Executive Summary
Brotani Ventures, a Malaysian agrifood startup, partnered with Qarbotech to tackle the challenges of cultivating premium MD2 pineapples, which typically take 16 months to mature and carry high labour costs. The goal was to shorten the growth cycle, improve fruit sweetness, and enhance yield consistency for premium market access.
Through biweekly applications of QarboGrowTM between June 2024 and August 2025, Brotani achieved significant results: average fruit weight increased by 32% (1.40 kg vs. 1.06 kg untreated), sweetness rose by 14% (17.6 °Bx vs. 15.4 °Bx), and the crop cycle shortened by up to two months. These improvements translated into higher yields, faster turnover, reduced input costs, and improved sustainability enabling Brotani to expand cultivation and strengthen its farm-to-bottle business model with confidence.
Introduction
Brotani Ventures is a Malaysian agrifood startup based in Shah Alam, founded with a mission to grow sustainably farmed produce and transform them into value-added products that promote healthier lifestyles. Beyond their signature fresh fruit offerings, the company produces cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and curated fruit bundles, blending agriculture with creativity and consumer wellness.
One of Brotani’s standout products is their signature Pina Lima juice, which is centred around the sweet, aromatic MD2 pineapple variety. This pineapple is prized for its low acidity, balanced sweetness, low fibre content, and firm flesh, characteristics that make it ideal for juicing and fresh fruit cuts.
At Brotani, ripe pineapple flesh is cold-pressed and often blended with lime for a refreshing vibrant twist.
To ensure complete control over the quality of their produce, Brotani’s founders made the strategic decision to start their own smallholder farm, managing everything from soil to harvest, allowing them to take a sustainable farm-to-bottle approach via a 2.8 acre plot in Bukit Cherakah, Shah Alam and a 5-acre plot in Yan Kedah.
Problem Statement
Brotani has sought out Qarbotech to address key challenges in MD2 pineapple cultivation. The current cycle requires approximately 16 months to reach harvest, resulting in high labour costs averaging three workers per month. Shortening the cycle to 14 months would significantly reduce costs and improve efficiency. At the same time, achieving consistency in fruit sweetness remains an issue, with juicers often relying on refined sugars that increase expenses and raise health concerns. There is therefore a pressing need for a solution that can shorten the harvest period while ensuring consistent fruit quality, eliminating the dependence on refined sugars to achieve both cost savings and health benefits.
“The MD2 variety typically takes about 16 months to reach harvest, which translates into significant labour costs — roughly three workers per month across the cycle. Our goal in working with Qarbotech is to reduce this to 14 months, which would deliver measurable cost savings and greater efficiency. At the same time, we want to standardise fruit sweetness without relying on refined sugars, ensuring consistency, natural quality, and long-term sustainability in the cultivation process.” — Aizat Long, CEO, Founder, Brotani.
QarboGrowTM Application
Between June 2024 and August 2025, Brotani applied QarboGrow biweekly as a foliar spray diluted at a 1:100 ratio. The results were notable and measurable.
Fruit Weight
Brotani’s treated plants showed a significant increase in average yield. The pineapples that received QarboGrow achieved an average fruit weight of 1.40 kg per plant, compared to 1.06 kg for the untreated plants, marking a 32% increase in yield and an important milestone for Brotani’s market aspirations.
Fruit Quality
Beyond yield, fruit quality also improved significantly. The sweetness of pineapple is typically measured using Brix (°Bx), with levels above 15.5 °Bx considered premium and those above 17.0 °Bx regarded as exceptional.
The MD2 pineapples treated with QarboGrow reached a Brix level of 17.6 °Bx, compared to 15.4 °Bx in the untreated control group, representing a 14% increase in Brix. This translated into sweeter and less tangy pineapples with a smoother texture and reduced fibre, making the fruit highly appealing for premium juicing.
Production Cycle
QarboGrow also accelerated Brotani’s production cycle. MD2 pineapples are known for their more extended growth period, typically taking 14 to 18 months to reach harvest maturity due to their premium characteristics.
Plants treated with QarboGrow reached harvest maturity 1 to 2 months earlier than the standard cycle. This acceleration will allow Brotani to turn over its fields more quickly, enhancing revenue cycles and increasing the efficiency of its farm operations.
This is an evolving story:
More information will be shared on the harvest maturity timeframes from time to time.
ROI
ROI data indicators suggest that the use of QarboGrow contributed to higher revenue per hectare through both yield and quality improvements, faster time to market, and reduced input costs.
Healthier and more efficient plants required fewer chemical treatments and fertilisers, lowering operational expenditure while improving sustainability outcomes.
This is an evolving story:
More information will be shared on the ROI from time to time.
Conclusion-Proof of Possibilities
With QarboGrow, Brotani saw the potential to enhance fruit sweetness, uniformity, and appearance while shortening crop cycles to cut labour costs.
“I’m extremely happy with the results we’ve seen from the trials. The positive feedback, especially through Google reviews, has been very encouraging. It has given me the confidence to take the next step — cultivating another five acres of MD2 pineapples in Yan, Kedah, and opening our next juice bar to bring this quality directly to more customers.” — Aizat Long
About Qarbotech
Qarbotech is an award-winning agritech company headquartered in Puchong, Malaysia, dedicated to advancing sustainable farming solutions. Its flagship product, QarboGrow™, is pioneering a new era of global food production defined by efficiency, resilience, and environmental responsibility. Guided by the vision “Harnessing Light, Enriching Lives,” Qarbotech empowers farmers to enhance productivity, strengthens food security, and contributes to a greener planet. Recognised internationally, the company has won the Future Food Asia Award, been named to Norrsken’s Impact 100 (Cleantech Category) and featured on Nasdaq Tower in Times Square, and was selected among the Top 25 Climate Tech Startups in Asia-Pacific.
About QarboGrow™
QarboGrow™ is a groundbreaking innovation in sustainable agriculture. Developed using nanocarbon material derived from agricultural waste, this biocompatible and eco-friendly compound enhances photosynthesis, enabling plants to utilise sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide more efficiently. The results are transformative: increased yields, reduced fertiliser dependency, and improved crop resilience under challenging climate conditions.
Call to Action
Ready to take your crop cultivation to the next level? Contact us to explore opportunities or schedule a consultation on how QarboGrow can be integrated into your agricultural practices for greater efficiency, consistency, and sustainability.
