Bangladesh faces a severe food safety crisis, with approximately 52% of vegetables and fresh produce showing contamination and adulteration according to 2019 data, while public perception suggests over 70% of food products contain harmful substances. In response to this challenge, a new generation of entrepreneurs has emerged, building companies focused on safe, natural food production and distribution. A recent panel discussion brought together five pioneering voices in this space to discuss the current state of food safety, emerging solutions, and the future outlook for Bangladesh's safe food industry.
In a mango orchard in northern Bangladesh, Mujaidul Islam Jahid, Founder of Freshie Farm, tends to 150 sheep that wander between the trees, munching grass that would otherwise require toxic herbicides to control. The sheep save his farm meaningful money annually in pesticide costs while generating additional profit, a small victory in what he calls Bangladesh's quiet war against food contamination.
"I saw a report six months ago that over 60% of cancer patients in Bangladesh are farmers," Mr. Jahid said during an online panel discussion last week about the country's food safety crisis and the state and the future of safe food in Bangladesh.
His comment underscored the urgency driving a new generation of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs who are building businesses around a simple but revolutionary premise: food should be safe to eat.
The online panel, organized by Future Startup jointly with Khaas Food Limited on August 7, brought together five organizations attempting to transform Bangladesh's food system from within. Their discussion, tied to the release of a comprehensive white paper on food safety, revealed both the staggering scope of the country's adulteration problem and the innovative, if still small-scale, solutions emerging from the private sector.
Moderated by Future Startup founder Ruhul Kader, the panel featured Mujaidul Islam Jahid, founder of Freshi Farm, which operates mango orchards and cattle farming in Bangladesh and Uganda; T.M. Shabbir, founder of Green Grocery, specializing in direct-to-consumer safe food delivery and restaurant supply chains; Iftekhar Ali, researcher at Prakritik Krishi, which runs biodiversity farming and natural food marketing; Sahab Uddin, owner of Chapai Ambagaan; and Habibul Mustafa Arman, Co-founder and Managing Director of Khaas Food, which has been delivering safe food through multiple channels since 2015.
The entrepreneurs, despite competing in the same market, called for collective action and collaboration to tackle what they described as a three-pronged crisis affecting production, regulation, and consumer awareness in Bangladesh’s food sector.
Their companies represent an emerging industry projected to reach $225 million by 2031, serving urban consumers willing to pay 21-52% premiums for guaranteed safe food.
The panel discussion sheds light on the depth of Bangladesh's food safety challenge while highlighting emerging solutions being developed by a new generation of safe food entrepreneurs.
From farmers suffering rising health challenges due to pesticide exposure to consumers who have lost basic knowledge about natural food characteristics, the crisis touches every level of the food system.
Yet these entrepreneurs and researchers are building sustainable alternatives through natural farming techniques, direct distribution networks, and consumer education initiatives that could transform how Bangladesh feeds itself.
Moderator Ruhul Kader set the stage for the panel by referencing Future Startup’s newly published white paper, "You are what you eat: Bangladesh Food and Health Report 2025," jointly produced with Khaas Food. The report, that can accessed for free of cost here, reveals alarming statistics:
However, the report also highlighted promising trends: urban consumers are willing to pay 21% to 52% premium for safe food, and the local organic food market is projected to reach $225 million by 2031.
The rest of this report provides key takeaways from the panel discussion. You can also watch a video of the panel here.
Mr. Jahid founded Freshi Farm in December 2021, operating from Naogaon Porsha with 37-38 acres including mango orchards, dragon fruit cultivation, and cattle farming. The company has expanded internationally with 5,000 acres on a 99-year lease in Uganda for natural cattle farming. Freshi Farm operates three retail outlets in Dhaka (Banasree, Mirpur, and Mohammadpur).
Mr. Shabbir founded Green Grocery, which began working on safe food after COVID-19, focusing on Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) operations and restaurant supply chains. The company targets local restaurants to ensure quality raw materials reach consumers who frequently eat outside their homes.
