Balaji Wafers is a snack food manufacturer and distributor in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. Founded in 1974, it produces and distributes a variety of

potato chips Potato chips (North American English and Australian English; often just chip) or crisp (British English and Hiberno-English) are thin slices of potato (or a thin deposit of potato paste) that has been deep frying, deep fried, baking, baked, ...

and other grain-based

snack foods A snack is a small portion of food generally eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at home. Traditionally, snacks are p ...

History

The company is owned by Chandubhai Virani, who was born into a family of farmers in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

. At the age of 15, Chandubhai and his brothers Bhikhubhai and Meghjibhai migrated to Dhundhoraji, a small village in Kalavad Taluka,

Jamnagar district Jamnagar District is a district of Gujarat in Western India. Its headquarters are located in the eponymous city of Jamnagar. It hosts the production facilities of large Indian companies such as Reliance. Among its attractions are several palac ...

of Gujarat. Their father, Popatbhai Virani, was a farmer who sold ancestral agricultural land and gave the brothers to venture into business. The family chose the name because there was a Balaji temple just outside the cinema where they started their wafer business. The Viranis invested in farm equipment but did not succeed and lost the money. The brothers then started a wafer business from a canteen at Astron Cinema in

Rajkot Rajkot () is the fourth-largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the ...

, Gujarat, in 1974. Until 1989, the wafers were produced at the Viranis' house and distributed in and around Rajkot city. In 1989, the brothers set up their potato wafer facility near Rajkot at Aji G.I.D.C. (Industrial Zone). Balaji Wafers Private Limited was established in 1992 with four facilities spread across the nation. Balaji Wafers then set up a fully automatic plant near Metoda G.I.D.C. which is in the area of the village Vajdi, outside Rajkot.

Market shares

Balaji's share of the local potato and vegetable chips market grew from 9.5% in 2008 to 13.7% in 2012, according to

Euromonitor International Euromonitor International Ltd is a London-based market research company founded in 1972. The firm is well regarded, and its research database has been described as the "Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the lu ...

. Balaji has a share of 71% in the western market. In

, it has a share of 90%. ''

The Economic Times ''The Economic Times'' is an Indian English-language business-focused daily newspaper. Owned by The Times Group, ''The Economic Times'' began publication in 1961 and it is sold in all major cities in India. As of 2012, it is the world's secon ...

'' recognized Balaji Wafers as ''Sultan of Wafers''. The company posted sales of 5010 Crore Rupees for fiscal year 2023. Balaji Wafers is also a member of the Federation of Sweets & Namkeen Manufacturers (FSNM).

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.balajiwafers.com Food and drink companies of India Companies based in Gujarat Economy of Gujarat Brand name potato chips and crisps Indian brands Indian companies established in 1976 1976 establishments in Gujarat Food and drink companies established in 1976 Rajkot