What aQysta does

aQysta is a Dutch-headquartered sustainable agriculture company founded in 2013 at the Technical University of Delft, originally as a renewable irrigation technology developer. Following a 2021 strategic pivot, the company now operates as an end-to-end agricultural sourcing and solutions platform that bridges smallholder farmers in Nepal, Malawi, and India with European food brands and Indian consumers. It sources spices (Timur pepper, Assam wild pepper, Lakadong turmeric, ginger, bird eye chili), dried fruits (mango, pineapple, banana, watermelon), and legumes (groundnuts, black beans, white beans) from a network of 5,100+ smallholder farmers (50% female) across three countries, and sells these certified-organic ingredients to 85 food company customers in domestic and export markets.

The company's underlying technology combines proprietary hardware (hydro-powered Barsha Pump, solar dryers, biochar kilns, organic inputs programme) with an in-house digital tool (GROWN ERP) for farmer traceability and supply chain monitoring. It has obtained EU Organic, USDA Organic, APEDA, and FSSAI certifications, enabling access to European, US, and Indian food markets. aQysta operates through four wholly-owned subsidiaries (Netherlands, Nepal, India, Malawi) and maintains a ~50-person team embedded across these geographies, including dedicated sales, agronomy, processing, and digital marketing functions.

The business model is primarily B2B product sales with quote-based pricing (no public price list), targeting European food brands, food companies, restaurants, and cafeterias. Revenue mechanics are transaction-based on agricultural product sales with embedded vertical integration (own processing facility in Malawi, partner processing for ginger in Nepal/India). An emerging D2C channel via Amazon Seller Central in India is being built out by a dedicated brand and digital marketing associate, targeting Indian consumers with packaged Northeast India-sourced spices and wellness blends. Strategic partnerships with Ecosia (agroforestry), RVO (Dutch trade promotion), and BioNederland (organic sector) support ecosystem positioning rather than direct revenue.

Name

aQysta

Legal name

aQysta BV

Website

https://aqysta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

aQysta is a Dutch-headquartered sustainable agriculture company that sources EU Organic-certified spices, dried fruits, and legumes from 5,100+ smallholder farmers across Nepal, Malawi, and India, supplying 85 European food brand customers and operating an emerging D2C Amazon channel in India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Specialty Food Ingredients

NAICS

Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Organic & Natural Grocery Wholesale (AFAIABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic & Natural Foodservice & Restaurant Supply Wholesale (AFAIAJAJ), Dried & Dehydrated Foods Manufacturing (AFAKACAK), Organic Herb, Spice & Medicinal/Aromatic Plant Farming (AFAGAKAE), Organic & Biological Input Retail (Biostimulants, Biopesticides, OMRI) (AFABAJAK)

Keywords

• Sustainable agriculture sourcing
• Organic specialty ingredients
• Smallholder farmer supply
• Traceable food products
• Renewable irrigation technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Delft

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (B2B): aQysta generates revenue primarily through the sale of sustainably sourced, traceable agricultural products to food brands, food companies, restaurants, and cafeterias in domestic and export markets. Products include organic and conventional spices, dried fruits, nuts, legumes, and turmeric sourced from smallholder farmers in Nepal, Malawi, and India. The company established market linkages with 85 food companies in both domestic and export markets.
2. D2C E-commerce (Emerging): Emerging direct-to-consumer channel through Amazon Seller Central in India, managed by a dedicated Brand & Digital Marketing Associate. Targets consumers with packaged food products sourced from Northeast India, including turmeric, spices, and value-added food products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

aQysta sources organic and conventional agricultural products — spices, nuts, legumes, and dried fruits — from smallholder farmer networks in Nepal, Malawi, and India, and sells them traceably to European food brands, food companies, restaurants, and cafeterias. The company complements this sourcing business with proprietary renewable-energy agricultural technologies (hydro-powered Barsha Pumps, solar dryers, biochar kilns, organic inputs) and a GROWN ERP digital traceability platform deployed across its supply chains.

