Pune’s Chitale Bandhu to expand presence in India, overseas markets

Known for its popular Bakarwadi snack, Chitale Bandhu derives a significant portion of its revenue from this product. Indraneel and Kedar Chitale represent the fourth generation of the Chitale family, which has been involved in this business for 75 years.

The new Ranje Vision Park facility will consolidate various production plants into one location, allowing older plants to be repurposed, Indraneel Chitale, a partner at Chitale Bandhu, said. The company is also expanding into new markets, both in India and internationally. This new production facility will help meet the increasing demand from these markets, aligning with their strategy to tap into the growth opportunities in the ethnic packaged food segment, which is expected to rise from Rs 50,000-60,000 crore to around Rs 1.5-1.75 lakh crore.

The 25-acre Ranje Vision Park, with an investment of Rs 250 crore, has established two independent production units dedicated to sweets and savouries, with a combined output of 40 tonnes per day. According to Kedar Chitale, their facility will be open to customers, with viewing galleries that showcase the fully automated production process.

Chitale Bandhu currently has 1.25 lakh touchpoints across 10 states. It plans to expand to five lakh touchpoints. Approximately 8% of the company’s sales come from exports, which they aim to increase to 20% within the next three years. Chitale Bandhu is a family-owned business with revenues in the four-figure range, focusing on the premium end of the market with quality ingredients and superior food.

The Chitale family is financing this expansion through internal resources and has no plans to seek external funding or go public.

This year, the company plans to open six quick-service restaurants and launch its first casual dining restaurant in Pune, with plans to expand gradually. 

The Maharashtra Chief Minister is slated to inaugurate the new plant on April 16.