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A delicious journey from Rs 80 to 1600 crore
About 52 years ago, some ordinary, less educated women from a poor household thought of making money with almost no capital. Imagine what could have been done with no special qualifications other than making meals or experience of doing normal household chores. After thinking about all the options, they decided to make papads and earn money. The unique journey of Lijjat Papad started with the name 'Shri Mahila Gruh Udyog Lijjat Papad.'
The day of 15th March 1959 is a special day for Lijjat Papad because, on that day, these women started making papads by borrowing 80 rupees from a social worker named Chhaganlal Karamshi Parekh. On the very first day, they made 4 packets of papad sitting on the terrace of their houses. They sold these papads to a familiar trader in the Bhuleshwar market in Mumbai. Gradually, other women also joined them. In the first year, the company's sales were Rs. 6196 only.
Production had to be stopped for 4 months because the papads could not be dried during the rainy season. This problem was uniquely solved using a simple cot and stove. The burning stove was placed under the cot so that the papad on the cot could get dry even in the rainy season.
Over time, other needy women also started joining, and after three years, about 300 women became members of Lijjat Papad. It was not possible for many women to weave papads in one place; therefore, the knitted flour was given to the members. They used to take it home, make papads, get them dry and bring them back. In 1962, those women named the home industry "Lijjat," which means "delicious."
All the raw materials are purchased by the Mumbai branch and sent to the rest of the branches from there in order to maintain the same quality and taste of papad made in all these different places. Lijjat aims to make women self-employed, so machinery is not used at any level of production. Today, Lijjat has also started a business of khakhra, bakery, wheat flour, spices, bread, detergent, etc., by doing the brand extension. To date, more than 43,000 women are employed working in 69 branches across India. The one-year turnover of Lijjat Papad, which started with a capital of just Rs 80, has now crossed Rs 1600 crore. Lijjat has become a symbol of women's empowerment in India.
Papad, a little brand that was launched on the roof of a house in Mumbai with a view to passing the spare time, is nowadays exported to America, England, Middle Eastern countries, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Holland.
Lijjat Papad was not started with a big dream or even never thought about creating a brand. The only reason for being a brand was that papads were made at home in India at that time, and there was no national brand. Lijjat filled this vacancy and became the first and largest brand in the segment.
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