The path taken by Bipinbhai Vitthal Hadwani, the chairman and managing director of Gopal Snacks Limited, is a living example of the adage “where there is a will, there is a way.”
From modest beginnings, Hadwani has built an empire of snacks valued at Rs 5,507 crores. Gopal Snacks is currently one of the top snack brands in the nation, with almost four lakh merchants.
Bipinbhai Vitthal Hadwani is an inspiration for her path from peddling snacks on a bicycle to running an empire worth Rs 5,507 crores. Hadwani’s father was originally from Rajkot, Gujarat, and he had owned a traditional Gujarati snack business. After observing his father run the company, Hadwani became inclined to do the same. Over time, he honed his entrepreneurial abilities and came up with ideas on how to take the family business to the next level.
Hadwani’s father gave him a loan of Rs 4,500.
Given his obstinacy, Hadwani’s father gave him Rs 4,500, assuming he would spend money and put his plans to launch his own company on hold. Together with a buddy, Hadwani formally entered the snack market at that time, using the funds to launch his ventures.
He and his companion split ways after four years, with him receiving ₹2.5 lakh as his share. He wanted to use that cash to grow Gopal Snacks even further.
Together with his spouse, he bought a new home in 1994 and converted it into a factory in order to carry on the company. Working day and night, the pair met Rajkot businessmen and shops to sell their wares.
In the house that was converted into a factory, Hadwani’s wife, Dakshaben Bipinbhai Hadvani, used to make the snacks.
Their efforts paid off as the market for their snacks began to grow, leading them to eventually establish a plant outside of Rajkot. However, the factory had to be shut down because of operational problems.
In order to start a company in the city, Bipinbhai Vitthal Hadwani then obtained a loan. Thanks to his diligence and enthusiasm, Gopal Snacks has grown to become the fourth-largest snack brand in the nation.
