When 26-year-old Amit Jose, a postgraduate in Mass Communication, left his high-paying advertising job in Delhi last year, many questioned his decision. But today, his bold leap to join his father’s fish farming venture at Kottayam in Kerala is paying off, with him successfully launching premium freshly packed fish meat, earning lakhs in revenue.
Amit’s father Jose, a veteran aquaculture farmer at Thikoyi in Kottayam, has been selling live fish from his farm for the last few years. He has three huge ponds which he dug up after felling rubber trees to rear tilapia fish.
While the farm followed the traditional business model of rearing tilapia variety of fish and selling it through regular retailers, Amit spotted an opportunity when he realised the growing demand for fresh fish meat without bones, mainly fillets that could be used for making fish fingers and other tasty recipes.
“During the pandemic, there was a huge demand for live fish from our farm. But soon after the pandemic, the demand fell. But I realised that there will be more takers for tilapia fish if we could pack them fresh and deliver it to the customers as fillets,” Amit told “Open Digest.”
Launched under the brand name “Fishly,” his startup offers a premium line of vacuum-packed frozen fish meat. From boneless fillets to cuts, every product undergoes meticulous cleaning, cold-chain packaging, and same-day delivery. “We deep freeze the fish within one hour of the catch. This ensures 100 per cent freshness. We are targeting resorts and star-rated hotels for our premium range of products. In less than a year, we could get continuous orders from urban households and niche restaurants, generating a steady source of revenue,” he said.
“Earlier, we would send live fish to wholesale markets and the margins were thin. Now, we process the fish ourselves, add value, and reach customers directly. This has helped in bringing in more revenue,” Amit added.
