Entrepreneurship was thrust on the Virani brothers at a young age, when drought forced their father to sell ancestral agricultural land and give his sons a mere Rs. 20, 000, with the advice to go forth and start a business.
The road ahead saw Bhikhubhai, Chandubhai and Kanubhai fail at their first venture of fertilizers and then take up working at a boarding mess in Rajkot. Two years later, the brothers got associated with Astron Cinema and performed all necessary jobs with immense sincerity. This led the owner to offer them a profit sharing deal for running the canteen. The Viranis initially bought prepackaged snacks for patrons. Subsequently, the brothers got into sourcing unpackaged wafers and finally started making them themself at their residence.
This was their first own production and soon, the brothers decided to sell their product “Balaji Wafers” not just to the Astron visitors, but also to customers outside. This was easier said than done, due to a harrowing experience of half-eaten packets returned by shopkeepers and soiled notes being paid. However, the Viranis persisted and ultimately created a name that was so deeply respected, that it nearly wiped off all other competition. The moped, which carried the wafers to the MARKET, soon gave way to an auto and then to a tempo taking financial support through a nationalized bank.
Realizing that the key to constant success and profits was quality, The brothers ensured that if cooks failed to show up, he personally made the wafers and insisted on the best quality raw material to make Balaji wafers a premium product. Taking inspiration from the bittersweet experiences in life, the Viranis went on to create different snacks that were then sold under the same brand name of ‘BALAJI’.
The key elements behind the phenomenal success of Balaji are the strong fundamental values of Virani brothers, which chiefly include “Trust, Passion and Steady Hard Work!”
Balaji Wafers began as a micro-retail enterprise in 1974, managed by the Virani brothers at Astron Cinema, Rajkot.
By 1982, spurred by the initiative of Virani brothers, this grew to a home-based manufacturing venture.
A decade later, the brothers set up an international standard automatic plant in Gujarat, with steps to increase capacity and quality.
In 2000, Balaji Wafers installed its first fully automatic plant.
By 2014, Balaji Wafers captured a 70% MARKET share insnacks market.
Today, the company employs more than 1800 personnel in their Rajkot and Valsad manufacturing facilities.
Balaji has the capacity to manufacture 100, 000 kg of potato wafers, along with 500, 000 kg of savouries per day.
Vision
The Company’s Vision, shared by the brothers and the young is to grow into a global giant using modern methods and techniques. The key drivers in this journey of growth will continue to be the age-old traditions of Trust and Quality, without any compromise.
Mission
The company aims to a ‘value for MONEY product’, accessible to consumers all across the country. To accomplish this, the company is seeking to strategically develop a strong and credible distribution network, C&F agents, dealers and retailers. Technology
Balaji Wafers is constantly striving to upgrade its technological strengths with latest machinery and processes. The aim is to manufacture the best possible product, with an eye towards “green” practices and smoother work systems for the staff.
The company was among the first to install a fully automated plant in Gujarat. Quality
Balaji Wafers is committed to providing Quality products and takes extra care to ensure that its high standards are met at every step of production.
Only the best and graded raw materials are used for making the products.
Production is continuous and automatic to ensure Zero human contact to preserve its sterility.
International parameters are strictly adhered to for nutritional and hygienic values.