Delivery & supply process.

Everything that happens between farm and doorstep.

Production day: morning at the farm

A typical day at our Saloni Village farm begins before sunrise. By 6 AM, staff are entering housing facilities for morning inspections and first feeding. Hens begin laying through morning hours with peak laying typically between 7 AM and 11 AM.

Egg collection runs on scheduled rounds throughout morning. First collection round at approximately 8 AM, subsequent rounds every 2-3 hours through midday. By 2 PM most of the day's eggs are collected. Afternoon collection catches any late layers.

Collected eggs move from housing to our on-site processing facility via climate-controlled transport (just a few hundred metres, but temperature matters from the first minute). In processing, eggs are sorted by origin flock, variety, and approximate age (eggs laid morning vs afternoon get noted for freshness tracking).

Quality inspection — where rejection happens

Every egg must pass five sequential quality checks before approval for customer supply:

Primary visual inspection: Staff examine each egg for shell cleanliness, obvious cracks, unusual shapes, dirt, or other visible issues. Rough sorting at this stage separates obviously problematic eggs (maybe 1-2% of daily production). These are not discarded — used internally for composting or non-human applications.

Automated candling: Eggs pass through a candling line where bright lights illuminate the interior. Internal blood spots, hairline shell cracks, abnormal air cells, and other invisible-from-outside defects are detected. Eggs failing this stage are separated.

Weight grading: Mechanical grading equipment sorts eggs into size categories with tight tolerances (less than 2% variation within stated grade). Commercial customers ordering Large eggs get consistent Large eggs, not a mix of Medium and Extra Large.

Shell strength testing: Statistical sampling from each batch tests shell strength. Batches with weaker-than-standard shells trigger investigation of the producing flock's calcium nutrition and other relevant factors. Individual weak-shelled eggs not identified by the sample test will typically fail during packaging handling.

Final pack review: After packing, cartons receive one final visual check. Date coding verification, batch coding verification, package integrity check. Any issues trigger recheck of the specific carton.

First-pass quality success rate runs above 98%. Roughly 2% of daily production is diverted from customer supply through this inspection process. Batches failing at higher rates trigger production investigation.

Packaging and preparation for dispatch

Approved eggs are packed into 100% recycled paper pulp cartons. These provide adequate protection, are fully biodegradable, and carry our branding. Packaging materials are food-grade verified, stored in clean conditions, opened only at point of use.

Packaging includes clear information: Sahya Egg brand, variety, size grade, count (dozen, 30-pack, etc.), packing date (transparent date coding, not vague "best before" dates), batch code for traceability, nutritional information for larger cartons.

For B2B customers with custom packaging, we produce branded cartons in appropriate quantities. Design includes customer branding while maintaining our quality information standards. Custom packaging production adds modest per-egg cost but is standard for many B2B relationships.

Packed cartons are stacked onto dispatch trolleys and moved to temperature-controlled dispatch staging areas. Eggs typically spend 2-8 hours in dispatch staging before transport pickup — short enough to maintain peak quality.

Cold-chain transportation

From dispatch staging, eggs travel through various transport segments depending on final destination:

Haryana & Delhi NCR direct delivery: Our own temperature-controlled vehicles drive eggs directly from farm to customer. Delivery routes planned for morning arrival. Vehicle interiors monitored for temperature compliance.

Major metro transport: Temperature-controlled truck transport to regional hub facilities in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad. Transit time 24-48 hours depending on destination. Thermal logging throughout transit.

Regional hub operations: At regional hubs, eggs are transferred to local last-mile delivery vehicles. Brief storage in hub facilities (<24 hours typical). Quality inspection before last-mile dispatch.

Gulf air freight: Temperature-controlled transport to airport, air freight to destination city, customs clearance, local distribution. Total transit time 72-96 hours typical.

Cold-chain is maintained through all transport segments. Temperature excursions trigger investigation and may result in affected batch holds if significant. Customer communication ensures transparency when issues occur.

Last-mile delivery

Last-mile delivery — from local hub to customer's actual doorstep — is often the most variable and customer-facing part of supply:

Home delivery (families): Delivery typically within 2-hour arrival windows. Customer notification before arrival. Delivery confirmation photo if customer is not home (for safe placement at door). Scheduled delivery days for subscription customers.

Commercial delivery (restaurants, hotels): Early morning delivery windows typical (6-9 AM before shift start). Dedicated contact person at customer facility. Signed delivery receipt for B2B documentation.

Wholesale delivery (distributors, retailers): Delivery to warehouse, loading dock, or retail storage. Larger quantity handling. Coordination with customer receiving protocols.

Institutional delivery (hospitals, schools): Strict timing per institutional meal service schedules. Security-cleared delivery personnel for restricted facilities. Documentation compliance for institutional procurement.

Delivery issues and how we handle them

Honest assessment: delivery issues happen occasionally. Weather delays, traffic problems, vehicle breakdowns, last-mile logistics hiccups. Our approach to handling issues:

Proactive communication: If we know about a delivery delay before it affects the customer, we communicate immediately. No silent delays that surprise customers.

Quick resolution: Most delivery issues get resolved within hours rather than days. We maintain reserve logistics capacity specifically for handling disruptions.

Customer inconvenience compensation: For significant delivery failures affecting business operations (missed morning delivery to a restaurant, for example), we compensate through credit notes, free replacement supplies, or other appropriate measures.

Post-incident review: Every significant delivery issue triggers review of logistics processes. Recurring issues prompt systemic changes. Individual failures get addressed with specific corrective actions.

Our on-time delivery rate across all routes and destinations runs above 95%. Specific routes and customer contracts may have higher guaranteed rates with SLA commitments. Delivery reliability is measured and reported rather than claimed.

Cold-chain handling during Indian weather extremes

India's weather creates cold-chain challenges unknown in temperate climates:

Summer (April-June): Temperatures can exceed 45°C in our Haryana region. Vehicle cooling systems operate at maximum capacity. Loading protocols emphasise minimising door open time. Routes may be adjusted to avoid midday heat when possible.

Monsoon (June-September): Humidity spikes create condensation risks. Packaging absorbs moisture if exposed. Transport routes may be disrupted by flooding. Delivery windows widen to account for weather uncertainty.

Winter (December-February): Cold weather generally helps cold-chain but creates fog-related transport delays in north India. Early morning deliveries may be delayed for visibility.

Each season has specific protocols. Our operations adjust continuously based on conditions. Customer communication increases during weather-affected periods.