New Delhi: Jay Agarwal never planned to wear a tie and sit in an office. He grew up around the sound of crackling papads (thin and crispy wafer, typically made from lentil flour and often flavored with spices) and sacks of dal (pulses). After college, while many of his classmates packed their bags for cities and salaries, he stayed back at Bikaner in Rajasthan. To roll papads. To turn a home-grown business into a brand.
Today, his company rolls out over 10,000 papad packets every single day. His products reach kitchens from Rajasthan to the United Kingdom. His business is now valued at over Rs 100 crore.
His father, Daulal Agarwal, started it from their home. Just papads and namkeen (salty snacks). A shop followed. Then a name – Vishal Papad Namkeen Bhandar. As a child, Jay helped between school homework. By the time he was in college, he was hands-on.
After completing bachelors in commerce (B.Com.) from Bikaner, he skipped job offers. Instead, he doubled down on the family business. Papad by papad. Customer by customer.
From Local Bazaars to Global Shelves
In the beginning, sales were limited to Bikaner. Jay pushed it beyond Rajasthan – Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Preadsh. Eventually, orders started going abroad. The United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore and Dubai. Word spread. Sales soared.
In 2015, he took the leap. An 18,000 sq ft factory in Bikaner’s Rani Bazar Industrial Area was set up. Udad (black gram), moong (green gram), sabudana (tapioca pearls), potato papads – he made them all. Even khichiya papads from rice flour. Hand-rolled and machine-cut, every piece had the same soul.
The Rs 10 Crore Boost
In 2018, a private equity investor stepped in and invested Rs 10 crore. That helped Jay expand further. More machines. More reach. More people.
Today, his brand ‘Rozana’ is found across stores in Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bengal, Assam and overseas. The production line has not stopped since.
His wife, Premlata, now handles factory operations. His parents helped build the base. Now, he and Premlata carry the baton forward.
In 2018, the Power Brands Global platform in the United Kingdom honoured him with the “Rising Star Award”. It was handed to him by global leaders and diplomats. That moment was proof – Bikaneri papad had gone global.
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