India’s third largest snack company, Bikaji Foods, is a popular choice amongst million of Indians. Its journey began as a stand-alone workshop, stationed in Bikaner. Over the past three decades, Bikaji Foods have emerged as a pan India brand, with an export footprint in more than 35 countries across the world.
Photo Source: Bikaji Foods
New Delhi, December 29: It is rather impossible to deny that Indian snacks and namkeens are irresistible. Whether savoury, crunchy, salty or spicy, Rajasthani namkeens have a large vivid variety of snacks for every taste buds. And Bikaji Foods is one such brands which ensures that the scrumptious ethnic Indian snacks are delivered to you in a convenient and hygienic packaging.
Legend has it that in 1887, Maharaja Shri Dungar Singhji ordered a special variety of savoury snacks (or namkeen) to be prepared for serving to the royal guests. It was then that the cooks of his royal kitchen came up with a light yellow coloured delicious snack named ‘Dungar Shahi Bhujia’. The ruler and his guests savoured this crunchy and addictive snack. Soon, Bhujia became the trademark dish of Bikaner and has earned this city gastronomic fame.
Approximately a century later, Mr. Shivratan Agarwal created a new identity for himself, which lead to the birth of the brand Bikaji. When the technology to produce Bhujia on a large scale was unthought of, he successfully laid the foundation of his dream venture. The name Bikaji is derived from Bika Rao (founder of Bikaner) and Ji, used as a mark of respect in India.
Today, Bikaji has a global footprint and stands tall as the largest producer of Bhujia in the world, with an annual production of 29,380 tonnes. The brand is also one of the largest manufacturers of ethnic snacks. These snacks are enjoyed by millions of foodies across 11 major European, American and Gulf Countries, Australia, Japan and Singapore. A few of its best-selling products include Bikaneri Bhujiya, Crusty Nuts, Baat Cheet Papad, Tana Tan Aloo Bhujia, Sohni Soan Papdi, Anjeer Dry Fruit Barfi, & Mom’s Special Combo.
Bikaji has been consistent with its research & development and innovation throughout the years. With experienced food technologists, it strives to be in competence with the latest trends and technologies. At Bikaji, quality is of paramount importance and we ensure this through a stringent quality control process at every stage, from raw material procurement to the manufacturing process and packaging. Raw ingredients available in the market are sourced and then processed in a safe and hygienic environment. To ensure superior quality, Bikaji’s manufacturing and packaging processes are automated.
Processing, production and packing machines are imported from Germany, Australia, Netherland, China, Taiwan, Italy, and US. Fully equipped chemical and microbiology laboratories are present in the factories to ensure that its products meet international standards. It has acquired international quality standards – ISO 9001:2015, ISO 22000:2005, BRC issue 8 with ‘A’ grade, HALAL certification, EIC approval for milk products processing establishment, APEDA approval for peanut-based products processing. Along with this, a robust Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is integrated with their production systems that aligns demand with production.
Bikaji Foods International Ltd has been a pioneer of Bhujia and Namkeen from past three decades. It stands as the largest producer of Bhujia in the world with a production capacity of more than 120 tonnes per day. It has a wide range of products ranging from Bhujia, Namkeen, Sweets, Papad, Frozen Foods and Western snacks with an international footprint of exporting to over 35 countries. To ensure ease of product serviceability across regions, we plan to set up state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across various strategic locations in the country. This will not only help us deepen our pan-India presence, but also improve operational efficiency and reduce logistic costs as well as preserve the freshness of our products and ensure efficient delivery.
The Indian Snack industry has been very traditional in terms of processes and automation. Bikaji has been the first of its kind to progress from manual operations to advanced technology and automated production process to optimise our production quality and capabilities. Bikaji Foods’ popularity can be attributed to factors like focus on premium quality, hygiene, placing food products competitively priced to their customers worldwide. The brand is constantly meeting the ever-changing demands and thereby building consumer loyalty.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Stay ahead in the dynamic world of trade and commerce with India Business & Trade's weekly newsletter.