selling 45,000+ solar dryers, generated 15000+ rural livelihoods

Beginning the Floriculture Entrepreneurship Journey

In 1997, at just 18 years old, Srikanth quit his job to start Om Sri Sai Flowers, a modest 200 sq. ft. retail and trading shop in Wilson Garden, Bengaluru. He invested around Rs. 20,000, which he raised through personal savings and small loans from friends.

Within the first year, the business recorded a turnover of Rs. 5 lakh, and by the time he turned 25, it had crossed Rs. 5 crore.

In 2005, he made a significant transition from trading flowers to growing them. To gain complete control over quality, he purchased his first 10 acres of land in Tubagere at Rs. 15 crore and established the venture. He now owns nearly 70 acres of high-tech farms and oversees one of India’s most advanced floriculture operations.

Beyond farming, Srikanth plays a significant leadership role in the floriculture industry. He serves as the President of the Growers Flower Council of India (GFCI), where he advocates for better infrastructure and farmer-friendly policies.

He is also a Director at the International Flower Auction Bangalore (IFAB), helping ensure transparent pricing and fair market access for growers.

About Vensai Floritech

Vensai Floritech was founded in 2005 by Bollapally Srikanth. The enterprise has grown from a small flower-trading business into a 70-acre floriculture operation that sets industry standards for quality, technology, and consistency. 

The company is headquartered in Wilson Garden, Bengaluru, with its primary farming operations located in Tubagere, Doddaballapura (Bengaluru Rural). 

To support cool-climate crops such as lilies and carnations, it also operates a secondary unit in Coonoor, Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.

Also Read: 24-YO Woman Quit Her Job To Sell High-Protein Bowls From A Vegan Cloud Kitchen That She Runs From Her Bengaluru Flat - Clocks Rs 50k/Month

Scale & Operations

Vensai Floritech operates on a scale that is rare in India’s largely fragmented agricultural sector. The company manages nearly 70 acres of protected cultivation under greenhouses and polyhouses, generating an annual turnover of approximately Rs. 70 crore.

It employs over 300 people, with a strong emphasis on providing stable employment opportunities for women from nearby rural communities. Every day, the farms handle and process hundreds of thousands of flower stems for domestic and international markets.

Crop Portfolio of Vensai Floritech

Vensai Floritech grows a diversified range of 18–20 commercial flower varieties, reducing risk from market fluctuations and disease outbreaks.

"In our industry, quality is the only currency. Whether it is flowers for a temple or cut roses for a 5-star hotel, the standard must be absolute," Srikanth tells Startup Pedia.

Core crops include roses, gerberas (including the patented ‘Moksha Sree’ variety), carnations, and chrysanthemums. The farm also produces high-value exotic and filler flowers such as hydrangeas, bird of paradise, gypsophila (baby’s breath), limonium (statice), and lisianthus.

Technology & Innovation

Crops are grown in climate-controlled polyhouses where temperature, humidity, and light are carefully regulated to ensure consistent, export-quality blooms throughout the year.

An automated fertigation system delivers precise quantities of water and nutrients directly to plant roots, minimising waste. 

The company has also invested heavily in cold-chain infrastructure, with flowers pre-cooled to 2–4°C immediately after harvest to preserve freshness and extend vase life. 

"We don't just grow flowers; we manage time. Pre-cooling a flower to 2°C immediately after harvest is the difference between a profit and a loss. By growing 20 different varieties, we protect ourselves from market fluctuations," he says.

Large rainwater-harvesting ponds provide self-sufficiency in water supply, capable of sustaining irrigation for extended periods.

Also Read: Called ‘Dehati’ by Friends, This 24-YO Boy Said No to Government Jobs, Lost ₹2L Initially, and Built AGRATE; Clocked ₹1.5Cr in FY25

Pricing & Product Value

In floriculture, pricing depends largely on the form of the flower (cut versus loose) and strict quality grading.

Statice (Limonium) is priced at around Rs. 250 per bunch. This high-value filler flower is known for its paper-like texture and long shelf life. On the other hand, rose prices vary based on stem length and bud size. 

To maintain uniform quality, Srikanth uses bud caps during cultivation. Premium, uniform roses are sold as cut flowers at higher prices, while non-uniform or open blooms are sold as loose flowers by weight for temples and garlands.

Business Model and Distribution

Domestically, Vensai Floritech supplies major flower markets in Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai; its blooms adorn luxury hotels and feature in high-profile weddings. Internationally, the company exports to demanding markets such as Dubai, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

To ensure a year-round supply, Vensai also imports select exotic flowers, including lilies and orchids, from Thailand, the Netherlands, and New Zealand during the Indian off-season.

Annual Turnover & Income Streams

Vensai Floritech currently records an annual turnover of around Rs. 70 crore. The business began in 1997 as a flower-trading operation, earning Rs. 5 lakh in its first year. 

This doubled to Rs. 10 lakh in the second year, and by the time Srikanth turned 25, revenues had crossed Rs. 5 crore.

The major jump in growth came when the company shifted from trading flowers to growing them. Today, revenue comes from two main sources.

A large part of revenue comes from our own cultivation across nearly 70 acres of high-tech farms. By using climate-controlled polyhouses, the company produces export-quality flowers throughout the year, without depending on weather conditions. 

The scale is large, with the farms harvesting and processing hundreds of thousands of flower stems every day. These are packed into standard units, usually 20 stems per bunch for roses and carnations, and 5 to 10 stems per bunch for premium flowers like bird of paradise and hydrangeas, allowing Vensai to serve both Indian markets and export buyers consistently.

Income per acre is increased by growing a mix of regular and high-value flowers, such as roses, hydrangeas, and gypsophila. Costs are controlled through rainwater harvesting and in-house vermicomposting, which has reduced chemical fertiliser use by 30 percent.

The second income stream is trading and sourcing. Vensai buys flowers from growers in places like Ooty and Kodaikanal and imports exotic varieties from Thailand and the Netherlands. 

This hybrid approach ensures a year-round supply, even during off-seasons. Investments in cold-chain infrastructure, supported by government subsidies, have also helped the company expand into export markets like Dubai and Singapore, turning a perishable product into a profitable global business.

Future Goals

As the President of Growers Flower Council of India, Srikanth aims to actively campaign against artificial flowers that threaten both the environment and farmer livelihoods. 

He is also aiming to reduce synthetic inputs by increasing vermicompost usage and eventually transitioning his energy-intensive greenhouses to solar power. 

On the consumer front, Srikanth seeks to introduce high-end exotic varieties like Hydrangeas and Lisianthus to the local Indian market.

"My fight against plastic flowers is personal. Every artificial flower sold is a loss for a farmer and a burden on the environment. I want to democratise exotic flowers. Varieties like Hydrangeas and Lisianthus shouldn't just be expensive imports; they should be grown right here in India," Srikanth concluded.

Also Read: Meet this entrepreneur who launched India’s largest not-for-profit carpool company to address Delhi’s severe air pollution problem