Mr. Iftekhar works as researcher with Prakritik Krishi, which operates a biodiversity farm in Kautia village, Ghiore, Manikganj, with approximately 15 bighas of operational land. The organization runs the Prakritik Krishi Bipanan Kendra in Mohammadpur, selling natural produce twice weekly and connecting with farmers across the country.
Mr. Sahab Uddin specializes in mango production and jaggery manufacturing under the Chapai Ambagaan brand. He has successfully supplied safe jaggery from almost 100 bighas of land, creating innovative cube-shaped jaggery pieces for convenient use.
Mr. Arman Co-founded Khaas Food in 2015, working in the forward linkage sector to create customers and deliver safe food through online platforms, retail chains, and outlets in Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong, and Comilla.
The statistics are sobering. According to the new white paper, "You Are What You Eat: Bangladesh Food and Health Report 2025," approximately 52% of vegetables and fresh produce contain harmful contaminants, based on 2019 government data. Public perception puts the figure even higher, with 70% of consumers believing their food is adulterated.
The human cost is severe: 26 to 30 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, roughly one in six Bangladeshis. The economic toll exceeds $3.5 billion each year. Pesticide use runs nearly double the global average, contributing to what Mr. Jahid compared to India's "Cancer Train", entire railway cars that transport farming communities to hospitals for treatment.
"One of the main reasons for this is glyphosate, which is a weed killer or herbicide used for burning in mango orchards, from Satkhira to Panchagarh," said Mr. Jahid, founder of Freshi Farm, which operates across Bangladesh and has expanded to Uganda with 5,000 acres under cultivation.
The contamination stems from multiple sources: farmers use industrial-grade chemicals to make produce appear fresh, vendors apply unauthorized preservatives, and processors add harmful dyes and substances. Calcium carbide ripens fruit artificially. Formalin preserves fish beyond its natural shelf life. Brick dust bulks up spices.
Mr. Jahid explained how his farm is addressing this through natural alternatives: "We have 150 sheep that control the grass quite a bit... This not only provides a natural solution to the weed problem, it also saves costs that you need to spend on weed killer annually."
Drawing from historical lessons, Mr. Jahid referenced Mao Zedong's sparrow eradication campaign in China during 1957-58, explaining how removing natural predators led to pest explosions and crop failures. This illustrated the critical importance of maintaining ecological balance in agriculture.
Mr. Iftekhar provided insights into the deteriorating condition of agricultural land: "Agricultural land soil has become very nutrient-depleted. There's no nutrition in the soil at all. Due to lack of nutrients in the soil, plants are getting more diseases. And food is not getting nutrients either."
He further explained the interconnected nature of the problem: "For example, I drink milk for calcium. But the grass from which the milk comes, the soil in which that grass grows must have calcium. That soil doesn't have calcium."
The panelists extensively discussed consumer expectations and the widespread mistrust in food quality in the market.
Mr. Jahid explained: "Consumers won't accept a kilogram of brinjal if it has six brinjals and one of them has a worm in it... But the interesting thing is, the best fruits in the orchard are eaten by birds and insects. They are the sweetest, the most delicious."
The companies face a peculiar challenge: convincing customers that imperfect-looking food is actually superior. T.M. Shabbir, founder of Green Grocery, described the rice dilemma: "When consumers receive it and find pests, they assume it's the worst quality product. How do you explain that I haven't used any pesticides, that's why it has pests?"
Mr. Iftekhar identified a critical knowledge gap: "Customers have no awareness or knowledge about food and their health. They have completely forgotten. For the last 20-30 years... people don't know what food to eat when, what seasonal food is available, and what it will do to their bodies."
Mr. Shabbir highlighted the marketing challenge: "Those of us who try to work with safe food, and those who don't, both groups use the same marketing materials, claiming to provide 100% natural products. There's no explanation or difference in this statement."
In addition to that, panelists also highlighted the fact that in many instances consumers expect competitive prices for safe food products which can be challenging given the higher production costs and supply chain challenges of dealing with safe food products.
