Multiverse of Bhujiya: Did you Know there are 4 Different Haldiram's in India?

People from all over India, whether it be Rajasthan, Delhi, West Bengal or Nagpur have Haldiram’s - an Indian snacking brand in their city but very few know that all these Haldiram’s are different from one another. While the brand was started in 1937 in Bikaner, Rajasthan, it has gone through a tale of separation and spin-offs due to family issues and now we have distinct Haldiram’s, ofcourse with different names in different parts of India. But how did this all happen? Let’s dive deep into it. 

Pioneering of Haldiram’s 

Haldiram’s was started by Ganga Bishan Agarwal (Haldiram Ji) a 12-year-old kid who envisioned a business that would make crores and have a worldwide presence. When Ganga Bishan was studying, he got interested in his father’s business of Bhujiya which was very common in Bikaner, Rajasthan. But this kid thought of redefining the traditional form of bhujiya and making it a lot more thinner. This idea of his took the business to new limits and soon Haldiram’s became a big name in Bikaner. 

The Name Game in Kolkata

As the business started gaining popularity, Haldiram planned to expand its presence and his three sons; Moolchand, Satyanarayan, and Rameshwarlal Agarwal joined him. In the 1950s, the businessman set off on a voyage to the city of Kolkata with his sons, Satyanarayan and Rameshwarlal. There, they established the popular brand "Haldiram Bhujiawala.” The business in Kolkata took off really well and gradually Rameshwarlal’s four sons joined the business too. Due to family issues and a dispute over the brand’s name, Prabhu Shankar Agarwal, Rameshwarlal’s son changed the brand's name to Haldiram’s Prabhuji in 1958 and Prabhuji’s son Manish Agarwal launched the exclusive brand of Prabhuji Pure Foods in the 2000s. 

What is Haldiram's called in Nagpur?

If you are baffled by this, the story has just begun. The operations of Haldiram’s were also started in Maharashtra by Shiv Kisan Agarwal, son of Moolchand Agarwal. Named "Haldiram’s Nagpur," the brand opened its first full-production unit to introduce a variety of savouries, sweets and beverages to the Maharashtrian market. Haldiram’s Nagpur then expanded to South India as well.

Haldiram's renamed to Haldiram's in Delhi

But the latest addition to Haldiram’s new venture is Haldiram’s itself. Don’t confuse yourself. After Maharashtra and South India Haldiram’s opened their store in Delhi in 1983. Amongst the fight for the original name, Delhi retained it and so it is known as Haldiram’s in that region. 

What about the original stores in Bikaner?

You might be thinking, what about the original shop in Bikaner if the outlets were named Haldiram's in Delhi? Shiv Ratan, son of Moolchand used to run the original Haldiram's in Bikaner but after the name was given to Delhi, he started his own brand named Bikaji.  

Despite family quarrels, the brand continues to expand its presence in the country and outside. In 1993, the US was the first market they started exporting to and they established Haldiram’s first overseas factory in the UK in 2016.