BANGALORE: Aforro, a startup building shared supply and delivery infrastructure for kirana-led quick commerce, has secured angel backing from a Chicago-based NRI investor as part of its ongoing angel funding round.
The investment marks the first close of Aforro’s angel round, with additional strategic angel participation expected in the coming weeks. The company is focused on bringing in long-term, conviction-led capital aligned with its retailer-first approach, rather than pursuing short-term scale-at-all-costs growth.
The backing comes at a time when capital-heavy quick commerce platforms have steadily pulled demand away from local kirana stores. Aforro is taking a fundamentally different approach by building a kirana-led quick commerce ecosystem that combines shared infrastructure with a centralised customer experience — without requiring retailers to give up ownership, margins, or customer relationships.
The Chicago-based NRI investor, who brings experience across FMCG and scalable consumer businesses along with deep ties to India, expressed conviction in Aforro’s unconventional, full-stack approach to enabling kirana retailers grounded in a clear understanding of why earlier kirana enablement models struggled to scale. Commenting on the investment, the investor said:
“India’s retail ecosystem continues to be powered by small, independent stores, yet most technology models are designed to bypass them. Even those built apparently for kiranas often break down because they fail to account for how these businesses actually operate. What stood out about Aforro was the founders’ lived exposure to kirana retail — having grown up around a family-run kirana store, they bring a rare clarity on the real constraints retailers face. That depth of problem understanding shows in the way the system is being built, and it is exactly the kind of long-term thinking Indian retail needs.”
Commenting on the development, Founder Rachit Gupta said:
“This backing is an important early validation of what we are building. We’ve been deliberate about the kind of capital we bring in at this stage. While quick commerce has grown rapidly over the last few years, it has also created a model where no stakeholder is truly winning — retailers are losing relevance, customers are losing trust, gig workers face increasing pressure, and platforms continue to burn significant capital without building durable value. We took the time to step back, spend over a year understanding on-ground realities, and speak extensively with retailers and customers before building. Our focus is on creating a kirana-led quick commerce model where retailers remain viable, customers receive reliable service, workers are treated fairly, and the business itself is built to be sustainable in the long term.”
Aforro is developing a full-stack operating system for kirana stores, enabling them to access technology, procurement and supply chain support, and last-mile logistics while retaining ownership, margins, and direct customer relationships. The company’s model is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing retail workflows, rather than forcing disruptive operational changes.
Alongside retailer enablement, Aforro is focused on delivering a centralised customer experience and standardised product quality, while building the platform on top of a decentralised network of local kirana stores.
The company also plans to roll out a dedicated module for new-age D2C brands seeking to expand their offline presence in the coming months, allowing them to leverage Aforro’s kirana network for structured distribution and visibility.
The funds from the ongoing angel round will be used to advance Aforro’s platform development alongside on-ground go-to-market efforts, including retailer onboarding, operational pilots, and the launch of select, tightly integrated product initiatives across focused markets. The company expects to announce additional angel participation as the round progresses.
About Aforro
Aforro is building operating infrastructure for Bharat’s kirana-led quick commerce ecosystem. The company combines shared supply chain capabilities, technology enablement, and decentralised last-mile execution to help local retailers compete effectively in an evolving retail landscape, while preserving their ownership, margins, and community relationships.
