About Vadilal Group
Started by the late Shri Vadilal Gandhi, Vadilal today is a name familiar in practically every Indian household. Vadilal Group had its humble beginning, more than 95 years ago. The name has become synonymous with Ice Creams. Though, ice cream still remains the core business, over the last few years processed and frozen food products have assumed great significance in the scheme of things.
Today Vadilal group is in diverse businesses like Processed Foods, Chemicals and Speciality Gases, Forex Advisory Services. Head Quartered in Gujarat, the most industrialized State in India, the Group had a turnover exceeding Rs. 1500 million in 1998-1999 major companies of the group are listed in the stock exchanges of India. The group has a large investor base and its brand name ‘Vadilal’ commands an excellent equity.
The Vadilal philosophy of providing its customers quality products and services at affordable price has resulted in the brand being a household name in India.
Processed Foods Division:
Vadilal entered the Horticulture Processing Industry in May 1991.
The best way to ensure total quality is to exercise total control right from the raw material stage onwards. That’s exactly what Vadilal does. Selected fruits and vegetables are grown under the company’s guidance in South Gujarat – the important ‘Fruit Bowl’ of India. It is in close proximity to the Alphanso Mango region. This is where the manufacturing plant is situated.
This plant at Dharampur is a modern unit with a well-equipped laboratory for product development and microbiological testing.
Keeping in view the tremendous export potential for the processed foods Vadilal has set up manufacturing unit having an installed capacity of 5,400 tons per annum.Vadilal is a registered Indian supplier to international mega brands. The products are exported to Europe, USA, Middle & Far East and South East Asia. Vadilal is the leading producers and exporters of mango pulp in the country.
Vadilal has installed an automated line from Mather & Platt for washing, depodding, inspecting, metal winnowing, blanching and cooling fruits and vegetables. Their slicing and dicing is done on imported machines. In order
it preserve freshness and enhance shelf life the food is processed using
‘Individually Quick Frozen’ (IQF) technique. This technology has been imported from Eurotek engineering limited, UK and it involves fluidized belt type continuous freezing. It can process two tons of material per hour, and it provides the flexibility of freezing at varying depths for different durations.
It has all been worth the effort, considering that M/s. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. has awarded the ISO 9002 certification for quality system.
Vadilal was also awarded the certificate of merit for excellent export performance by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority).
Among IQF vegetables the range includes, green Peas, Sweet Corn, Okra, Mixed Vegetables et al. The IQF Fruits range has exotic varieties of the famous Indian Mangoes- Alphonso, Kesar, Totapuri in pulps, slices, cubes in addition to strawberries, Sapota and other ready to eat foods and condiments also from apart from Vadilal’s formidable range.
Forex Advisory Services & FFMC Division:
Vadilal ventured into this segment in April 1996, offering non-banking financial services. The main activities are:
Forex advisory & Forex Exposure Management to Importers and Exporters.
Bullion informative Service on Gold Silver--- A complete useful guidance to bullion traders, importers and jewelers.
LME-Metal informative service bin base and Scrape metals. A complete useful ‘guidance and information to metal traders, importers, and Metal scrap indenting agents.
RBI authorized full-fledged moneychanger –FFMC related transactions: Sale/Purchase of foreign Currency and Traveler’s Cheque.
Construction Division:
This venture was launched in 1994. Here again, Vadilal gave a lot of attention to the two things that matter most in real estate projects one the assurance of sound construction using only the best available raw materials and two timely completion of the projects undertaken.
Vadilal has developed corporate complexes. The office buildings have been designed to offer maximum flexibility in space planning. This takes care of individual needs of office automation and communication. In addition, Vadilal have also kept comfort and convenience in mind. Strategically located in central business districts of Ahmedabad, these complexes are corporate communes for the success driven enterprises.
Vadilal Chemicals Ltd.:
This division started in 1970, deals mainly in industrial gases and chemicals.
The main products are gases such as Argon Nitrogen, hydrogen and Oxygen, Speciality gases, Industrial gas mixtures, Calibration Gases, Anhydrous and Liquor Ammonia. Vadilal is one of the biggest bottlers of Anhydrous Ammonia. Vadilal Chemicals Ltd. has over 2000 industrial customers. To serve them, there is a marketing network of twelve branches and eight dealers, a fleet of 50 cryogenic/liquid transport tankers & commercial vehicles and 25,000-gas cylinders- one of the largest networks for industrial gases in western India.
