Started With Just ₹50,000, This Mumbai-based Sustainable Garden & Horticulture Brand Is Now Worth ₹170 Crore

In India, plants have always been a part of our daily lives. We grow vegetables in our backyards, keep tulsi by our windows, and fill our balconies with money plants and marigolds. Gardening isn't just a hobby—it's a tradition passed down through generations. Whether it's for food, prayer, or peace of mind, almost every Indian home has a plant story to tell.

But behind this growing love for plants lies a surprising struggle: finding durable, aesthetic, and affordable planters that last.

Most pots available in the market are either cheap plastic that cracks within a season or imported designs priced far beyond the average buyer's reach.

To tackle this challenge, Hitesh Chundilal Shah, over two decades ago, decided to start something of his own. In a small workshop in Thane, with no machines of his own and barely ₹50,000 to begin with, he began crafting basic pots, supplying them to nurseries in Pune, often working with borrowed tools.

"My father started with just one product. Today, we have more than 2,200. But the core remains the same—quality, sustainability, and affordability," said Harshit Shah, son of Hitesh, in an exclusive interview with Startup Pedia.

Building Harshdeep: From Local Pots to Global Design

Back in 1999, Hitesh Chundilal Shah, the Mumbai-based founder, launched Harshdeep Hortico Ltd. With barely ₹50,000 and no machines of his own, he began by making basic garden pots using borrowed equipment, selling them to local nurseries around Pune.

What started as Harshdeep Agro Products slowly evolved. In 2023, it became Harshdeep Hortico Ltd, a public limited company now listed on the BSE, with a growing international footprint and over 2,200 SKUs in its portfolio.

Today, Harshdeep isn't just making pots. Under its various verticals, the brand now manufactures outdoor garden furniture, shade nets for nurseries and buildings, and even 3D-printed sustainable planters.

"We've always focused on quality. Whether it's rain, sun, or snow, our products are built to last," says Harshit Shah in the Startup Pedia interview.

Harshit joined the business in 2020, juggling between college and office life just before the onset of COVID-19, brought a fresh perspective. A mechanical engineer and MBA graduate from NMIMS Mumbai, he transformed the once family-run operation into a corporate brand—streamlining operations, expanding product lines, and introducing branding strategies that positioned Harshdeep as a leader in its segment.

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What They Offer, and What Makes It Unique

Harshdeep's product range today includes:

• Garden Pots (from 3 cm to 130 cm)
  

• Outdoor Furniture under the brand 'Mubele' (French for furniture)
  

• Green Shade Nets for buildings and greenhouses
  

• 3D-Printed Sustainable Planters under their latest vertical, Biodesign
  

Their products are manufactured using four technologies: injection moulding, rotational moulding, blow moulding, and handcrafted fiberglass. The company also offers a five-year guarantee on most items, ensuring long-term durability and customer trust.

But what truly sets Harshdeep apart is their focus on sustainability. They are the only pot manufacturing company in India using materials like rice husk, coffee beans, and sugarcane husk to make eco-friendly pots.

"Fifty percent of every sustainable pot we make is composed of organic matter. We don't use virgin plastic—we use recycled plastic and blend it with natural materials. We're reducing the carbon footprint by doing our bit," Harshit explains during the Startup Pedia interview.

Even the colours used in these planters are bio-based, making the final product completely chemical-free.

Where They Sell, How They Sell, and How Big They've Grown

From selling to local nurseries, the Mumbai-based garden & horticulture brand now operates at a national and global scale. Their network includes:

• 7 showrooms in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Rajahmundry
  

• 500+ distributors across India
  

• 3 large manufacturing facilities in Mumbai (1,20,000 sq. ft. in Bhiwandi), Pune (40,000 sq. ft., with expansion plans), and Delhi (10,000 sq. ft.)
  

• 1 warehouse in Bangalore for easier southern distribution
  

• 1 international sales office in Amsterdam
  

• Exports to all continents, including North America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and South America
  

In just five years since Harshit joined the business, the team has grown from 75 to over 300 people. While their revenue before his entry hovered around ₹30 crore, their revenue last year touched ₹60 crore, and their valuation today stands at a whopping ₹170 crore.

In 2024, the Mumbai-based garden & horticulture brand raised ₹20 crore through its IPO at a share price of ₹45. Today, that share price has more than doubled to around ₹105, proving that the market is confident in their direction and vision.

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The Family That Built It: A Father's Dream, A Son's Mission

Hitesh Shah, the Mumbai-based founder of Harshdeep Hortico Ltd, came from a modest background. His father was a grain merchant, but he decided to build something of his own. Starting with contract manufacturing and no in-house machines, he saved up enough to buy his first rotational moulding machine for ₹10 lakh—a huge risk at the time.

The early years were filled with challenges—cash flow problems, inconsistent demand, and constant debt.

"Progress was always held back due to lack of money. We often had to take loans just to keep going," Harshit shares with Startup Pedia.

And as the company grew, another challenge emerged: unorganised competitors. Many operated entirely in cash, skipped taxes, and copied Harshdeep's designs—forcing them to not only keep innovating but also stay ethical in a market that often wasn't.

Despite this, the Shah family stood firm. They maintained clean, tax-registered operations and invested in R&D, design innovation, and customer satisfaction.

"It was never just about business. It was about building something lasting, something we could be proud of. My father laid the foundation, and I had the privilege of taking it forward," Harshit says.

Today, even major leadership roles in the company are held by close relatives, and Harshit's younger brother is preparing to join the business after completing his studies in the US.

"We are a united front. This is a family company—stronger because of it," Harshit adds.

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What's Next: A One-Stop Garden Solution

Harshdeep has bigger goals ahead. Their next goal is to become a complete garden solutions brand—manufacturing everything a garden needs, from tools and accessories to advanced lawn care machinery. They're also planning to launch international showrooms in Dubai, the USA, and Europe, aiming to become a truly global horticulture brand.

"Our dream is to create a space where someone can walk in and get everything they need for their garden under one roof—without compromising on quality, sustainability, or design," says Harshit to Startup Pedia.