Marche Secaia farm-to-table fulfillment platform serving farmers in Japan and Southeast Asia, announced today that it has raised 210 million Japanese yen (about $1.6 million USD) in Series A funding. The round included the participation of the venture capital firm The Agribusiness Investment and Consultation Co., Spiral Ventures Asia Fund I and Beyond Next Ventures.
This brings the total raised from the startup so far to $4.5 million. TechCrunch last covered Secai Marche when it raised seed money from Rakuten and Beyond Next in 2021.
Since its initial funding, Secai Marche has developed its warehouse management and fulfillment system for perishables and established a cold supply chain from farm to end users that covers more than 300 farmers. Founder Ami Sugiyama told TechCrunch that by optimizing its supply chain and minimizing the lead time of deliveries, Secai Marche is able to maintain a waste rate of less than 1%.
Sugiyama said the foodservice distribution industry in Southeast Asia is very large but highly fragmented and inefficient. Secai Marche helps smooth out the bumps throughout the food and beverage supply chain with its in-house software, such as a warehouse management system and demand forecasting for perishable items. More than 4,000 items are available on the platform from farmers from Southeast Asia and Japan, including vegetables, fruits, eggs, and seafood. They sell to more than 500 retailers and HORECA (hotels, restaurants and catering) customers.
Other farm-to-table startups in Southeast Asia that have raised funds in recent years include Eden Farm, Kamereo, and FreshKet.
Secai Marche strives to differentiate itself from other wholesale produce platforms by providing a comprehensive compliance solution open to all farmers, which means offering a wider variety of products and providing more transparency.
The funds will be used to develop Secai Marche’s demand forecasting system and optimize truck routes as it expands its service areas.