Lijjat Papad is famous not only in India but all around the world, but many are not aware that this household name came from modest beginnings and Lijjat Papad made a name for itself thanks to the effort of seven women who invested Rs 80 to found a cooperative in 1959. Now, Lijjat Papad is a multi-million dollar organisation that has helped thousands of women and is one of the most respectable businesses.
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Lijjat was created by seven Gujarati women from Mumbai who wanted to support themselves and were fond of cooking. In the 1950s, these women received a loan of Rs 80 from a social worker and Servants of India Society member Chhaganlal Karamsi Parekh.
With this money, the women bought a papad manufacturing company that was in the red and invested in the tools and equipment required to start making papads.
Lijjat Papad then created a cooperative organisation. Initially, young girls joined the organisation, but later the age of admission was raised to eighteen. Within three months, close to 25 women were working in the papad industry.
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In its first year, Lijjat Papad generated sales of Rs 6,196, and the damaged papads were shared with the neighbours in the area. Through stories in the media and word-of-mouth publicity, the cooperative got a lot of recognition. By the second year, the workforce increased to 100-150, and by the third year, it crossed 300.
The business then decided to brand the products Lijjat in 1962 which means “tasty” in Gujarati. The organisation was known by its formal name, Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. By 1962-1963, papad sales had reached Rs 1,82,000 annually.
In 2002, Lijjat generated $300 billion in revenue and exported Rs 10 billion. It employed 42,000 people in 62 divisions all around the country.
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Today, the net worth of Lijjat Papad, in 2022, is said to be Rs 1,600 crore. They have sold more than 5.5 billion papads till now.
