Inspirational Story: Even before India gained independence, in 1907, Vadilal, an ice cream, had modest beginnings in Gujarat. Today, it is a well-known brand all over the nation. The company started making ice creams using the ancient Kothi method, in which milk, ice, and salt were churned together using a hand-operated machine. Today, the company offers its clients over 200 different flavours of ice cream created at its cutting-edge manufacturing facilities. In an interview with Kalpit Gandhi, a fifth-generation family business owner, The Better India learned more about Vadilal’s extensive past.
Vadilal’s Journey from Soda to Ice Cream Delights
Vadilal Gandhi, an Ahmedabad local, launched the company in 1907. He began by selling Coke and later began selling ice cream. The firm was left to Ranchod Lal Gandhi, Vadilal Gandhi’s son, by his father but it was a modest but rapidly expanding one. Vadilal began to concentrate more on ice creams when Ranchod Lal Gandhi took charge of the company. In 1926, Vadilal founded its first ice cream shop. An ice cream maker was imported from Germany for the first time that same year. By the time India gained its freedom, the corporation had four locations spread out over the metropolis. When Ranchod Lal Gandhi’s sons Ramchandra and Laxman Gandhi also joined the company in the early ’70s, Vadilal had expanded to ten locations in Ahmedabad. Vadilal consistently presents a friendly and distinctive rapport with its clients. One of its USPs was that all of its ice creams were 100% vegetarian and were touted as being suitable for consumption even during religious fasting periods. This company always had its finger on the consumer pulse.
Vadilal’s Journey from Gujarat to Global Success
The corporation began looking for strategies to expand into other states after establishing its name in Gujarat, and it started this expansion in 1985. The Gandhi family’s fourth generation had joined the company by the 1990s. This includes Devanshu Gandhi, a son of Laxman Gandhi, and the three sons of Ramchandra Gandhi: Virendra, Rajesh, and Shailesh Gandhi. Vadilal Industries Ltd. was the company’s trading name when it was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in 1990. Due to a family split the same year, two names from the family were added to the BSE. The organisation remains optimistic about generating more income this fiscal year despite clocking a revenue of Rs 650 cores in financial year 2019–20. The company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Kalpit Gandhi, may have grown up hearing tales of the brand’s growth and difficulties. From a business that sought to expand beyond Gujarat, Vadilal now has a thriving exports division. He claims, “The company entered the processed food market in the early 1990s and introduced Vadilal Quick Treat. Vadilal was the first Indian company to provide frozen veggies to the US market in 1995. According to him, Vadilal is currently the best-selling Indian ice cream brand in the US and is available in 45 other nations. While conducting business responsibly is important to the company, Kalpit adds with pleasure that they are also concerned about the environment and working towards. “One of our facilities, in Pundhra (Gandhinagar district, Gujarat), is the largest fully automated facility in the country and is also accredited by the Export Council of India and from the British Retail Consortium, which adds a lot of credibility for us in the international market,” claims Kalpit. Additionally, he points out that all of the wastewater is taken to a treatment plant and used for the lawns and gardens inside the buildings, and that each of their facilities has a green cover of close to 60%.
Vadilal’s Pioneering Legacy in the Ice Cream Industry
Being a part of a firm with so many firsts to its name is something to be proud of, according to Kalpit. In addition to becoming the first ice cream company in India to build a completely automated candy production line, Vadilal was also the first to introduce ice cream dollies, cones, and sundaes. In the 1950s, it also introduced Cassata ice cream, and also offered home delivery of the frozen treat in a specially constructed thermos box. By creating “The Largest Ice Cream Sundae” in November 2001, Vadilal broke its own record and was listed in the Limca Book of Records. 4,950 litres of ice cream, 125 kg of dry fruit, 255 kg of fresh fruit, and 390 litres of various sauces were used to make this ice cream sundae. 180 individuals assembled this sundae in a time-record 60 minutes. Today, a family pack of the Rajbhog-flavored ice cream costs Rs 360 for a 700 ml box, compared to Rs 40 for a slice of their famed Cassata ice cream.The company has made sure to cater to different market groups and also offers a premium line of ice creams, with prices starting at Rs 50 for a 140 ml container. Furthermore, despite having been in existence for more than a century, Vadilal has remained relevant. We have always placed a strong focus on marketing and closely monitoring customer feedback, according to Kalpit. While we advertise on many social media platforms, we also need to maintain direct lines of communication with our clients.
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