Walk into any busy market in Delhi, or spot a sweet box at an Indian household during Diwali, and there is a very good chance it says Bikanervala on it. From Bikaneri Bhujia to Kaju Katli, this brand has become a household name across India and even beyond. But have you ever wondered who owns Bikanervala and how it all started? Here is everything you need to know.
Where Did Bikanervala Begin?
The story of Bikanervala goes all the way back to 1905. A small sweet shop called Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar was started by Shri Lal Chand Agarwal in the Kote Gate area of Bikaner, Rajasthan. The shop sold a handful of sweets and namkeen made for the local Bikaneri taste.
The real turning point came in 1950. Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal and his brother Satyanarayan Aggarwal, who originally belonged to Bikaner, came to Delhi to set up their own shop. In the beginning, the two brothers used to sell bhujia and rasgulla in buckets on the streets of old Delhi. It was not easy, but their hard work and unique taste slowly won over the hearts of Delhi people.
The people of Delhi liked their food so much that they gave the brothers a new name: Bikanervala. That is literally how the brand got its name, from the customers themselves.
Who is the Founder of Bikanervala?
Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal is the founder and chairman of Bikanervala. He passed away on November 14, 2023, at the age of 86. He was fondly called "Kakaji" by his family and the entire Bikanervala team. His journey from a street vendor to a Rs 1,300 crore brand is one of the most inspiring business stories in India.
Who Runs Bikanervala Today?
Bikanervala is a family-run business that has now passed through three generations of the Aggarwal family.
Shyam Sundar Aggarwal is the Managing Director of Bikanervala Foods Pvt. Ltd. He is a second-generation entrepreneur who joined the family business in 1968 at the age of 16 to learn the art of making sweets from his father. Under his leadership, the brand grew from a small shop to a full-scale food company.
Suresh Goel is the current CEO of Bikanervala Foods.
The third generation is also very much involved. Manish Aggarwal, the third-generation entrepreneur, joined the business in 2000 and helped expand the Bikano brand into new markets, secured export licenses, and grew the empire to a value of Rs 1,300 crore.
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What is Bikano and How is it Connected?
In 1988, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal launched Bikano to sell packaged sweets and namkeens in air-tight packaging so that they could reach customers across India and the world. Today, Bikano is a separate but connected brand under the same Bikanervala family.
What started as a small namkeen shop in Bikaner over 100 years ago is today a global brand. The Aggarwal family has kept the recipes authentic while growing the business with every new generation. That is the real secret behind Bikanervala's success.
