Praveen Patel, Founder, Brio Hydroponics
Gujarat-based Brio Hydroponics plans to open 100 stores by March 2027 under its Vexotics brand, an agri-retail brand for marketing exotic herbs, leafy greens and mincrogreens focusing on pesticide-free and nutrient-rich produce, according to Praveen Patel, founder of Brio Hydroponics.
“We have established our reach with organized retail chains like Reliance Fresh and Star Bazaar, where Vexotics has been included as a vendor. Under Vexotics, we now provide services to HoReCa (hotels, restaurants and catering), B2C (business to consumer), B2B (business to business), shops, traders and exporters,” he said. business Line In an online conversation.
Vexotics was launched in 2024. Earlier, it was working within Brio. “We have decided to make Vexotics a separate entity with a dedicated structure to scale up retail operations more effectively,” he said.
structured ecosystem
Brio wanted to maintain complete control over the development of Vexotics, while expanding organically across various channels.
Patel said, “Given the scale at which we were expanding, it became important to build a structured ecosystem covering branding, distribution, B2B, B2C and HORECA in a streamlined manner. That’s why we set up Vexotix as an independent company, created a separate leadership team and today we are growing well in terms of both scale and momentum.”
The company’s focus is on premium, residue-free produce for high-net-worth investors and quality-conscious middle-class consumers – fresh food grown in controlled environments, without chemicals and residues, available year-round.
On ensuring pesticide residue-free produce, the Brio founder said that for several varieties of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, mint and other greens, it grows them in a controlled environment using hydroponic methods. No pesticides are required at all and everything is fully traceable until it reaches final consumers.
progress model
“For vine crops like tomatoes, capsicum and cucumbers, we maintain strict controls on farming practices. They are residue-free, and we are growing this concept sustainably and responsibly,” Patel said.
On the progress of the company’s 100-acre hydroponic park, he said that the company is developing 100 individual units. “The first phase of 30 acres is operational, and the response has been extremely encouraging,” said the firm’s founder.
Brio has developed the Unnati model to solve the problem of investors who have capital but not technical know-how and farmers who have knowledge but not resources.
“Under this model, land, development, operations and B2B market access are all managed by us. Essentially, we have created a complete agro-ecosystem. Banks have also started supporting this model through financing options. It allows non-farmers and investors to participate – those who don’t have time but want to diversify into agriculture – he said. The company manages everything from start to end, making farming accessible to anyone. It becomes possible to become an entrepreneur. The second and third stages are going on.
Partnership University
It also plans to expand model partnerships with agri-institutes and universities. Institutes like IIT, Guwahati were among the first investors in Unnati Park. Patel said, “We are also working with colleagues from IIT Roorkee on an agro-voltaic project, where agriculture is integrated with solar tracking systems. We have partnered with Anand Agricultural University and many other institutions.”
On the joint venture with an Israeli company for rain-protection technology, the company’s founder said it has adopted the triple-layer net-house technology from Israel. The third layer is specifically designed for rainwater harvesting and monsoon protection.
Given India’s unpredictable weather patterns – especially in Gujarat – this structure enables uninterrupted, year-round farming. This technology has been effective in ensuring crop sustainability during monsoon. Now it is being deployed in Unnati Park and other big projects. This has led to significant improvement in production stability, he said.
Creating Agripreneurs
On the company’s plans to grow blueberries in the country, he said Brio is trying to find suitable varieties suited to Indian climatic conditions.
Patel said Brio Hydroponics was operating Brio Agri Production Company Limited (since 2014), Brio Hydroponics Private Limited. Ltd. and Brio Retail Pvt. Ltd.
“We have trained over 16,000 students through online and offline programs and were one of the first in India to provide commercial hydroponics training. We also offer internships and specialized courses to bridge the gap between academic education and practical farming,” he said.
The company has helped create over 200 agri-entrepreneurs and developed over 150 acres of hydroponic projects, including international assignments in the Maldives, Singapore, Oman and Kenya. This has helped in exports to Saudi Arabia and America.
Patel said, Brio’s long-term vision is to replicate the 100-acre Unnati Park model at multiple locations in India through local partnerships.
Published on February 24, 2026
