Savoring The Sweet Taste Of Success

A brand is often born at one place, before moving out of the city then regional, then national and soon international. Entrepreneur unveils the story of one such tastemaker, on taking the Indian taste global, Bikanervala.

- Punita Sabharwal

Bikaner is one of the cities in Rajasthan, famous for its namkeens (savory) and sweets. In fact, such relished sweets and namkeens are prepared in every household. Those who have been to the city, must have tasted namkeens at Lalji, the 100-year-old shop, which gave birth to the brand ‘Bikanervala’. In 1950, Shyam Sunder Aggarwal’s father and uncle moved to Delhi in search of business to explore expansion. They soon set up a stall in Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets in old Delhi, to sell sweets. “Initially they used to sell their sweets by setting up tents and in marriages; we had our own workers, who used to prepare those,” reminisces Aggarwal, a second generation entrepreneur. They soon opened a small shop by the name of Bikaner Bhujia Bhandar in Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk. In the 60s, they increased their products, which included more varieties of traditional sweets and namkeens, and opened several shops as Bikanervala in prominent parts of Delhi, like Karol Bagh.

In 1965, Aggarwal’s father asked him to join the business. Then 16, he had just finished high school. Learning the art of making sweets from his father, he started experimenting with the products. Remembering the early days, Aggarwal says, “In Delhi at that time, people were not familiar with kaju barfi or sponge rasgulla, we introduced it to them.” Sharing his father’s memories, Aggarwal says, “My father was concerned about quality. His idea was to improve quality, so that we can serve the best to the customers. He wasn’t very much worried about profit or loss.”