SOLV, a B2B digital platformfor MSMEs backed by the Standard Chartered Group, on Monday announced its partnership with city-based NGO Akshay Patra Foundation to connect it to a network of MSMEs on the company's platform, engaged in supplying essential goods.The partnership will not only ensure smooth delivery of supplies to the foundation's kitchens but also help sustain several kirana stores and small businesses engaged in manufacturing and distribution of essential food supplies, SOLV said in a statement.With the partnership, SOLV is helping Akshay Patra during the current COVID-19 lockdown with sourcing materials for its coronavirus relief feeding programme which aims to support the needy with one crore cooked meals and five lakh packaged grocery kits, it said.Going forward, SOLV also aims to source and deliver raw materials for the foundations flagship mid-day meal scheme that provides fresh nutritious meals every school day to children in government and government-aided schools, the statement added.Akshay Patra first collaborated with SOLV during the start of the current COVID-19 nation-wide lockdown when there was an unprecedented disruption created in inventory and raw materials supply-chain for its kitchens to sustain ongoing programmes, it was stated.SOLV was able to leverage its network of hundreds of MSMEs as well as its logistics partners to source and deliver 300-plus metric tonnes of raw materials to Akshay Patra within two days, it said, adding, this initial success and experience led to the forging of a longer term partnership for SOLV to support Akshay Patra with its supply-chain services and sourcing partners."SOLV not only helped us keep our supply-chain operational when the COVID-19 outbreak led to unavailability of essential supplies, but also demonstrated reliability and on-time delivery with excellent sourcing support, crucial in times of crisis like these," said Vishwas Ujire, Head - Food Procurement, Akshay Patra Foundation, was quoted as saying in the statement.
