SOLAR LAMP CHALLENGE; INDIA
PROVEN INTERVENTION TO BE DISTRIBUTION
Solar lamps and clean energy products.
Learn more about the Solar Lamp Challenge and how these lamps create enormous benefits for developing world families.
DISTRIBUTION MODEL INNOVATION
India's peri-urban and rural populations are not benefiting from existing life-improving technologies - such as solar lanterns, water filters, and smokeless cook stoves - because the local retail outlets they depend on are disconnected from these essential goods. Essmart is a distribution company operating in Tamil Nadu that connects local shops with a catalog of quality, affordable, essential products, providing marketing, distribution, and after-sales service.
Ninety percent of Indian households primarily shop in an estimated 15 million small, low-margin retail shops. However, these retail shops do not sell esesntial technologies because they do not know about them, where to get them, or how to service them if they break. Essmart connects a catalog of high-quality goods with proven demand to local shops, where trusted buying relationships exist.
Essmart's model has three parts. 1) Aggregate a catalog of high-quality existing products and build relationships with suppliers. Sales Executives then demonstrate our catalog to local shops and end users through marketing campaigns. 2) Essmart's local Sales Executives build distribution networks to villages by creating an Essmart-branded section in local shops, leaving our catalog in shops, and fulfilling orders. 3) Should any product break, Essmart provides training and maintenance services and facilitates manufacturers' warranties. This ensures that users continue to benefit from the products and shops need not take on the burden of returns.
PILOT AND SCALING GOALS
- Work from 10 aggregate distribution centers by the end of year 1
- Sell 16,200 products by the end of year 1
- Support 5,000 local Sales Executives by the end of year 2
- Work from 24 aggregate distribution centers by the end of year 3
- Sell 387,420 products by the end of year 3
FOUNDING TEAM
Jackie Stenson, Chief Executive Officer
Diana Jue, Chief Operations Officer
Prashanth V'Ramana - Director
Poonacha Kalengada - Director