Bikanervala

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Bikanervala
IndustryFood
Founded1950; 74 years ago (1950)
FounderKedarnath Aggarwal[1][2]
HeadquartersDelhi, India
Brands
  • Bikanervala
  • Bikano
  • Bikano Chat Cafe
Revenue3,000 crore (US$380 million) (2023)[3]
OwnerShyam Sundar Aggarwal
Websitewww.bikanervala.com

Bikanervala is an Indian multinational snack food company and restaurant chain headquartered in Delhi that specializes in Indian sweets and snacks.[4][5] The restaurant chain has 150 locations both in India and globally.[6]

History[edit]

In 1950 two brothers, Kedarnath and Satyanarayan Aggarwal,[7][8] moved to Delhi from Bikaner to plan an expansion of their traditional business. Initially the brothers set up a stall in Chandni Chowk by the name of Bikaner Bhujia Bhandar (lit.'Bikaneri bhujia store'), on Paranthe wali Gali. In the 1960s, they increased their line of products by including more varieties of traditional sweets and namkeens, and opened several shops as Bikanervala in prominent parts of Delhi, including Karol Bagh. The present managing director of the company, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal, joined the family business in 1968. Then 16, he had just finished high school and had learned the art of making sweets from his father. In the 1980s, when the Western fast food pizza entered the Indian market, Aggarwal[which?] realized that there was an opportunity to explore more Indian products. Thus, the company opened several outlets in various parts of the country. In 1988, to take the brand globally, they launched Bikano to sell packaged sweets and namkeens. In 1995, the company entered into an exclusive agreement to produce namkeens for PepsiCo's brand Lehar, opening a new plant in Faridabad, Haryana.

The company opened Bikano Chat Cafes in 2003, which are quick service restaurants serving fast food with minimal table service. The Bikanervala and Angan restaurants serve traditional Indian snacks, sweets and namkeens. The company also launched a boutique hotel at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad.

Lawsuit[edit]

In 2012 the company was charged with selling adulterated products. It was alleged that the amount of synthetic dye used in the product exceeded the legal limit, but the company was acquitted.[9]

Operations[edit]

In India, the company has 42 outlets in the National Capital Region alone, and has as many as 12 outlets in the UAE and 7 in Nepal. Bikanervala is also present in New Zealand, Singapore, and the US (two outlets each), and had a recent opening in Qatar.

Manufacturing is based in Delhi, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and Faridabad and Rai in Haryana.[10]

Bikano products are exported to nearly 30 countries including Nepal, Pakistan, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Africa.

Awards[edit]

The company has been awarded one of the Best Sweet Shops in Delhi for 2012, 2013 and 2014 by The Times of India's Food Awards.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Kedarnath Aggarwal, the man who gave Delhi a taste of Bikaner sweets, dies at 86". indianexpress.com/. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Bikanervala chief Kedarnath Aggarwal, once a street vendor, passes away". business-standard.com. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  3. ^ "After Bikaji Foods, Bikanervala to go for IPO in next three years". Business Standard. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Bikanervala to invest 250 crore on expansion". news.franchiseindia.com. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Bikanervala to set up units in Canada, Dubai". @businessline. 2003. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Bikanervala eyes national presence of its snack brand, Bikano". www.businesstoday.in. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Kedarnath Aggarwal, the man who gave Delhi a taste of Bikaner sweets, dies at 86". indianexpress.com. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Bikanervala cheif Kedarnath Aggarwal, once a street vendor, passes away". business-standard.com. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Quantum reprieve: Bikanervala acquitted of charge of selling adulterated sweets". The Indian Express. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Bikanervala to spread wings abroad". oneindia.com. 21 April 2007. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2019.