Balaji Group

Balaji Group

Type	Private Limited
Founded	1976
Headquarters	Rajkot, Gujarat, India
Key people	Bhikhubhai, Chandubhai & Kanubhai Virani
Products	Wafers , Namkeen
Revenue	Rs. 1000 crore
Number of employees	1500
Website	http://www.balajiwafers.com/

Balaji, based in Rajkot, Gujarat, India, manufactures and distributes potato chips and other grain-based bagged snacks in flavours such as Magic Masala.^[1] Started as a micro business it has evolved into a Rs 4000 crore company (according to third party valuation) of quality products with an indigenous taste.

^[2]

History

The story started in 1972, when Virani and his brothers Bhikhubhai, Chandubhai, Kanubhai and Meghjibhai migrated from a small village 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]

By the overwhelming retail success they inspired to set a semi automatic plant. Instead of preparing wafers by the traditional frying method this semi automatic plant boosted the quality, taste and more sales also. The fame of taste reached to the whole Gujarat hence it was time to take over the whole Gujarat so the biggest automatic plant of Gujarat came into the picture.

In the initial stage Balaji Group had set up their plant at Aji Vasad (Industrial Zone, Rajkot) with their new concept of making the potato chips. The main benefit they got is the readymade infrastructure availability due to which their cost is reduced to larger extent. They have operated over there around 20 to 22 years.

Now Balaji Group has set up their new fully automatic plant near Metoda G.I.D.C. which is in the area of the village named Vajdi(vad) and also outside the town of Valsad. ^[4]

Warehouse / Production Capacity

Balaji's Valsad unit, which has a wafer manufacturing facility of 2,200 kg per hour, is one of the largest potato chips-making units in Asia. The company had sourced the entire plant from USA, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Japan and China.^[3]

Market Share

“ 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%. Balaji also dominates in the western market with a share of 70%. In its home state Gujarat, it has a share of 90%.^[1]

Products & Services

Wafers^[5]

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. Tomato-Wafers

Namkeens^[6]

1. Aloo-Sev
2. Chana-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

1. Economic Time recognized Balaji Group as 'Sultan of Wafers'^[7]
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.

Subsidiaries

Iscon Balaji Foods

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.^[8]

References