Ice Cream Division:
Vadilal the name conjures up the images of ice cream laden bowls and a plethora of new flavours. Starting from one man show with a hand cranked machine in 1926 as a small retail outlet, the ice cream division now has a production capacity of one lakh litres per day at three sophisticated plants, located at Ahmedabad, Pundhra and Bareilly. These these ISO 9002 certified plants for Pundhra and Bareilly are established in such a way that they are in consonance with the market expansion strategies of the division.
Vadilal offers the widest range of ice creams and frozen desserts (above 220 Stock Keeping units) in the country in packs including cups, party packs, family bricks, dollies, cones and candies. Something for all taste, preference and budgets. To meet with the consumer demand on regular basis, Vadilal introduces new flavours for different segments of customers throughout the year. People eagerly await Vadilal’s new introductions. Creativity is at forefront in all the activities.
Innovations:
Vadilal was the first ice cream manufacturer company to introduce Dairy Fresh --- natural ice cream with pure natural goodness of milk, fruits and nuts, with no synthetic additives and preservatives.
Vadilal was the pioneer in manufacturing a biscuit cone which remains crisp to the last bite, unlike the traditional one that tends to get soggy, before one is even halfway through.
Vadilal has launched Ice-Mithai, an assortment of traditional Indian sweet in Ice Cream form, which otherwise had to be bought just prior to consumption and that too from vendors whose quality often left a lot to be desired.
Vadilal’s King Cone and One-up Chocobar – all time favourites have today attained generic status. Other hits are Chowpati Kulfi, Cassata and Ice mithai.
Vadilal still dictates the ice cream market with its innovative offers –
“Khao Khilao”(Buy one get one Free) being the latest to hit the market. Other players have also followed suit.
To match its unique products, Vadilal has also gone for unconventional and creative packing. As a part of this Vadilal introduced filled Pineapple, Mango and Sweet Lime Ice Cream in the intact skins of fruits.
To mark the occasion of the expansion of their ice cream manufacturing facility at Pundhra, Vadilal created India’s largest ice-cream sundae by breaking its own record in Nov.2001. The largest sundae was made using 4950 litres of ice cream, 125 kilograms dry fruits, and 255 kilograms of fresh fruits and with 390 litres of chocolate and strawberry sauces. 180 men took exact sixty minutes to create this record-breaking ice cream sundae.
The length of ice cream was 20 ft. and height was 9 ft. Vadilal’s ice cream manufacturing facility at Pundhra is one of the most modern in country.
With an eye on the export market the company is maintaining hygiene as per international standards in procuring milk directly from the farmers to improve the microbiological quality. A wide range of products in all segments like premium ice cream, regular ice cream and frozen desserts are
being manufactured at this plant. Vadilal’s Bareilly and Pundhra plant has been awarded the coveted ISO 9002 accreditation and HACCP certification.
Vadilal has one of the largest cold chains of network in the country comprising about 19 C&F Agents, nearly 350 distributors and 22,000 retailers. The network is kept alive by a large fleet of refrigerated vehicles.
Refrigeration equipments and retail freezers are sourced from world leaders in the technology so as to deliver the quality products to the consumers, which is a commitment at Vadilal. A large number of imported and indigenous deep freezers have also been placed in the market thereby enhancing the retail network. Most of the machines are imported from Denmark, Germany, Italy and USA. Also Vadilal has set up a chain of Happinezz Parlours- ‘Ice cream Boutiques’ to make it convenient for the customers to relish the complete range under one roof. It has been a hit with the ice cream lovers across the country.
Vadilal has 20% of the Indian Ice Cream market as its share. But that’s no surprise considering that the group has the largest range of ice creams in the country in a variety of flavours, packs and forms. The group has a product matrix of over 200 SKUs comprising of cones, cups, candies, family and party packs and bulk packs. Vadilal introduced the concept of “flavour of the month” under which the company develops and markets one new flavour every month for its customers delight.
Thus Vadilal has become a well-known brand covering a diverse range of products and activities with a straightforward mission: “ To Provide quality products and services at an affordable price. “
Vadilal is mainly divided into two parts:
VADILAL
VIL VEL
Vadilal Industries Limited Vadilal Enterprise Limited VIL:
Vadilal industries limited are one part of Vadilal, which is manufacturing division of Vadilal. Along with manufacturing, it also looks after the Quality Control, research and development, Dispatch, and storage related activities.
VEL:
The Vadilal Enterprise Limited has performed the Sales and Marketing related activities. VEL is liable to handle the relationship with the C & F agents (Clearing and forwarding agents), distributors and Dealers.