‘If e-commerce and Instagram had a baby, that would be LoveLocal’

livemint.com:

local kirana stores to operate and sell online. The e-commerce platform specialises in the fresh produce category which includes fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy. It has recently introduced video-based shopping on the lines of content-commerce trends in China.

Currently, the company assists retailers with video creation, as this is the first time such a model has been introduced in India. Over the next year, kirana store owners can create their own content and incorporate it. “Imagine if e-commerce and Instagram had a baby, that would be LoveLocal," Hazaari, the founder and CEO of LoveLocal, saidon Mint's Founder Diaries podcast series. The company is now looking to introduce live selling within the application.

LoveLocal, which is currently operating in Mumbai plans to add Pune to its list in the next 12 months. Hazari shares with Mint her journey from fishing imaginary sharks on ships at a young age to escaping proverbial ones in the Indian startup ecosystem after being approached for acquisitions. I have had the privilege of a very interesting life, and it started early.

My father was in the merchant navy and became a captain at a young age. One of the conditions he set for taking the position was that his family had to be allowed to sail with him, as he didn’t want to be away for such long periods. Because of that, I spent many of my formative years sailing on ships.

It was an unusual way to grow up, but it made me very self-sufficient since there were no other kids around—just my parents and a crew of adults. You're often at sea for weeks, with only the ocean in sight. You have to develop a lot of imagination to entertain yourself.