Optimising Last-Mile Delivery ThroughRoute-First Architecture
For Pluckk (SAFresh Technology Pvt Ltd), India
How we enabled Pluckk to handle 3x order volume through route-first orchestration.
Pluckk, an India-based farm-to-fork fresh produce platform, faced critical bottlenecks as daily order volumes scaled beyond 500. This case study explores how we implemented a custom Driver App and a "route-first" architecture to fundamentally transform their last-mile delivery. By inverting traditional warehouse logic—calculating optimal routes before picking begins—we enabled Pluckk to achieve unprecedented delivery efficiency, predictability, and scalability across major Indian markets.
The Quick Read
Overview & Background
Pluckk (SAFresh Technology Pvt Ltd) is a leading fresh produce food-tech platform delivering safe, traceable, and ozone-washed fruits and vegetables to customers in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune. As order volumes grew from hundreds to over 500 daily, their reliance on third-party logistics tools became a bottleneck. Pluckk partnered with us to build a custom, in-house digital system designed to handle the complexities of perishable goods delivery at scale.
The Challenges
Traditional "order-first" logistics were misaligned with the reality of high-volume fresh produce delivery. Drivers were crisscrossing territories, fuel costs were rising, and delivery windows were frequently missed. The core challenge was managing the combinatorial complexity of 500+ daily orders across vast urban landscapes while ensuring product freshness and operational efficiency.
The Solution
We implemented a "Route-First Architecture" that orchestrates the entire supply chain around optimised delivery routes. This included geographic clustering to group orders by proximity, intelligent route formation using Google Maps integration, and a custom Driver App that guides drivers through every step—from warehouse basket scanning to item-level verification at the customer's doorstep.
The Impact
The transformation moved Pluckk from reactive logistics to proactive, route-centric operations. Delivery costs dropped by 20%, and the system now supports 3x the current volume without proportional increases in overhead. With 100% real-time visibility and defensive design principles, Pluckk now operates with the predictability and speed required to lead India's fresh produce market.
The Full Story
Pluckk, operating under SAFresh Technology Pvt Ltd, is an India-based farm-to-fork fresh produce food-tech platform (D2C and B2B) headquartered in Mumbai. Pluckk has rapidly expanded its market presence across major Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune. The company focuses on delivering safe, fresh, and clean fruits and vegetables, distinguished by its commitment to traceability, ozone-washing for hygiene, and a "farm to door in 24 hours" promise. As of FY24, Pluckk has achieved an Annualized Revenue Run Rate (ARR) of ₹100 crore and has successfully raised $10 million in Series A funding. This case study details the strategic implementation of the Pluckk Driver App and the underlying route-first architecture. When Pluckk expanded operations to handle 500+ daily orders, they faced a critical realization: the traditional order-first warehouse approach was fundamentally misaligned with delivery logistics.
Challenges
Geographic Complexity and Suboptimal Routing
Orders were scattered across multiple suburbs. Without intelligent clustering, drivers wasted hours navigating between distant locations.
Load Sequencing Bottlenecks
Once routes were determined, vehicles were often loaded in random order, forcing drivers to rearrange packages at every stop.
Real-Time Adaptability Gaps
Drivers encountered road closures and traffic with no flexible way to adjust routes while maintaining overall optimisation.
Driver Availability Management
Fluctuating driver availability made it difficult to reassign routes quickly during emergencies or illness.
High Last-Mile Costs
The final stage of delivery represented the most expensive part of the supply chain, directly impacting margins and product freshness.
Lack of Item-Level Verification
Without digital verification at the doorstep, missing or incorrect items led to customer complaints and costly re-deliveries.
Solution Architecture
Geographic Clustering
The system analyses all 500+ daily orders and identifies delivery concentrations using geo-radius clustering, grouping orders by proximity before picking begins.
Route-First Formation
Clusters are organised into optimised delivery routes that minimise travel distance and time, using Google Maps integration for real-world traffic patterns.
Batch and Driver Assignment
The system implements both automatic assignment based on location and manual override capabilities for operational flexibility.
Order Basket Scanning
Drivers scan physical baskets with unique barcodes at the warehouse to confirm they have the correct orders, preventing loading errors.
Geo-Mapping and Navigation
Integrated turn-by-turn navigation reduces driver cognitive load and ensures consistent execution of the optimised sequence.
Item-Level Delivery Verification
At the doorstep, drivers scan each item. The system verifies the count against the picked order, allowing discrepancies to be documented immediately.
The Impact, Measured
20% Reduction in Delivery Costs
Achieved through optimised routing and reduced fuel consumption, aligning with industry benchmarks for fresh produce distribution.
3x Scalability Capacity
The system enables Pluckk to handle triple their current volume without a proportional increase in driver count or management overhead.
Improved On-Time Delivery
Predictable sequencing and optimised routes lead to more accurate delivery windows and higher customer satisfaction.
100% Real-Time Visibility
Operations teams gain complete visibility into delivery progress, enabling proactive problem-solving.
Reduced Failed Deliveries
Mandatory scanning at multiple checkpoints catches errors before they become customer complaints, reducing re-delivery attempts.
Operational Predictability
The route-first philosophy creates alignment across all functions, from picking to the final mile.
Comprehensive Before & After
| Impact Area | Before | After | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery Costs | High due to suboptimal routing | Optimised routing and clustering | 20% reduction in delivery costs |
| Processing Capacity | 500 orders/day; bottlenecked | Scalable to 1,500+ orders/day | 3x scale capacity |
| Routing Efficiency | Manual/Order-first logic | Automated Route-First Architecture | Significant reduction in miles driven |
| Delivery Visibility | Limited; reactive tracking | 100% real-time status visibility | Full traceability; 0 blind spots |
| Verification Accuracy | Manual checks; error-prone | Item-level scanning at doorstep | Major reduction in missing item claims |
| Coordination Effort | High manual coordination | Automated driver/batch assignment | 70-85% reduction in coordination time |
| Load Sequencing | Random; caused delays | Reverse-sequence loading | Faster stop turnaround times |
| Overall Efficiency | Fragmented last-mile | Unified, route-centric operation | 35-45% improvement |
Project at a Glance
Client
Pluckk (SAFresh Technology Pvt Ltd)
Industry
Food-Tech / E-commerce
Capabilities
Engagement Model
Jetbro ScaleHave a Similar Challenge?
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