Swarup Bose
Founder & CEO
CEO Insights team has engaged with Swarup to be abreast with his inspiring journey in the industry spearheading Celcius Logistics Solutions. Let’s read on!
Give a brief account of your professional journey and what inspired you to establish a venture in Cold Supply Chain Logistics.
I have been in the cold chain logistics space for over two decades now. Having such vast experience in the cold supply chain sector and a solid background in technology, whenever I encountered a challenge or issue in the cold supply chain or logistics as a whole, I almost always discovered that it could be resolved through the appropriate deployment of technology. However, the inspiration to start Celcius came along during the nationwide lockdown in March 2020 when the systemic gaps became more pronounced and the unavailability of staff and coordination errors between the shippers and transporters created chaos in transporting essential commodities across the country. Considering the sustained demand for contactless deliveries and anticipating the need for a robust and seamless cold chain to aid the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, I saw the opportunity and the urgent need to bring a solution to the market. And thus, Celcius was born.
The journey began by focusing on the development of solutions that combined my technical know-how with my industry expertise in logistics and cold supply chains. Rather than just having the desire to start my own business, I made the decision because I was passionate about the field and needed to find a solution. Our aim through Celcius has been to create a paradigm shift and build a value proposition for all our stakeholders by adopting technology to solve challenges like inefficiency, transparency, and quality assurance in the cold-chain logistics market while aggregating fragmented demand and supply across regions.
How would you describe your leadership approach and what has been your success mantra so far?
Over the past 2.5 years, being an asset-light company, we have recorded admirable growth, and today boast of a network fleet of over 4500+ reefer vehicles, 107 cold storage facilities, 7 distribution centers, 100+ hyperlocal riders, and
a team of 125 dedicated employees, performing operations in 350+ cities across the country. This also makes us the first startup in the cold supply chain sector to achieve such rapid growth and establish a niche in the sector within a short period of time. My journey so far has been positive, and I am incredibly appreciative of the support Celcius has received from the industry and stakeholders.
As far as my success mantra goes, I believe in constant perseverance and I like to be all ears to advice I receive from everyone. How ever, I also listen to my inner voice to guide myself on the path that I have set. So this is what I strongly believe in. No one can foresee what you can become, so take advice from whoever gives it but use your instincts to fulfil your vision.
Define Celcius Logistics Solutions as an organization and its position in the industry. Also, deline at how you have built a technology platform that delivers reliability, efficiency, and seamless experience to your clients.
In India, the cold supply chain industry is extremely fragmented and plagued by numerous problems, such as ineffective temperature management, monitoring, and tech integration. Ceclius is the only platform with a webbased and Android-based app allowing the discovery and booking of various sizes of refrigerated vehicles across India. Our optimized Internet of Things(IoT) devices which provide realtime tracking, are integrated with our inhouse Transportation management system (TMS) and warehouse management system (WMS) systems and their SaaS platform, making it a seamless tech-enabled ecosystem, such that every product that is booked, and distributed is traced in realtime, right up to the last single unit of Milk, Chocolate, medicine and other temperature controlled products. Our Inventory management system (IMS) ties TMS and WMS making it a holistic system.
Our smart tech enabled last mile delivery service also focuses on the aggregation of existing small reefer vehicles and leverages Celcius’s unique Vahaan Vikas Yojana to introduce new assets in the sector, creating opportunities for smaller transporters across India. The tech enablement not only optimizes the last mile but also helps address issues of timely delivery and loss due to wastage, maximizing profitability for all parties and enhancing food security in the country. Celcius has also introduced the first-of-its- kind HyperLocal temperature-controlled delivery services for food and pharma orders, as part of its last mile solution.
What are the factors you look into when developing effective corporate growth strategies?
Build a team that fosters growth, give responsibility and freedom to the team members you have chosen, help them understand their role, and give them the space to grow their own division. Furthermore, help everyone in your organization, realize your vision and have them empathise with it and contribute to excellent growth trajectories. Also, listen to the clients, feedback whether negative or positive as it a check that tells a
As far as my success mantra goes, I believe in constant perseverance and I like to be all ears to advice I receive from everyone. How ever, I also listen to my inner voice to guide myself on the path that I have set. So this is what I strongly believe in. No one can foresee what you can become, so take advice from whoever gives it but use your instincts to fulfil your vision.
Our mission is to bridge the systemic gaps in the cold supply chain industry and create an unparalleled tech ecosystem and an unbroken supply chain network
Define Celcius Logistics Solutions as an organization and its position in the industry. Also, deline at how you have built a technology platform that delivers reliability, efficiency, and seamless experience to your clients.
In India, the cold supply chain industry is extremely fragmented and plagued by numerous problems, such as ineffective temperature management, monitoring, and tech integration. Ceclius is the only platform with a webbased and Android-based app allowing the discovery and booking of various sizes of refrigerated vehicles across India. Our optimized Internet of Things(IoT) devices which provide realtime tracking, are integrated with our inhouse Transportation management system (TMS) and warehouse management system (WMS) systems and their SaaS platform, making it a seamless tech-enabled ecosystem, such that every product that is booked, and distributed is traced in realtime, right up to the last single unit of Milk, Chocolate, medicine and other temperature controlled products. Our Inventory management system (IMS) ties TMS and WMS making it a holistic system.
Our smart tech enabled last mile delivery service also focuses on the aggregation of existing small reefer vehicles and leverages Celcius’s unique Vahaan Vikas Yojana to introduce new assets in the sector, creating opportunities for smaller transporters across India. The tech enablement not only optimizes the last mile but also helps address issues of timely delivery and loss due to wastage, maximizing profitability for all parties and enhancing food security in the country. Celcius has also introduced the first-of-its- kind HyperLocal temperature-controlled delivery services for food and pharma orders, as part of its last mile solution.
