Cover Story
AAHAR 2017 Special
BEDEKAR Over 100 years old, V P Bedekar & Sons is one of the early entrants in the Indian pickles and spices industry
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aving started its journey as a small grocery shop in Girgaum, Mumbai, V P Bedekar & Sons has become a synonym of pickles and spices in India, especially Maharashtra. It was founded by V P Bedekar in the year 1910. His son V V Bedekar (Annasaheb Bedekar) joined the business in 1914 at the age of 13. To remain competitive and progressive, he started manufacturing spices in 1917 and pickles in 1921. Soon he attracted a growing and loyal clientele for spices, pickles and papads. Following the success, to cater to increasing demand, Annasaheb Bedekar started five manufacturing units and formed a private limited company in 1943. During the leadership of his eldest son Trimbak Bedekar, who was at the helm from 1961 till 1993, the company scaled new peaks. Today, brand Bedekar is a household name in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and other metros of India. Bedekar products are also available in USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, UK and other countries. At present Vasant Bedekar, the youngest son of Annasaheb, heads the company along with the fourth generation of Bedekars – Atul and Ajit Bedekar. Bedekar pickle range includes 12 traditional varieties – mango pickle, lime pickle, mixed pickle, green chilli pickle,
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FO O D & H O S P I TA L I T Y WO R L D
sweet lime pickle, Vadu mango pickle, mango chilli pickle, mango lime pickle, lime chilli pickle, sweet mango pickle, chunda and bittergourd mango pickle. Whereas, its chutneys are acclaimed in most Indian households; the range offers garlic chutney, groundnut chutney, Karala chutney, sesame chutney, linseed chutney and metkut. A unique food accompaniment offering of Bedekar is Raslimbu, a spiced fruit sauce. It can be used as a pickle or a sauce. Its tangy, sweet, sour and hot taste makes Raslimbu a distinct product. Raslimbu is useful with day-to-day meals like Roti or rice. It can also be used on pizzas and pastas. Other Bedekar products include seasonal spices, pure spice powders, blended spices, instant mixes and Satwik food products. Bedekar products are sold through a strong distribution network. Maharashtra, which is Bedekar's stronghold, has about 150 distributors. In Mumbai the distribution of Bedekar products is the strongest. It services more than 7000 retail outlets weekly. Bedekar products are registered with almost all modern trade retail ctores such as Food Bazaar, Reliance Fresh, More, D'mart, Haiko, Magnet, Hypercity, etc. Additionally, Bedekar caters to reputed hotels and restaurants in Mumbai. â–
MARCH 2017