Vivek Tiwari, Director, Prakash Namkeen, Indore

Indore, Madhya Pradesh, is considered as one of the best places for street food in India. Known for its variety of savouries, it has several businesses offering various varieties of namkeens and sweets. But Prakash Namkeen stands out for being the frontrunner in providing superior quality, mouth-watering namkeens for the past 7 decades.

The enterprise is now helmed by Vivek Tiwari, who is proud to carry forward this legacy of his forefathers. Vivek firmly believes that the premium quality of his products and treasuring one’s team is the recipe for his business success.

GlobalLinker (GL) spoke to Vivek Tiwari (VT) about running the family business, the challenges and opportunities he has faced along the way.

Excerpts from the interview.

GL: Tell us about your family business.

VT: Prakash Namkeen was established in 1940 by my grandfather in Indore. In our journey of growth from a small store in Indore to having pan India presence today, we have had several milestones. The most prominent milestone by us has been the invention of khatta mitha. Today, our invention has become the identity not only for us but also for the entire city of Indore.

Additionally, we make over 100 varieties of namkeens, which is no mean feat for any manufacturer. I think it is all a reflection of our customers’ love. They support us really well. We get suggestions from our customers and we implement this feedback to develop new products. This is why we have such a large variety of products as we try to cater to all our customers’ tastes.

Our brand has been popular from a very early time. Way back in 1986-88, when the television serial Ramayana was hugely popular, we had slots for our advertisements during the show. We continue to keep our brand current and relevant. In 2008-09 we started supplying to the retail giants of India, including Reliance, Big Bazaar and online shopping portals like Amazon & eBay.

GL: What are some of the challenges you face and how do you address these?

VT: Since Indore is the namkeen hub of India, there are more than 1,000 namkeen manufacturers here. Competition  is the biggest challenge. But our quality speaks for itself. The superior taste of our products is achieved with good quality and fresh ingredients. I can proudly say that people who are used to having products from Prakash Namkeen remain our loyal patrons because of our consistent high quality and taste. Other manufacturers are selling the same namkeen at lower price but the quality of our products is unmatched. Moreover, we have an in-house lab for strict quality control. Each product is tested before it is launched in the market.

GL: As an old business, how do you ensure your business is always relevant to target customers?

VT: We keep launching new products according to the changing tastes of our customers. We are keenly aware of the pulse of the market. For instance, nowadays people are very health conscious so we have introduced a large variety of diet namkeens. Innovation is key, and we constantly experiment and deliver as per customer expectations.

We are also aware of the importance of a strong digital presence in this day and age. We are in the process of revamping our website and we have an active Facebook page, and now GlobalLinker presence too.

GL: You have taken over a business you saw from your childhood. What are some of the advantages?

VT: The biggest advantage is that you internalise the industry completely. In our family, we say, namkeen is in our blood. We have been eating these products since childhood, so we have discerning taste buds. On a side, a disadvantage of being in the food industry is that I have to keep tasting food samples, and my gym trainer is not happy about this (laughs).

GL: How do you keep your team motivated?

VT: We encourage experimentation and do not stop the team from playing with namkeen mixtures and creating something new. I believe in creating a happy and open environment at work. Twice a month we organise outdoor activities for our team where we play a sport, like cricket, together. This leads to real bonding amongst the team members.

I also like to take the entire team to places that are in the midst of nature. I feel that the real God is in nature and that beautiful natural surroundings are conducive to great team building activities and open communication. I am like a friend and confidante to my team and I encourage them to openly share all suggestions and grievances.

GL: What is your message to aspiring entrepreneurs?

VK: My message is simple: Love your workers - they are the strength of the company. I believe that in business more than profits, a heart to heart bond with employees, distributors and customers is paramount.  I also believe that one must never compromise on the quality of one’s product. If your product is of superior quality, it will stand the test of time.

Vivek Tiwari is one of the many business owners to access the big business advantage on GlobalLinker. 

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