S V V Dora Reddy, Co-founder of Abhi Eggs, on creating science-backed fortified eggs, scaling a farmer-led model, and unlocking India’s protein potential
From a family-run poultry farm to a fast-scaling fortified egg brand present across 50+ cities, Abhi Eggs has carved a distinct niche in India’s crowded poultry market. In conversation with BW Retail World, S V V Dora Reddy, Co-founder of Abhi Eggs, traces the brand’s origins, its science-led approach to nutrition, the challenges facing India’s poultry sector, and the roadmap ahead as the company eyes deeper domestic penetration and overseas markets.
Abhi Eggs has an interesting origin story rooted in family and farming. Take us through how the brand came into being.
Abhi Eggs started as a family-run initiative involving my father-in-law, my wife, my brother-in-law and me. We are farmers by background. My father-in-law is well known locally for his poultry management practices, especially because we have never used antibiotics—purely out of principle, not branding.
One day, a friend from a nearby village was buying 10 trays of eggs instead of his usual one or two. When asked why, he said they were for his daughter living in Hyderabad. That moment sparked a thought—if eggs from our farm were trusted enough to be sent to family in the city, why not create something more nutritious for children growing up away from farms?
We began with just 500 birds, giving them a special feed enriched with vitamin D3, flaxseed and selenium. Initially, the eggs were only shared with friends, family and colleagues. At that time, I was working as a data scientist at Infosys. The feedback was overwhelming, particularly around freshness and the absence of the typical egg odour. People encouraged us to turn it into a brand, but we only acted on it when COVID struck. The lockdown gave us clarity—and Abhi Foods, with Abhi Eggs as its flagship brand, was born.
Once you decided to commercialise, how did you approach product development and nutrition?
Until then, the feed formulation was intuitive and handled largely by my father-in-law. But once we decided to launch as a brand, we adopted a scientific approach. We conducted nearly 1,000–1,200 feed experiments to arrive at the nutritional outcomes we wanted.
Scientifically, fortification means increasing a nutrient by at least 40 per cent over baseline levels. However, our thinking was different. We wanted our eggs to meet a significant portion of a person’s daily nutritional requirement—so that consumers would not need supplements.
For example, if an adult requires 35–50 mcg of selenium daily, our aim was to deliver at least 35 mcg through eggs. Consuming two Abhi Eggs would meet 70–75 per cent of daily needs for that nutrient. By September 2020, after testing across seven to eight NABL-accredited labs with consistent results, we locked our feed formula. That same formula is still in use today.
How did your retail journey unfold after launch?
We launched in Hyderabad on 6 November 2020 with three outlets—Q Mart, Dhaman and Gold Gym. In 2021, we expanded into local modern trade chains like Vijetha and Pure O Naturals, followed by entry into large-format retail. By the end of 2021, we had entered Bengaluru and Chennai.
Today, Abhi Eggs is present in over 50 cities across 17 states and three Union Territories. We continue to add new cities every year and expect to enter several more by the end of this year.
With operations spread across geographies, how do you ensure food safety, antibiotic-free practices and consistency?
Our biggest differentiator is that we do not procure eggs from third-party farmers. Nearly 99 per cent of egg brands in the market source and rebrand eggs. We do not. We operate our own farms—one in Ravulapalem and another recently set up near Hyderabad.
Whatever we print on our packaging is exactly what goes into the egg. If it is not printed, it is not there. This is more emotional than commercial for us—Abhi is my son, and the brand was created for him. That ethical responsibility ensures we never compromise on quality or transparency.
How do you see the Indian egg and poultry industry evolving, especially post-COVID?
The growth potential is enormous. India’s per capita egg consumption is still very low—roughly 105 eggs per person per year—compared to 260–300 eggs in countries like the US, UK and China. That gap alone indicates the scale of opportunity.
The industry today is valued at around Rs 90,000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore, and it can easily double or triple. However, awareness is key. India is a protein-deficient country, and COVID brought this into sharp focus. Eggs are among the cheapest, most bioavailable sources of protein, yet cultural beliefs and misinformation continue to limit consumption.
Greater involvement from the government, medical community and media is essential to educate consumers across age groups on the importance of protein intake.
How is Abhi Eggs responding to rising demand for value-added and fortified products?
From day one, we have only sold fortified eggs—we have never entered the regular table egg segment. In fact, truly fortified eggs are rare in India, despite what labels may claim.
We provide complete transparency through QR codes on our packaging—one links to farm videos, the other to five years of lab reports covering antibiotics, nutrition values, biological contaminants and chemical residues. All testing is done annually at NABL-accredited labs, and reports are publicly available.
Initially, retailers resisted due to pricing. Today, the same retailers ask for more stock. Consumer awareness and word-of-mouth have played a huge role in driving adoption. As a bootstrapped, farmer-led company, we rely more on trust than on large marketing budgets.
What are the biggest challenges facing the poultry sector today?
Maize availability is the biggest challenge. Due to ethanol blending policies, biofuel usage, brewing demand and import restrictions, only 40–50 per cent of maize demand is met at reasonable prices. Prices have tripled over the past few years, while retail egg prices have not risen proportionately.
This imbalance is hurting poultry farmers severely. Despite perceptions that eggs cost Rs 7–8, the annual average price is closer to Rs 5. Government intervention is required to ensure fair access to feed and protect farmers, especially if India is serious about its 2047 nutrition and development goals.
How has the business scaled financially since launch?
The company commenced operations in November 2020 and within just three months, by March 2021, recorded revenues of Rs 45 lakh. This early momentum translated into Rs 4.5 crore in FY22, followed by Rs 11 crore in FY23 and Rs 22.87 crore in FY24. In FY25, revenues nearly doubled to Rs 47.87 crore, and for FY26, the company is targeting a turnover in the range of Rs 100–105 crore.
What does the next five years look like for Abhi Eggs?
In the near term, we plan to enter another 10–15 Tier II cities and deepen penetration in existing markets. We are also exploring exports to the Middle East and Southeast Asia—markets where fortified eggs are virtually absent and consumers can afford premium nutrition.
Simultaneously, we are investing in R&D to diversify beyond eggs. Research on new products is underway, and we expect to finalise launches within the next six months.
Our long-term vision is for Abhi Foods to become a household name. Whenever consumers think of a healthy meal, Abhi should be their first recall. Making India healthier, one meal at a time, remains our core mission.
