Journey of Scrap Deal: From Rust to Riches
Quick summary: Scrap Deal is a Pune-based scrap collection and recycling startup founded in 2019 by Jayesh Pakhale, alongside his brothers Vaibhav Pakhale (Co-founder and CFO) and Ganesh Pakhale (Co-founder and COO). Using an app-based model, Scrap Deal connects households, housing societies, and corporates with verified recyclers and kabadiwalas for doorstep waste collection. The company has reportedly recycled over 10 lakh kg of waste, serves over 500 housing societies and 100-plus corporations reaching over a lakh people, supports over 200 waste workers and vendors, and has grown into a business with a reported turnover of around ₹2 crore.
Image Source: The Better India
In the narrow lanes of Pune, where metal clanged and plastic rustled beneath the weight of forgotten waste, began the humble story of Scrap Deal — an idea that would go on to bring more structure, trust, and entrepreneurship to the scrap trading world.
Behind the story stood a determined small businessman named Jayesh Pakhale, who had no legacy business to inherit and no large capital to rely on — only a sharp mind, calloused hands, and an unshakable dream.
Watching the System From Outside
Jayesh grew up watching a small scrap shop nearby. He saw how kabadiwalas worked hard, day and night, collecting, sorting, and selling waste — yet often struggled to make ends meet. The system was informal and fragmented, middlemen took unfair cuts, and most scrap dealers remained largely invisible in society's eyes.
From Pocket Money to a Business Plan
During his final year of graduation, Jayesh began experimenting with small-scale scrap collection using his own pocket money. What started as a side project slowly grew wings. "I'd collect scrap materials from friends and neighbors, weigh them properly, and make sure they went to the right place. It didn't feel like a business then but more like solving a very obvious problem," he recalls.
In 2019, he turned the project into a business. With personal savings and a rented godown, he launched Scrap Deal — a small, organised scrap collection and resale business with a clear mission: to bring respect and value to waste work.
Building a Family-Run Tech Platform
The beginning was anything but easy. Without taking outside investment, Jayesh brought his two brothers on board — Vaibhav Pakhale as Co-founder and CFO, and Ganesh Pakhale as Co-founder and COO. By early 2019, the team had launched a basic version of the Scrap Deal app, working on a model broadly similar to on-demand delivery apps, connecting homes and offices to verified recyclers. Slowly, customers began to trust the service, kabadiwalas joined the network, and what once seemed like scraps became stepping stones.
With more visibility, local municipal bodies and housing societies took notice. Scrap Deal used this momentum to reinvest in logistics — adding pickup vehicles, training its team, and formalising partnerships with recycling plants.
A ₹2 Crore Business Built on Waste
Today, Scrap Deal is reported to serve over 500 housing societies and 100-plus corporations, reaching more than a lakh people through its doorstep collection network, while supporting over 200 waste workers and vendors indirectly. The company has recycled over 10 lakh kg of waste and built a business with a reported turnover of around ₹2 crore — proving that technology, trust, and zero-waste values can meaningfully change livelihoods. The company is also reported to run awareness sessions in schools and housing societies on waste segregation and sustainable recycling.
The man behind this journey, Jayesh, often says: "It's not just about scrap — it's about seeing value where others see waste. Every rusted pipe, every plastic bottle tells a story. And so do we."
He hasn't forgotten his roots. As Scrap Deal continues to grow, Jayesh is reported to personally meet his team, mentor young recyclers, and invest in community education around sustainable waste management.
It is true that Scrap Deal is more than a business. It is a reminder that success doesn't always come from shining offices or heavy investment — it can come from grit, vision, and a deep belief that every small effort matters.
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Respect what others discard — and you'll build something the world will never forget."
Entrepreneurs inspired by Jayesh Pakhale's journey and looking to formalise or scale their own micro or small business — including in recycling, waste management, or the wider sustainability sector — can explore GRO-MSME's advisory and MSME loan services, or read more Wings of Will success stories from India's grassroots entrepreneurs.
This story is compiled from The Better India's reporting on Scrap Deal and Jayesh Pakhale. Figures such as household/society reach, worker numbers, and turnover are as reported by the company and its media coverage, and should be treated as approximate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scrap Deal’s Journey
What is Scrap Deal and who founded it?
Scrap Deal is a Pune-based scrap collection and recycling startup founded in 2019 by Jayesh Pakhale, alongside his brothers Vaibhav Pakhale (Co-founder and CFO) and Ganesh Pakhale (Co-founder and COO).
How does Scrap Deal work?
Scrap Deal uses an app-based model, similar in spirit to on-demand delivery apps, to connect households, housing societies, and corporates with verified recyclers and kabadiwalas for doorstep scrap collection.
How big is Scrap Deal's business today?
Scrap Deal has reportedly recycled over 10 lakh kg of waste, serves over 500 housing societies and 100+ corporations reaching over a lakh people, supports over 200 waste workers and vendors indirectly, and has grown into a business with a reported turnover of around ₹2 crore.
Does Scrap Deal run any community or awareness programmes?
Yes, Scrap Deal is reported to run awareness sessions in schools and housing societies on waste segregation and sustainable recycling practices.