Haldiram, the Indian company which made Indian cuisine big internationally

Starting as a tiny shop in the lanes of Rajasthan’s Bikaner in 1937, Haldiram has become a global giant in the retail sweets and namkeen sector serving Indian cuisine on a platter. Founder Ganga Bishan Agarwal was fondly known as Haldiram for his wheatish-turmeric complexion and thus the story behind the name which has become a household term for Indian families craving delicious snacks. 

The Agarwals had a kirana store and sold bhujia sev, a yellow-coloured, salted savoury snack. Pavitra Kumar mentions in her book ‘Bhujia Barons’ that Agarwal reinvented bhujia by adding moth (a type of lentil) flour to the snack which used to be made of besan (chikpea flour). 

The idea that led it to all

Through modest beginnings and a decade after India gained independence, the family travelled to Kolkata. Mr. Agarwal was attending a wedding in the city and that’s where he first had the idea to open a shop. That was the first branching out of the Bikaner bhujia business. 

By 1982, Haldiram’s had set up shop in Delhi and the capital had begun to stop by and take note of the savouries and sweets. It was word of mouth that grew the business manifold over the next decade till Haldiram’s came to stand for a food company that was synonymous with taste, hygiene and innovation.

Eventually, the company came to be divided between three distinct areas of operations with Delhi-based Haldiram Snacks and Ethnic Foods in the northern region, Nagpur-based Haldiram Foods International in western and southern regions and a much smaller Kolkata-based Haldiram Bhujiawala in the eastern region. The Delhi business has emerged to be the largest.

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USA was the first overseas market

The USA was the first market where Haldiram started exporting to, thanks to the large diaspora population settled there. The company began its operations with about 15 products, all savouries, and gradually expanded its menu. 

Currently, the Indian company is exporting its products and services to over 60 countries worldwide, including Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, and others.

Tying up with Brioche Dorée

Haldiram has also entered into an exclusive master franchisee partnership with French bakery cafe Brioche Dorée, the world’s second-largest bakery chain. For the first time, the Brioche Dorée cafes will serve only vegetarian food.

Attributing the success of the brand to the family structure that enables faster decision making, Haldiram remarks, “We understand Indian consumers’ snacking habits and ensure that operations including manufacturing and packaging are done in-house to keep quality in check and quickly adjust our portfolio to meet changing trends. Also, since we are family-operated, decision-making is faster,”

Growing sales and market value

According to an ET report, Haldiram in 2019 crossed the $1 billion sales mark in India after business doubled in the prior period of four years. As a result, the US food giant Kellogg wanted to buy a stake in Haldiram and valued it at $3 billion. However, the deal, owing to some internal issues within the factions of the company could never see the light of the day. 

According to a CRISIL report, Haldiram is estimated to register modest revenue growth of 10-11 percent in fiscal 2021 driven by increased demand for packaged foods and snacks, owing to the pandemic. The packaged foods business contributed 85 percent to the group’s turnover.

From selling bhujia sev to selling Kebabs in the middle-east to partnering up with the French giants, Haldiram has indeed come a long way. The company has created a distinct Indian identity on the global map and is proudly serving the deliciousness of Indian snacks to the global audience.