Biography of Shafaq Sewani: Co-founder of Fresh Basket & Omymango.com
Cultivating Healthy Eating with Fresh Basket
Biography of Shafaq Sewani:
Shafaq Sewani is the co-founder of Fresh Basket, Karachi's
pioneering agri-retail chain dedicated to promoting healthy eating through easy
access to fresh, natural, and hygienic produce and pantry essentials. What
started as a modest store in 2018 has blossomed into a multi-branch enterprise
with a strong online presence within just three years.
Shafaq Sewani: Revolutionizing Karachi's Fresh Produce
Market
Shafaq Sewani, a former investment banker turned
entrepreneur, is the visionary founder behind Fresh Basket, Karachi's
pioneering fresh produce chain. With a background in Economics and Finance from
Turkey, Sewani departed from the corporate world to pursue her passion for
transforming the local fruit and vegetable retail sector.
Academic Background
Sewani's educational journey includes A-levels in Commerce
from The Lyceum School, blending academic rigor with practical business
knowledge that continues to shape her entrepreneurial ventures.
Professional Experience
Prior to Fresh Basket, Sewani gained valuable experience in
investment banking, specializing in project finance and advisory roles at
United Bank Limited. Her tenure there equipped her with financial expertise and
strategic insights that she now applies to scaling Fresh Basket.
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Sewani's entrepreneurial spirit is evident in her ventures.
She co-founded Omymango.com, focusing on online retail, and JustBecause.pk, a
platform for personalized gifts, showcasing her versatility and ability to
identify market needs. These ventures laid the foundation for her current role
as Owner of Fresh Basket, where she revolutionizes the local market with a
commitment to quality and health.
Modernizing Post-Harvest Infrastructure
Fresh Basket represents Sewani's innovative approach to modernizing
the traditional sale of fruits and vegetables in Karachi. By establishing a
network that ensures hygienic and fresh produce distribution, she addresses
longstanding health concerns and quality issues prevalent in local markets.
Biography of Shafaq Sewani: Co-founder of Fresh Basket & Omymango.com/ Healthy Eating with Fresh Basket/Entrepreneur/Businesswomen/pakistan
Bridging the Gap in Karachi's Market
Fresh Basket emerged from Sewani's vision to address a gap
highlighted by her husband, Naveed, who recognized the absence of locally
available high-quality produce akin to those exported to international markets
from their family's logistics and export business. Inspired by this insight,
Sewani transitioned from a career in finance to embark on a journey focused on
bringing superior-quality produce directly to local consumers.
Fresh Basket Expands Horizons: From Karachi to Lahore and
Islamabad
Fresh Basket, under the leadership of Shafaq Sewani, has
garnered a positive response in Karachi, largely due to its diverse range of
fruits and vegetables, including imported varieties and high-nutrition items
like salads. The store also offers dry fruits and produce from northern
regions, ensuring a comprehensive selection for its clientele.
Setting the Stage for Expansion
Buoyed by success, Sewani has set her sights on expanding
Fresh Basket to Lahore and Islamabad. The groundwork for this expansion
includes the establishment of a warehouse in Karachi's suburbs capable of
storing up to 1,500kg of fresh produce. This strategic move aims to enhance
operational efficiency and deliver value-added services to customers.
Fresh Basket Expands Horizons: From Karachi to Lahore and
Islamabad
Fresh Basket, under the leadership of Shafaq Sewani, has
garnered a positive response in Karachi, largely due to its diverse range of
fruits and vegetables, including imported varieties and high-nutrition items
like salads. The store also offers dry fruits and produce from northern
regions, ensuring a comprehensive selection for its clientele.
Setting the Stage for Expansion
Buoyed by success, Sewani has set her sights on expanding
Fresh Basket to Lahore and Islamabad. The groundwork for this expansion
includes the establishment of a warehouse in Karachi's suburbs capable of
storing up to 1,500kg of fresh produce. This strategic move aims to enhance
operational efficiency and deliver value-added services to customers.
Balancing Work and Life
For Sewani, like many women entrepreneurs, achieving
work-life balance has been a significant challenge influenced by social and
cultural norms. She acknowledges the common struggle among women who often feel
torn between their professional aspirations and familial responsibilities.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs
Beyond retail, Sewani's Fresh Basket provides a platform for
home-based female entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their healthy products.
This initiative not only empowers women economically but also fosters a culture
of cleanliness and wellness within the community.
From Vision to Reality
Located strategically in Karachi's upscale DHA commercial
market, Fresh Basket set a new standard in edible item retailing, aligning with
modern supply chain principles to minimize perishable losses. Sewani, supported
by her husband's expertise in shipping and logistics, successfully introduced a
fresh and sustainable business model to the market.
Collaborative Success
As Fresh Basket flourished, Sewani enlisted the support of
her family members, including her husband Naveed and her brother Anique, to
propel the business forward. Together, they form the core team driving Fresh
Basket's success, leveraging their collective expertise in logistics, export,
and retail management.
This profile outlines Shafaq Sewani's journey from finance
to founding Fresh Basket, the challenges she navigated as a female
entrepreneur, and the collaborative effort that has fueled the growth of
Karachi's premier agri-retail chain.
This narrative captures Shafaq Sewani's journey from
corporate finance to entrepreneurship, her innovative strides in the fresh
produce sector with Fresh Basket, and her commitment to empowering women and
promoting health-conscious practices in Karachi.
