Kedarnath Aggarwal, chairman of one of India’s largest and most well-known packaged snacks and sweets companies, Bikanervala Group, scripted one of India’s best-known stories in ethnic snacking. He leaves behind a rich legacy of resilience and determination, having passed away on Monday at the age of 86.
In the 1950s, Kedarnath Aggarwal, alongside his brother Satyanarayan Aggarwal, initiated the Bikanervala journey as street vendors in Old Delhi. Armed only with a legacy from their hometown in Bikaner and an unwavering determination to succeed, they began their entrepreneurial venture. Fondly known as Kakaji by family and friends, Kedarnath, the patriarch of the Bikanervala Group, commenced his odyssey with a modest family “business” – a single sweet shop named Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar in Bikaner.
Despite humble beginnings, the brothers decided to expand their enterprise and relocated to Old Delhi, a move that brought with it numerous challenges in the early days. Kedarnath and his brother, starting with the sale of bhujia and rasgulla in buckets on Old Delhi’s streets, faced adversity with resilience. Remaining steadfast in their pursuit, they eventually established a shop in Delhi’s Chandini Chowk, gradually constructing their business brick by brick, incorporating both resilience and cherished recipes from their hometown of Bikaner.
Today, the group commands a turnover of INR 1,300 crore, with a presence spanning over 150 outlets across India and overseas. The Bikanervala restaurants, as per the company’s records, witness a monthly footfall of one crore, a number that surges during festive seasons.
Competitors in the western snacks market, such as PepsiCo, ITC, Prataap Snacks, or Parle Products, have consistently failed to erode the commanding market share held by the triumvirate of Bikanervala, Haldiram’s, and Bikano.
The current snack market is valued at INR 1.5 lakh crore, with only 55% organized, making it a fiercely competitive industry.
Despite frequent enticements from major corporate entities and private equity firms seeking stake buyouts, the emerging generation of entrepreneurs in the Bikanervala family remains steadfast in resisting such proposals.
“Kakaji’s departure is not just a loss to Bikanervala; it’s a void in the culinary landscape. His vision and leadership will forever guide our culinary journey,” Shyam Sunder Aggarwal, managing director of Bikanervala Group, said in a statement issued on Monday.
The group has a global footprint that extends to the US, New Zealand, Singapore, Nepal, and the Middle East.
