Beco: Redefining Sustainability, One Step at a Time

In 2018, three friends—Aditya Ruia, Akshay Varma, and Anuj Ruia embarked on a mission to fight plastic pollution. They were inspired while clearing a beach in Mumbai when they came across a 90s chocolate wrapper in its entirety, still buried in the sand. This experience brought home the need to deal with single-use plastic waste. Beco(Be Eco) was born—a brand that is committed to giving people affordable, eco-friendly alternatives for daily items.

Skills Behind the Success

Each founder's distinct journey and skill set converge, creating a powerhouse of knowledge that drives the company forward.

Aditya Ruia says, "Anuj Ruia has been in the supply chain for a very long time, so his task for the table was around supply chain, manufacturing, demand forecasting, and roles related to supporting the supply side."     

Adita Ruia's role is related to demand, marketing, building a top-tier team, and overseeing e-commerce sales.

Because of Akshay Verma's background, his role was to look after the offline sales, as their business is omnichannel, and also to look after business finance.

Beco's Eco-Friendly Offerings

Beco specialises in biodegradable and sustainable products, including:
Bamboo-based tissues and towels: Made from fast-growing bamboo, these products require significantly less water and are more sustainable than traditional paper products.

Plant-based cleaners: Utilising coconut-based surfactants and bio-enzymes, Beco's cleaners are tough on grime yet gentle on the environment.

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Recycled packaging: All products are packaged in recyclable materials, minimising environmental impact.
These products aim to offer the convenience of single-use items without causing ecological harm.

Fueling Innovation

Beco's commitment to sustainability has attracted significant investment:
Seed Round: In 2021, ₹ 4 crore was raised by Beco from investors including Climate Angels Fund, Titan Capital, Better Capital, Rukam Capital, Sequoia Sprout, and Richa Kar (Founder of Zivame), ICE.vc.

Series A: In December 2022, Beco secured $3 million in a Series A funding round led by Rukam Capital.

Pre-Series B: In August 2024, $10 million was raised by Beco in a pre-Series B funding round led by Tanglin Venture Partners, including capital from Titan Capital Winners Fund, Manish Choksi (promoter of Asian Paints), Rukam Capital, and Synergy Capital. 

These funds have been instrumental in scaling operations, enhancing product innovation, expanding market reach, and building a strong offline market in key geographies.

Guided by Vision, Grounded in Mission

Beco's mission is to craft, support, and drive positive change in the world through sustainable, eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics and packaging—one Beco product at a time. Their vision is to create a world where sustainable living is second nature, which empowers every house to make choices that are better for people and the planet.

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Read Also: From Sleepless Nights to Sleep Innovation: The Story of The Sleep Company

Sustainability at Work: Practices That Make a Difference

Beco is a 100% eco-friendly and plastic-free company. Since the formation of Beco, it has become a society of more than 1,00,000 members who have helped in reducing the usage of plastic by 25% in daily life. Beco has reduced the plastic waste by 500 tonnes by adopting sustainable ways of production and packaging.

Aditya Ruia says that Beco's inception ties back to the simple yet profound realisation that, as global citizens of the earth, they need to be more accountable for their choices and their irreversible impact on the environment.

Roadblocks and Solutions

The significant challenges faced by Beco were managing the raw material and the cost of packaging. To tackle the problem, they have a sustainable packaging model. However, they believe that support from investors will help them spur their vision and help build a sustainable product with zero plastic waste.

Market Footprint 

The company is using an omnichannel strategy. In the offline space, the customer can access the company's products not only on its D2C website but also present across major e-commerce marketplaces such as Amazon, flipkart, and quick commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Instamart, Zepto, and Dunzo. In the offline space, the company's products are available to purchase in over 10,000 stores across India. It is present in the general trade in over 20 cities. In the future, the company plans to expand into tier-2 and tier-3 cities.    

Honoring Excellence

Aditya Ruia, co-founder of Beco, has been awarded for his work in advancing the sustainable and innovation agenda in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector and has also been recognised, along with Anuj Ruia and Akshay Varma, in the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Beco's mission is to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable living.

Towards a Sustainable Tomorrow

Beco is not just a startup but a movement towards sustainable and responsible business, rather than a startup. Beco is converting challenges into opportunities, with a combination of innovative solutions and a strong commitment to social and environmental value. All initiatives are bound to be resolute and scalable due to the founders' diverse backgrounds, a solid team, and a strong vision. Beco's ongoing success demonstrates that business triumph and good impact can go hand in hand. 
Beco is set to redefine the future of sustainable entrepreneurship by focusing on long-term value creation.

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