Business Remedies | Rajshree Upadhyaya | June 04,2025 | Hailing from Bengaluru, sisters Yashoda and Rhea Karuturi have always had a strong connection to the flower cultivation business, as their father, Ramakrishna Karuturi, used to grow roses. They grew up surrounded by flower farming, global exports, and the complexities of the floral supply chain. However, they only began to notice the gap in the market when their mother complained about the poor quality and delayed delivery of flowers during the festive season. In a country where flowers for religious rituals are a daily necessity in millions of households, the supply chain remained disorganized, inefficient, and largely untouched by innovation, unlike the more developed bouquet flower market. Flowers often wilted before reaching consumers, and around 40% would go to waste due to poor logistics and lack of preservation.
This mismatch between demand and quality sparked an idea in the sisters’ minds: Why not deliver fresh, ready-to-use flowers to homes across India in a way that is efficient, sustainable, and scalable?
Curated Puja Kits Include All Essential Items Alongside Flowers
In 2019, they launched Hoovu Fresh. In Kannada, “Hoovu” means flower. Their aim was to modernize the supply chain while preserving the sanctity of rituals. They combined modern logistics and technology with centuries-old cultural values. By working directly with over 500 farmers and using new techniques to extend flower shelf life from two to fifteen days, they successfully reduced waste. Previously, it took 36 to 48 hours for flowers to reach consumers, now they arrive within a day of harvesting, retaining their freshness and fragrance.
Hoovu’s product line soon expanded beyond loose flowers. They began offering garlands, sacred greenery like tulsi and darbha, and even hand-rolled incense sticks made from temple flowers, promoting a circular sustainability model. Their curated puja kits include not just flowers but all essential ritual items, from incense and kumkum to detailed guides for performing the rituals. These offerings are now available on major platforms like BigBasket, Zepto, Amazon, Swiggy, and JioMart, delivering to homes in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai.
A Sustainable Impact on Rural Livelihoods, Religious Rituals, and Urban Convenience
Their breakthrough moment came when they appeared on Season 2 of Shark Tank India. With a compelling pitch and a strong vision, they secured an investment of Rs. 1 crore from Piyush Bansal and Aman Gupta in exchange for 2% equity, valuing Hoovu at Rs. 50 crore. But for the Karuturi sisters, the investment meant more than just funding, it was validation of their mission.
Yashoda, a graduate of the University of Washington, handles finance and operations, while Rhea, a Stanford alumna, leads marketing and technology. Together, they represent a new wave of women-led startups in India, driven by purpose and cultural insight. Their team includes over 60 women who manage packaging and processing. The sisters maintain close relationships with temple committees and local farmers, ensuring quality and ethical sourcing every step of the way.
For the Karuturi sisters, Hoovu Fresh isn’t just about delivering flowers, it’s about revitalizing an essential part of Indian life with dignity and intention. By blending tradition with innovation, they have not only reimagined a fragmented industry but have also made a lasting impact on rural livelihoods, religious practices, and urban convenience. In doing so, they’ve proven that with the right vision, even something as fleeting as a flower can lay the foundation for a lasting legacy.
Written & Edited By:
Rajshree Upadhyaya
