Rahultalreja11/sandbox
Company typePrivate Limited
Founded1976
HeadquartersRajkot,Gujarat,India
Key people
Bhikhubhai, Chandubhai & Kanubhai virani
ProductsWaffers , Namkeen
RevenueRs. 1000 crore
Number of employees
1500
Websitehttp://www.balajiwafers.com/

Balaji, based in Rajkot in western India, manufactures and distributes potato chips and other grain-based bagged snacks in flavours such as masala.[1] It is a leading potato wafers and Namkeen brands in India.“Balaji Wafers” is a house-hold name not only in the state of Gujarat but also holds a premier position in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhyapradesh and Goa markets when it comes to namkeen, started as a micro business it has evolved into a Rs 3500 crore company (according to third party valuation) of quality products with an indigenous taste giving tough competition to multinational food processing giants despite price competitiveness.

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History

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The story started in 1972, when Virani and his brothers Bhikhubhai, Kalubhai and Meghjibhai migrated from a small village Dham in Jamnagar district to Rajkot. Popatbhai Virani, a farmer who sold ancestral agriculture land and gave Rs. 20,000 to his sons to venture into business.

Viranis invested money given by their father in farm equipments business, but could not succeed and lost the money.Chandubhai Virani and his brothers started wafer business from a canteen of a cinema hall in Rajkot in 1974. Till 1989, wafers used to be made at Virani's house and distributed in and around Rajkot city. [3]

Warehouse / Production Capacity

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Balaji's Valsad unit, which has a wafer manufacturing facility of 2,200 kg per hour, is one of the largest potato wafer-making units in Asia. The company had sourced the entire plant from China.[4]

Market Share

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“ Balaji’s share of the local potato and vegetable chips market grew to 13.7% in 2012, from 9.5% in 2008, ”according to researcher Euromonitor, while PepsiCo’s share fell from 69.7% to 56.8%.[5]

Products & Services

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Wafers[6]

  1. Plain-Wafers
  2. Chat-Chaska-Wafers
  3. Kela-Mari-Wafers
  4. Masala-Wafers
  5. More-Wafers
  6. Simply-Salted-Wafers
  7. Kela-Masal-Wafers
  8. Tometo-Wafers

Namkeens[7]

  1. Aloo-Sev
  2. Chanal-Dal
  3. Chataka-Pataka-Masala
  4. Farali-Chevdo
  5. Gathiya
  6. Khatta-Mitha-Mix
  7. Mung-Dal
  8. Ratlamisev
  9. Shing-Bhujia
  10. Chataka-Pataka-Tomato
  11. Masala-Shing
  12. Tikha-Mitha-Mix
  13. Vatana

Achievement

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  1. Economic Time recognized Balaji Group as 'Sultan of Wafers'[8]
  2. international magazine i.e. Asia Pacific food online published a special article with 'Chip Off the Old Block' tag.[5]
  3. Balaji Group is also a member of Snacks Food Association.

Subsidaries

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Iscon Balaji Foods

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It is a joint venture between Balaji Wafers, Iscon Group and SP Chips Potato Pvt Ltd is a manufacturer of potato flakes in Gujarat, India The company manufactures potato flakes for the urbane consumers.The plant is with a capacity to manufacture 1200 kilos of potato flakes is set up near Boriavi, a small town between country's milk capital Anand and Nadiad.[9]

References

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