Journey of Transformation: Lijjat Papad's Empowering Metamorphosis
In 1959, a small but significant revolution began in Mumbai, India, when seven housewives pooled their resources to establish Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. With an initial investment of just ₹80, this cooperative aimed to provide economic opportunities for women who faced limited employment options. Over six decades, it has grown into a major enterprise valued at around ₹1600 crore, employing over 42,000 women across the country.
The cooperative's roots can be traced back to the visionary founders like Vithalani and Diwaliben Lukka, who sought to empower women through self-employment. Their collective business model was based on producing papads, thin, crispy Indian snacks, at home and returning them to the centre for packaging and distribution to local shops through an established network.
From its humble beginnings, Lijjat Papad expanded gradually, structuring itself as autonomous production units spread across various Indian states. The Mumbai headquarters procures raw ingredients like lentils and spices in bulk, processes them into flour, and distributes them to Lijjat centres nationwide. The Lijjat brand name, which means "taste" in Gujarati, was adopted in 1966.
The cooperative's growth is a testament to its focus on empowering its women members. It offers education and skills training, enabling them to become financially independent. Lakshmi, a 70-year-old centre manager in Delhi, is a shining example of this empowerment. She joined the cooperative nearly four decades ago after the loss of her husband and has since been able to educate her children, build a home, and arrange their marriages.
Beyond domestic success, Lijjat Papad has global reach, exporting products to more than 15 countries. It has become an inspiring model of women’s entrepreneurship in India, turning a traditional food product into a significant export and a symbol of women’s economic empowerment. The co-operative's annual revenue is 16 billion rupees (approximately $186 million), and it exports its products to countries including the UK and the US.
The founding of Lijjat Papad took place in a time of economic reconstruction in India, where women often faced societal restrictions on education and employment. The visionary founders leveraged their culinary skills from generational knowledge to create a business from home. Despite initial financial constraints, the cooperative secured a foothold in local markets thanks to cooperative efforts with local shopkeepers, who offered payment options based on sales.
Today, Lijjat Papad produces a variety of goods, including papad, detergents, spices, and chapatis. The cooperative is led and managed exclusively by women, fostering generations of women who have found financial independence through its ranks. Lakshmi, for instance, uses a co-operative-hired bus to reach the nearest Lijjat centre and takes home pre-mixed lentil dough to craft papadums. Initially, she needed several hours to produce 1kg of dried lentil papad, but now she completes the same quantity in half an hour.
In summary, Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad transformed from a modest initiative started by seven women into a revolutionary cooperative that champions women’s empowerment, employment, and entrepreneurship on a massive scale, impacting thousands of women and their families over six decades.
- Today, the Lijjat Papad cooperative produces a variety of goods beyond papad, including detergents, spices, and chapatis.
- The cooperative's growth and success is a testament to its focus on empowering its women members, providing education and skills training for financial independence.
- Lakshmi, a 70-year-old center manager in Delhi, is a shining example of this empowerment, who joined the cooperative four decades ago and has since been able to educate her children, build a home, and arrange their marriages.
- Despite initial financial constraints, the cooperative secured a foothold in local markets thanks to cooperative efforts with local shopkeepers, who offered payment options based on sales.
- The Lijjat Papad brand name, meaning "taste" in Gujarati, was adopted in 1966, and over six decades, it has grown into a major enterprise valued at around ₹1600 crore, employing over 42,000 women across the country.
- The cooperative's achievements have global reach, exporting products to more than 15 countries, becoming an inspiring model of women’s entrepreneurship in India.
- The founding of Lijjat Papad took place in a time of economic reconstruction in India, where women often faced societal restrictions on education and employment, but the visionary founders leveraged their culinary skills and societal connections to create a business from home.
