Mahashian Di Hatti

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Mahashian Di Hatti Limited
Type Deemed Public Limited Company
Founded 1919 Sialkot
Headquarters New Delhi
Key people Mahashay Chuni Lal, Mahashay Dharam Pal
Industry Food
Products Chana Masala, Kitchen King, Chunky Chaat Masala

Mahashian Di Hatti Limited is an Indian manufacturer, distributor and exporter of ground spices and spice mixtures under the brand name MDH. It specializes in several unique traditional blends of spices suitable for different recipes (Chana Masala for chickpeas, for example). The company was founded in 1919 by Mahashay Chuni Lal as a small shop in Sialkot. It has since grown in popularity all over India, and exports its products to several countries. It is associated with Mahashay Chuni Lal Charitable Trust.

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[edit] History

Mahashay Chuni Lal started the enterprise in Sialkot (now in Pakistan) on April 13, 1919. In a few years, the spices became very famous and they came to be known as "Deggi Mirch Wale" (the Pot Chilli People), after the name of one of their famous spice mixtures. After the partition of India, Mahashay Dharam Pal, the son of the founder, shifted to Delhi and opened up his shop at Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh under the banner "Mahashian Di Hatti of Sialkot (Deggi Mirch wale)". The name Mahashian Di Hatti means "the Shop of the Magnanimous" in Punjabi.

[edit] Growth

The company initially relied on hand-ground spices, but has since shifted to automated machines, with a capacity of producing 30 tonnes of packaged spices in a day. There are large fully automatic manufacturing plants at Delhi, Gurgaon (Haryana), Nagaur (Rajasthan), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Amritsar (Punjab). It has now a network of over 1000 wholesalers and over 4 lakh retail dealers in India. It was ranked 490th among the unlisted Indian companies in 2000-01.[1] MDH pioneered the marketing of powdered spice mixtures in handy attractive packages. It has been co-opted as member of several committees of the Bureau of Indian Standards. In the last few years, the Exports Division of the company has started exporting the spices to several countries including UK, other European countries, Canada, United States, Japan and Switzerland.

[edit] Famous products

The MDH brand name is very well known throughout India. The products sold under the brand name include single spices (such as chili, coriander and turmeric) as well as blended spice mixtures. There are over 45 products available in over 100 different packages. The more famous ones are Chana Masala (for chickpeas), Sambar Masala (for Sambar), Kitchen King (for vegetables), Chunky Chaat Masala (for chaat), Garam Masala ("hot spice", multi-purpose) and Chicken Masala. In addition to spices, it also manufactures incense sticks, Ayurvedic tooth powder and havan samagri, a mixture for Hindu ritual sacrifices.

[edit] Awards

  • The Institute of Trade and Industrial Development's ITID Quantity Excellence Award, 1994-95
  • Arch of Europe Gold Star for Excellence and Quality, 1999

[edit] Charitable activities

The company has been involved in several charitable and social activities through its sister orgnaization, Mahashay Chuni Lal Charitable Trust. The trust operates a 250-bed hospital, a mobile hospital for slums, and four schools in New Delhi. Various social organizations can get need-based grants from the trust. It also brings out a monthly magazine Sandesh, focusing on traditional family values of India.

[edit] Product recall

In 2006 the Food Standards Agency of UK announced withdrawal of MDH Sambar Masala due to its contamination with Sudan I.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ BS 500: UNLISTED COMPANIES (Business Standard has ranked Mahashian Di Hatti 490th in terms of total income earned during 2000-2001)
  2. ^ Food Standards Agency - MDH Sambar Masala withdrawn

[edit] External links