What are the factors you look into when developing effective corporate growth strategies?
Build a team that fosters growth, give responsibility and freedom to the team members you have chosen, help them understand their role, and give them the space to grow their own division. Furthermore, help everyone in your organization, realize your vision and have them empathise with it and contribute to excellent growth trajectories. Also, listen to the clients, feedback whether negative or positive as it a check that tells a
lot about your company and the direction it is headed into. Speaking to clients every now and then gives access to ground realities that might get missed in board meetings.
How do you foster a learning culture in your company and keep the team aligned with the latest trends/practices?
Celcius is a company that is always learning, adapting, innovating and implementing. We are trailblazers and with that comes the huge responsibility of always keeping up with the latest technology, and solving problems that have plagued the industry for decades, we have regular brainstorming sessions with the entirety of our members, the tech team takes over any solution that can give a better fix than what has been happening in the industry, training sessions every quarter keeps all our people on their toes and updated with our progress.
How do you perceive the future changes in the market and what would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs in the field?
In the post-COVID age, the cold supply chain has evolved as a crucial component of a successful supply and logistics network, particularly for food and pharmaceuticals. Given its rising significance in global medicine and food security the solid cold chain infrastructure is becoming more and more crucial for businesses and economies as prospects for international trade expand. The adoption of green practices and technological advances will be important drivers of growth since they will help to address both ongoing and emerging issues in the cold supply chain and logistics industry.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
Having grown 20x in just two years, we have emerged as a major player in the cold supply chain sector. Our mission is to bridge the systemic gaps in the cold supply chain industry and create an unparalleled tech ecosystem and an unbroken supply chain network, while also emphasizing waste reduction and sustainable practices.
With the newly raised funding led by IVYCAP Ventures, we aim to accelerate the business by utilizing the funds for tech innovations to solve the fragmented nature of the cold supply chain and thereby reduce the wastage of perishables. We are just about to touch 100 crores ARR in the topline and aim to grow at 3X and achieve the target of 300 crores ARR by 2024.
Swarup Bose, Founder & CEO, Celcius Logistics Solutions
Swarup is a seasoned professional, with over 16 years of experience in Cold chain logistics. He is passionate about digitizing the cold chain in India and envisions Celcius as the nation’s biggest network of cold chain vehicles and warehouses that can cater to the smallest businesses in the remotest cities.
•Hobbies:Travelling, scubadiving, andridingonmy Bike.
•Favourite Cuisine: Indian
•Favourite Book:DaVincicode, The third eye, Harrypotter
•Favourite Travel Destination: Europe
Awards & Recognition:
•Start Up Awards 2023 – Entrepreneur
•Leaders of Tomorrow Awards- ET NOW
•Innovationin Technology for Logistics Supply Chain 2022– ET Inspiring Indian
•Promising Entrepreneurs of India 2021- The Economic Times
•Promising Entrepreneurs of India by The Economic Times (4th Edition)–2021
How do you foster a learning culture in your company and keep the team aligned with the latest trends/practices?
Celcius is a company that is always learning, adapting, innovating and implementing. We are trailblazers and with that comes the huge responsibility of always keeping up with the latest technology, and solving problems that have plagued the industry for decades, we have regular brainstorming sessions with the entirety of our members, the tech team takes over any solution that can give a better fix than what has been happening in the industry, training sessions every quarter keeps all our people on their toes and updated with our progress.
How do you perceive the future changes in the market and what would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs in the field?
In the post-COVID age, the cold supply chain has evolved as a crucial component of a successful supply and logistics network, particularly for food and pharmaceuticals. Given its rising significance in global medicine and food security the solid cold chain infrastructure is becoming more and more crucial for businesses and economies as prospects for international trade expand. The adoption of green practices and technological advances will be important drivers of growth since they will help to address both ongoing and emerging issues in the cold supply chain and logistics industry.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
Having grown 20x in just two years, we have emerged as a major player in the cold supply chain sector. Our mission is to bridge the systemic gaps in the cold supply chain industry and create an unparalleled tech ecosystem and an unbroken supply chain network, while also emphasizing waste reduction and sustainable practices.
With the newly raised funding led by IVYCAP Ventures, we aim to accelerate the business by utilizing the funds for tech innovations to solve the fragmented nature of the cold supply chain and thereby reduce the wastage of perishables. We are just about to touch 100 crores ARR in the topline and aim to grow at 3X and achieve the target of 300 crores ARR by 2024.
Swarup Bose, Founder & CEO, Celcius Logistics Solutions
Swarup is a seasoned professional, with over 16 years of experience in Cold chain logistics. He is passionate about digitizing the cold chain in India and envisions Celcius as the nation’s biggest network of cold chain vehicles and warehouses that can cater to the smallest businesses in the remotest cities.
•Hobbies:Travelling, scubadiving, andridingonmy Bike.
•Favourite Cuisine: Indian
•Favourite Book:DaVincicode, The third eye, Harrypotter
•Favourite Travel Destination: Europe
Awards & Recognition:
•Start Up Awards 2023 – Entrepreneur
•Leaders of Tomorrow Awards- ET NOW
•Innovationin Technology for Logistics Supply Chain 2022– ET Inspiring Indian
•Promising Entrepreneurs of India 2021- The Economic Times
•Promising Entrepreneurs of India by The Economic Times (4th Edition)–2021