Whenever we speak of Indian street food, the one name which synonymously comes across our minds instantly is Bikanervala. What started out as a small snack shop in the bylanes of the imperial city of Bikaner in Rajasthan, turned out to be a game-changing revolution in the panorama of Indian culinary and snacking experience. However, it took the able hands of Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal, along with his brother, Satyanarayan Aggarwal in the 1950s, who migrated to Delhi and brought along the secret recipes of the generational sweet shop.
After a few years of struggles in the national capital, where the brothers sold rasgullas and bhujia in buckets across the city, the duo finally landed in a small shop in the Chandni Chowk area. Thereafter, started a whole new journey of the generational recipes, inherited from way back in Bikaner. Gradually getting fame, the brother duo got the tag of Bikanervala, from generations of customers satisfied by their culinary expertise. However, on November 14, 2023, the founder himself, Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal passed away at the age of 86.
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Business pioneer and the founder of the Bikanervala group, Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal passed away on November 14, 2023. While the exact cause of his death hasn’t been disclosed, the Bikanervala group has issued a heartfelt obituary note, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of the legend. For the unversed, Kedarnath was 86 at the time of his death. A statement issued by the Managing Director of the Bikanervala group, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal read as:
“Kakaji’s departure is not just a loss to Bikanervala; it’s a void in the culinary landscape. His vision and leadership will forever guide our culinary journey.”
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To trace the foundation of such a successful street food chain in India, let us travel back in time to the 1950s, and place ourselves in the bustling bylanes of Bikaner in Rajasthan. Kedarnath Aggarwal, along with his brother, Satyanarayan Aggarwal were the second-generation inheritors of their family business, a small sweet shop named Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar. The shop was quite popular amongst everyone, despite the limited varieties of sweetmeats and snacks sold by them. More than the multiplicity, people loved the authentic taste of Indian food, which was simply the result of secret recipes and generational culinary expertise passed down from generations in the Aggarwal family.
Kedarnath Aggarwal was known to be a man of higher ambitions, and within the small shop in the bylanes of Bikaner, he was able to envision a bright and prosperous future ahead. As a result, along with his brother, Satyanarayan, Kedarnath decided to leave their 50-year-old business in Bikaner and migrate to Delhi and try their fortunes. Well, the brother duo did not arrive empty handed, and instead brought along their cherished culinary experience and secret family recipe which became the game changing foundation of the flourishing future awaiting them.
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Breaking out from something already established and to restart from scratch in a new land was a very tough time for the Aggarwal brothers. Since nobody knew them or their fame in Bikaner, it was only the secret family recipes that they brought with them, which could turn out to be their ultimate saviour. And so started a journey of an exceptional food experience as the brother-duo set out selling their masterpiece creations on the streets. It was said that Kedarnath and Satyanarayan used to set out in the streets of old Delhi, with buckets filled with delectable bhujia and rasgullas. With their sincere dedication and hard work, within a short period of time, the national capital began relishing the impeccable taste of Rajasthan.
Gradually, as the taste of their recipes got savoured by the new tastebuds of Delhi, the Aggarwal brothers got a lot of fame and became popular. As a result, the two of them ended up establishing their first stall in the busy locality of Chandni Chowk in New Delhi. Named as the Bikaner Bhujia Bhandar, the shop became famous for its specialities like moong dal halwa, Bikaneri bhujia, kaju katli among others. As their popularity grew, the shop’s name was forgotten, and instead, it was simply identified by the term, Bikanervala, based on the original roots of the Aggarwal brothers.
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What started out as an iconic shop in Chandni Chowk gained momentum by 1968, when the current Managing Director, Shyam Sunder Aggarwal entered the family business at the age of 16. Being an intelligent observer, he slowly understood the need of the contemporary time, wherein western-style food plazas and items like pizza started entering the fast-food market. As a result, Bikanervala was made to expand not just in terms of outlets across the country, but also the brand’s potential of embracing new horizons through newer menu items. Thus, Bikanervala expanded its menu, and started to include a whole new host of Indian recipes, which were an immediate success.
By the 2000s, the initiation of a third-generation development was brought about in Bikanervala by the family’s next lead, Manish Aggarwal. By signing an exclusive agreement with the retail brand, PepsiCo’s wing, Lehar, Bikanervala launched their new range of air-tight packed food label, Bikano. These incorporated traditional Indian dishes, including sweetmeats and snacks air-tightly packed for longer consumption. Moreover, Bikano chat cafes were also launched at the same tight, which were quick service-providing restaurants, with minimal table service.
Fast forward to 2023, nearly everyone is aware of the fame and reputation of Bikanervala, which has become the one-stop destination for a savoury Indian food experience. Speaking about the analytics and numbers of the Bikanervala group, the company at the moment has a total of 42 outlets within the national capital of Delhi itself. Apart from that, Bikanervala also has outlets internationally. As of 2023, it has 12 outlets in UAE and 7 in Nepal. It also has its presence in New Zealand, Singapore and the USA. In India, the company has its manufacturing units in Delhi, Noida, Faridabad and Rai.
Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal’s humble beginnings in establishing the brand, Bikanervala have come a long way now. Gone is the time when only a handful of local people relished handmade, authentic Indian snack items, whereas now the same food is relished by a global base of audiences. Currently, the group exports their products across more than 30 countries worldwide, including US, UK, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa amongst others.
Having come such a long way, one cannot forget the incredible contributions of Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal, the mind behind the retail giant. As he passes away, it is his legacy that lives on through his generational business, now helmed by his grandson. As per The Economic Times, the Bikanervala group has a net worth of Rs. 1300 crores.
Lala Kedarnath Aggarwal inspired everyone with his game changing business journey that unfurled the magnanimous Bikanervala group today.
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