Every time we take a bite of the beloved melt-in-mouth Parle G biscuits or pop a Mango Bite or Poppins in our mouth we are immediately teleported to our childhood days in our heads. These little packets of happiness are synonymous with our childhood, an everlasting connection to our roots, and a taste that lingers forever. A brand that started before the country was freed from colonial rule has stood the test of time and is now the world’s biggest and most popular brand. Parle’s roots go back to 1929 when Mohanlal Chauhan started the iconic brand drawing inspiration from the Swadeshi Movement. Here’s more about the Chauhan family and how they have kept the legacy business running and expanding to greater heights:
The Sweet Beginnings
The first Parle factory was founded by Narottam Mohanlal Dayal of the Chauhan family in Vile Parle, Mumbai, drawing inspiration from the Swadeshi movement in 1929. Dayal hailed from Pardi near Valsad in Gujarat. He was a tailor by profession before he ventured into the confectionery industry. He had a bakery where he produced goods like bread, buns, rusks, scones, Nankhatai, and turnovers. Motivated by the need to promote Indian goods and aided by the knowledge he had gained during his time in Germany. He travelled by ship to Germany to learn about the trade of confectionery-making, and when he returned, he had the required equipment as well as the essential knowledge to lay grounds for products that are Indian and at par with the existing products in the market. The House of Parle was established with only 12 employees and German-imported equipment, and its delectable snacks and baked goods immediately began leaving a lasting impression on taste buds and grew to be a cult favourite.
However engrossed in the game of manufacturing and expansion, the factory’s founders were too busy to give it a name. As a result, the city of Parle, where the company was created, became the name of the first Indian-owned confectionery business in the country.
His five sons, Maneklal, Pitambar, Narottam, Kantilal, and Jayantilal, were quite invested in their father’s business and helped him in operating the shop.
However, establishing a business in the already crowded market of the confectionery sector required competing against expensively packaged European candies and toffees. However, this did not stop Narottam and his brother Pitamber from aggressively hawking their homemade orange candies and toffees at every shop in their neighbourhood. At the time, the factory turned over Rs 50,000 and produced 40 tonnes annually as per Your Story. The family chose to curtail their losses and sell the mill to WH Brady and Company in 1934 as a result of the dramatic rise in sugar prices. However, while the talks were going on, Parle made a profit of Rs 3,000 at that time as per the report.
Family feud over Parle
The original Chauhan family broke up the Parle corporation into three separate businesses, with Parle Agro Products controlling the majority of them. As per The Times of India report, in reality, Jayantilal’s only separation from his four older brothers was himself. The key factor was that Jayantilal led a different lifestyle than his four older brothers. The four oldest brothers each received a portion of the biscuits (confectionary) company, and they remain as a unit to this day. The beverage part was Jayantilal’s share. His two sons divided this portion even further.
Parle Products is now led by Vijay, Sharad, and Raj Chauhan who looks after brands such as Parle-G, 20-20, Magix, Milkshakti, Melody, Mango Bite, Poppins, Londonderry, Kismi Toffee Bar, Monaco, and KrackJack.
Parle Agro began around the1960s, led by Prakash Jayantilal Chauhan (elder son of Jayantilal Chauhan). The company is headed by his daughters Schauna, Alisha, and Nadia who look after beverages like Appy and Frooti.
Bisleri is also under Parle and is led by Ramesh Jayantilal Chauhan, younger son of Jayantilal. He runs it with his wife Zainab Chauhan and their daughter Jayanti Chauhan who has taken over as the Vice-President.
Vijay Chauhan and family currently own parle products and have a net worth of $5.5 billion as per Forbes 2022 data. The majority of the privately held company’s projected $1.9 billion in annual income comes from biscuit sales as per Forbes. The business added cereals and flour to its line of products in 2021.
Parle remains a brand that is loved and favored by all, its products hold a special place in the hearts of every Indian.
