Archive · 25 Sep 2025
From Trader to Fries King: How One Man Built a Potato Empire
Imagine a place in India called Mehsana where farmers grow special potatoes for french fries.
One man, Haresh Karamchandani, saw an opportunity to make these fries and sell them to the world.
He started a company called HyFun Foods.
They buy potatoes from local farmers, turn them into fries, and ship them to places like Burger King and Walmart.
This has made the region the 'Belgium of India', a big exporter of frozen fries.
The company is now aiming to sell more fries in India and is working on being environmentally friendly.
Haresh Karamchandani's HyFun Foods is a major exporter of frozen potato products from Mehsana, Gujarat.
HyFun Foods sources processing-grade potatoes from local contract farmers, like Alpesh Navinbhai Patel.
India's exports of frozen potato products have increased nearly ninefold since 2019-20.
HyFun Foods sells to international chains like Burger King, KFC, and Walmart.
The company aims to double its production capacity and expand its consumer product offerings.
- Who
- Haresh Karamchandani, CEO of HyFun Foods
- What
- Transformed the potato farming and processing industry in Gujarat, India, into a leading exporter of frozen potato products.
- When
- HyFun Foods launched in 2015.
- Where
- Mehsana, Gujarat, India
- Why
- To capitalize on the growing demand for frozen potato products, establish contract farming, and tap into international markets.
- Company
- HyFun Foods
- CEO/MD
- Haresh Karamchandani
- Product
- Frozen Potato Products (French Fries, etc.)
- Export Market Share
- 40%
- 2024-25 Export Value
- ₹1,817 crore
- Target Topline (FY28)
- ₹3,500 crore