A visual history of Balaji Wafers

The incredible journey of Virani brothers,

the creators of Balaji Wafers’ crunching success

An early scene from the Virani family story

Early

1970s

Sacrificing the soil

In their drought-stricken village, the Virani family was forced to sell their ancestral land, which could no longer support their livelihood.

A mid-1970s scene from the Virani family story

Mid

1970s

Entrepreneurial misstep

With the money from the land sale, they ventured into the agricultural equipment business. But they were met with deceit and lost everything.

The Astron Cinema chapter of the Virani family story

1974

The Cinema scenes

Fate led them to Astron Cinema, where they took on odd jobs like hanging posters & making sandwiches for moviegoers. In time, they were entrusted with the canteen.

The first Balaji Wafers chapter

1981

Turning the tables

While running the canteen, they noticed the moviegoers weren’t satisfied with their supplier’s wafers. So, they decided to make their own, calling it ‘Balaji Wafers.’

The first sign of Balaji Wafers growth

1984

First sign of growth

With bare hands and boundless drive, the Viranis fried wafers and distributed them to nearby retailers too. It was a hit, with people queuing to buy packs.

The first Balaji Wafers factory chapter

1989

Hustle turned high tech

Soon enough, the craze for their wafers soared, prompting them to take a loan and build a semi-automated factory in Rajkot for consistent crunch and hygiene.

Balaji Wafers becoming a private limited company

1995

Becoming a Pvt. Ltd.

Balaji Wafers took a big step forward, becoming a Pvt. Ltd. company with a fully automated factory and a masaledar new lineup of Indian Namkeens.

The 2002 Balaji Wafers factory chapter

2002

Largest plant in Bharat

The Viranis were obsessed with quality. So, they invested in top technology, leading to a fully automated factory in Rajkot - the largest in the country at the time.

Balaji Wafers expansion to Valsad

2008

Expansion to Valsad

They set up a plant in Valsad, one of the biggest in Asia at that time. It had more units for Namkeen, serving up large amounts of crispy goodness from coast to coast.

Balaji Wafers expansion to Indore

2015

Indore expansion

A hi-tech plant in Indore brought snacks to the northern and western parts of Bharat. This expansion marked another milestone, extending their reach across the nation.

Balaji Wafers becoming a household name

2019

Becoming a household name

With 65+ products and 1,225+ dealers, Balaji Wafers became a hot-selling, value-packed snack, winning hearts nationwide - from big cities to remote villages.

Balaji Wafers record-breaking 2023 chapter

2023

Record-breaking crunch

Balaji Wafers reported a remarkable achievement by crossing the INR 5,000 Cr. annual sales mark in the fiscal year ending March 2023.

A feature from the Balaji Wafers journey