Mr. Arman, whose company Khaas Food represents what the industry calls forward linkage—connects safe producers directly to consumers, suggests consumers should think more consciously when it comes to food costs. "We shouldn't just think about direct costs," Mr. Arman said during the panel. "There are many indirect costs. Because we are consuming processed food, junk food, and building our food habits outside of natural ways, our overall medical expenses are increasing at a much higher rate."
Consumer education has become as important as production. Panelists agree that safe food companies should come together to create broader market awareness.
Despite the challenges, the white paper found that urban consumers are willing to pay substantial premiums for food they trust, between 21% and 52% more than conventional alternatives. The organic food market in Bangladesh is projected to reach $225 million by 2031.
But this consumer segment remains small. "A certain level of consumers... are willing to pay a little extra," said Mr. Shabbir. "But when we think about a business, that small portion... is not enough."
The entrepreneurs described a catch-22: they need scale to reduce costs, but they need lower costs to achieve scale.
Their supply chains are limited, where conventional food companies might source from many suppliers, safe food companies often rely on just a few trusted producers.
The panelists identified a shortage of farmers who understand safe farming practices and are willing to and can do it.
As Mr. Arman and Mr. Shabbir noted “there is a shortage of producers who are qualified, knowledgeable, and competent." They agreed that supply constraints cause various challenges for safe food companies. "A traditional company going to buy products in the market doesn't face a shortage of sellers; they can source products from 10 different people. But our product sourcing options are very limited. As a result, our bargaining power is very low," says Mr. Arman.
The constraints have sparked creativity.
Mr. Jahid shared his rice farming and storage technique. For storage, he recommends dried neem leaves to prevent worms, a traditional method that keeps rice safe for over a year without chemical fumigation.
Multiple panelists emphasized polyculture and integrated farming. Sahab Uddin noted: "Monoculture, polyculture, we are burning grass and then feeding cows with purchased feed, not thinking about what is coming from our own garden. This entire linkage needs to be built."
Mr. Iftekhar Ali, said, "We teach farmers to start natural farming in a simple methodological way," he said, describing workshops that help farmers transition from chemical dependency.”
The entrepreneurs described a regulatory system that often works against them. "Working with food in Bangladesh involves three institutions: BSTI, Food Safety Authority, and Consumer Rights. They all operate separately," said Sahab Uddin. "I think these three institutions should be under the same umbrella."
The certification process is particularly problematic. "Even though there are certification bodies... BSTI doesn't certify whether I produce authentic food or not," said Mr. Shabbir.
More troubling, some panelists described government policies that seemed to encourage chemical use and complicate things in the market.
Perhaps the most concerning issue raised was seed dependency. Mr. Iftekhar noted, "Our seed market is huge and a significant percentage of it comes from imports.. Now, if for some reason our seed imports stop for two months, just two months, there will be a famine."
The loss of local varieties has been dramatic. Mr. Jahid recorded that Bangladesh once had 248 types of brinjal seeds and 300 types of brinjal cultivation methods. "We had so much variation!" he said, lamenting how corporate seed dependence has eliminated agricultural biodiversity.
The companies selling genetically modified seeds, Mr. Arman noted, create a cycle of dependency: "They provide seeds, fertilizers, everything upfront, even on credit... Then when the production comes, farmers say, 'I have nothing in my hand.' So they fall into debt again and borrow again from the same company."
The panel discussed the projected growth to $225 million by 2031, though with varying degrees of optimism. Mr. Shabbir expressed skepticism: "In the next five years, I believe this market will grow slowly but $220 million, as you said, probably won't happen. But it will definitely grow a lot."
The panelists confirmed consumer willingness to pay premiums, though the market remains limited.
Mr. Iftekhar emphasized that: "We teach them to start natural farming in a simple methodological way, increase skills, conduct regular workshops... no one who produces natural crops should fall into trouble; their produce should be sold somehow."
The formation of farmer collectives was emphasized. Mr. Iftekhar described their approach: "We are calling this initiative, which is in its early stage, Prakritik Krishok Samaj (Natural Farmer Society). This alliance will do two things... increase their skills so that their soil is suitable for their crops... arrange a system for selling their produce."
