You might have feasted on that green and red savoury snack known as bhujia and there are very high chances the name on the brand says Haldiram’s. Ranging from sweets in restaurants to flavourful packaged snacks, Haldiram’s has got it all and has become a snack time favourite for almost everyone. But have you ever wondered who actually is the mind behind this brand? Let’s find out.
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Who was the Founder of Haldiram's?
Source: Business Remedies
Before we dive into the ownership, it is quite important to know about how this idea came into existence. Haldiram's started in 1937 in Rajasthan's Bikaner. A young man known as Ganga Bhishan Agarwal, affectionately called Haldiram ji, began selling bhujia. He had a special recipe, which became well known. The small sweet shop grew into India's largest food brand.
The Haldiram’s website mentions: “Our origins can be traced back to a small namkeen shop in Bikaner founded by Ganga Bishan Agarwal (Haldiram Ji). This modest shop quickly gained popularity and scaled up to meet a booming demand for its unique-tasting bhujia. Building on this legacy, his grandson, our pioneer Mr. Shiv Kishan Agrawal steered the business towards the heights it has tasted today.”
The credit goes to him for the establishment of the brand. He was a visionary, both in taste and business. His bhujia was thinner, crunchier and tastier than the one he found everywhere. Over the years his family continued the tradition and grew the business in various regions of India.
Who is the Owner of Haldiram's?
Now here is where things get interesting. Haldiram's doesn't have a single owner. It is owned by two distinct branches of the family, running three different entities across India.
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Haldiram's Nagpur is owned by the Shivkisan Agarwal branch of the family. This is responsible for the South and West Indian markets.
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Haldiram's Delhi is operated by the Manohar Lal and Madhusudan Agarwal branch. This is the most-visible unit in the world and covers North India, exports and overseas.
Source: Haldiram
However, as of now the company has merged into a single unit forming Haldiram Snacks Food. The Forbes mentions: “Haldiram Snacks Food was created two years ago when eldest brother Shiv Kishan Agrawal, 84, merged his Nagpur-based Indian snack maker, Haldiram Food International, with Haldiram Foods, run by his younger siblings Manohar Lal Agarwal, 70, and Madhusudan Agarwal, 69, in Delhi.”
Haldiram's is not the property of just one individual or corporation. It's a shared family enterprise, which was earlier divided into units between Agarwal family who owe all their success to Ganga Bhishan Agarwal, the founder of the brand. From humble beginnings making bhujia in Bikaner to becoming the world's biggest snack company, Haldiram's is proof of the power of Indian entrepreneurship.