Product overview

aQysta is a sustainable agriculture company bridging smallholder farmers in Nepal, Malawi, and India with global markets. The company offers two interconnected portfolios: (1) Organic and conventional agricultural products including Timur/Timut Pepper, Assam Wild Pepper, Bird Eye Chili, Ginger, Groundnuts, Black Beans, White Beans, Lakadong Turmeric, Turmeric, and Dried Fruits (Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Watermelon) from smallholder farmers; and (2) Agricultural technology innovations including the Barsha Pump (hydro-powered irrigation), Solar Dryers, Biochar production, Organic Inputs (bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides), the GROWN ERP digital traceability app, and a Pay-After-Harvest financing model. Products are available in both organic (EU Organic, USDA certified) and conventional varieties, traceably sourced through direct farmer partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Timur/Timut Pepper Organic and conventional Timur pepper sourced from Nepal, sold as whole dried berries for European food brands and chefs seeking citrusy, tingling exotic pepper notes.
• Assam Wild Pepper Rare indigenous wild pepper from Northeast India with smoky, woody, fruity flavor, sustainably foraged from forest ecosystems and sold to food companies.
• Bird Eye Chili Dried bird eye hot chili peppers sourced from Malawi, a traditional African variety with intense heat and distinct flavor.
• Ginger Organic and conventional ginger in powder and dried slice forms from Nepal for culinary applications, beverages, and food ingredients.
• Lakadong Turmeric Premium high-curcumin (7-12%) turmeric sourced from Meghalaya, India, sold as a potent specialty spice for food and wellness applications.
• Turmeric Organic and conventional turmeric in powder and dried slice forms from Nepal, processed through washing, drying, and pulverizing facilities.
• Groundnuts Malawian groundnuts (peanuts) in shelled, blanched, and roasted forms, a protein-rich crop sourced from smallholder farmers.
• Black Beans Organic black beans sourced from Nepal, part of the legume line supporting sustainable agriculture and food security.
• White Beans Organic white beans sourced from Nepal, providing diversified income for smallholder farmers.
• Dried Mango Sun-dried mango from Malawi, natural and free from added sugars, processed through solar drying technology.
• Dried Pineapple Sun-dried pineapple from Malawi, natural snack product maintaining authentic tropical flavor without preservatives.
• Dried Banana Sun-dried banana from Malawi, natural and free from added sugars, processed using renewable solar energy.
• Dried Watermelon Sun-dried watermelon from Malawi, free from added sugars or preservatives, retaining authentic flavors.
• Barsha Pump Hydro-powered irrigation pump that lifts water from rivers using the flow itself, enabling farmers to irrigate consistently without fuel or electricity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92,600 people with improved resilience to economic and climate shocks
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RVO (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 February 2025RVO supported aQysta's participation at BioFach 2025, enabling the company to co-exhibit at the NL Pavilion alongside other Dutch companies. This partnership highlights the Netherlands' commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and provided aQysta with a platform to connect with businesses and individuals passionate about organic products and fair trade.
• BioNederlandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 February 2025BioNederland collaborated with aQysta to co-exhibit at the NL Pavilion at BioFach 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany. This collaboration facilitated connections between aQysta and a global community of organic food industry professionals, buyers, and like-minded businesses across 140 countries.
• EcosiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcosia supports aQysta's agroforestry programs, enabling the planting and protection of over 28,642 trees across 47.8 hectares of farmland in Nepal, Malawi, and India. The partnership contributes to scaling sustainable agroforestry systems that enhance biodiversity, improve food security, and generate long-term income for smallholder farmers.
• Processing Partners (Nepal and India)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProcessing partners in Nepal and India provide washing facilities for fresh ginger and drying and pulverizing facilities for dried ginger chips and powder. aQysta is working toward establishing its own processing facility in Malawi to vertically integrate processing operations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqysta1
• Xx.com/aqysta

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about aQysta