The panelists stressed the need for consumer education about natural food characteristics. As Mr. Arman noted: "We need to increase safe food brand awareness. Not our company's brand awareness... First and foremost, we all need to brand safe food together, so that the safe food market grows."
Understanding that natural products will have variations in appearance and may contain beneficial organisms is crucial for market development.
For policymakers, consolidating the fragmented regulatory structure emerged as a critical need. The current system with several different organizations creates inefficiency and confusion. Mr. Iftekhar suggested: "Give us something from the thousands of crores of Taka spent on chemical agriculture. Arrange a subsidy for organic farmers. Those who use organic fertilizer should get a subsidy." Additionally, the panel agreed that addressing the critical dependence on imported seeds through supporting local seed development and preservation programs is a critical need.
Despite operating in the same market, the panelists made an unusual call: they asked their competitors to work together. “If we want this industry to grow,” says Mr. Shabbir, “we have to work together. If we work individually and don’t work together, we will remain small players and the sector will remain small. Unless there is a concerted effort, growth will be very difficult.”
Mr. Arman agrees, "Those of us who play in the safe food industry, we are all collaborators, not competitors. This market is very small. To make it bigger, we actually need to work together."
Rather than every company trying to do everything, Mr. Arman suggested: "We don't collaborate among ourselves, leveraging each other's specialties and expertise, saying, 'Bhai, you are good at this. You do it. We will all support you.'"
The entrepreneurs look beyond Bangladesh for inspiration. Mr. Jahid cited FarmEasy, a Pune-based company that supplies 6,000 families at market prices rather than premium pricing, achieving 400% growth every six months. He's also studying educational initiatives, including a former software engineer in India who now runs his own farm and runs a six-month diploma course in organic farming.
The international perspective has influenced Mr. Jahid's own expansion to Uganda, where his company practices "completely natural cattle farming" while experimenting with medicinal herbs grown for export to Germany.
While all panelists expressed optimism about growth, they remained realistic about challenges. Sahab Uddin noted: "In the next five years, it will probably advance very slowly, considering how much it has come in the last 10 years. Because I have seen many entrepreneurs drop out already."
Mr. Iftekhar warned that success might bring new challenges, as larger corporations move into space. "When we become a middle-income country... it will be very expensive for a small entrepreneur to start anything. Then big players will take over these areas and run them their own way."
All panelists emphasized trust as fundamental. Mr. Iftekhar noted: "Our produce sells entirely on trust. There's nothing to test here. Through continuous trust, a practice develops that if you cook any of our vegetables, you'll understand whether it's natural or not."
Arman stressed: "The effort and labor that need to be put in... requires patience... After all, an industry takes years to grow." Continuous consumer education emerged as critical for market development.
On the challenges side, multiple panelists mentioned distribution challenges, particularly for perishable products and last-mile delivery. The chicken-and-egg problem of needing scale to reduce costs while needing lower costs to achieve scale remains a significant barrier. Limited government support and sometimes contradictory policies continue to hinder industry development.
The panel discussion revealed that Bangladesh's safe food industry represents more than a business opportunity, it's a movement addressing a critical public health crisis. While challenges are substantial across production, regulation, and consumption, entrepreneurs are developing solutions and building market awareness.
The conversation highlighted that while the journey is challenging, the combination of urgent need, growing awareness, innovative solutions, and committed entrepreneurs provides a foundation for optimism about Bangladesh's safe food future. For these entrepreneurs, the work goes beyond business. It's about public health, environmental sustainability, and national food security.
"Food is just food," Mr. Arman said, noting the absurdity of having to label food as "safe." "All foods should be safe food. But we have had to create a new definition."
The panel discussion revealed an industry still in its infancy but gaining momentum. Whether these small companies can scale their solutions fast enough to address a crisis affecting millions remains an open question. But their willingness to share knowledge, collaborate with competitors, and innovate under constraint suggests that Bangladesh's food system may be on the cusp of significant change.
The industry's growth trajectory will ultimately depend on how effectively these stakeholders can collaborate to address the three-pronged challenges while building consumer trust and market accessibility.
