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Feature
A success story from Lijjat's Jaswantiben
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Thursday, 19 March, 2009, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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 Ask for "Lohana Niwas" in the Chira Bazaar market of Marine Lines locality and chances are that you may not be guided to the right destination. Replace Lohana Niwas with "Pappad gully" and one is sure to get an acknowledgment from almost all the pedestrians encountered in the way. Pappad gully is that bylane of Mumbai's Chira Bazaar where a dream was nurtured 5 decades ago (1959) and flourished into achievement few years hence.
Jaswantiben Popat is the only surviving member among the seven women who teamed up to start a small pappad making business by borrowing Rs 80 from the Chaganlal Karamsi Parekh, an ex-member of the Servants of India Society. Changanlal had suffered a loss of Rs 120 from the Rs 200 that he lent to one Laxmidasbhai for starting a business in pappad making. The women convinced Chaganlal that they could convert the remaining Rs 80 to 200 in a short period of time. They took over the business from Laxmidasbhai and brought the basic ingredients that go in the making of a pappad. Recollects Jaswantiben, "We could return Bhai's money within 15 days. This was only possible because Bapa (PD Dattani) guided us in buying raw material, managing business and showed us other trade tricks." The late Dattani was a journalist in the Gujarati newspaper Matrubhoomi and also had fair amount of knowledge in business management.
Says Jaswantiben, who was the secretary of Lijjat for 20 years, "From the beginning Khadi Commission helped us get through successfully by giving us tax exemptions. Now the Commission is ready to give us as much amount as needed, provided we start the business in far off villages in India."
The business that started with a resolution to return the borrowed loan saw attaining unimaginable scales. So successful was the concept that women started exporting their products to countries outside India within a year.
The cooperative movement got considerable publicity through word-of-mouth and articles in vernacular newspapers. In 1966 the business attracted attention from the income tax department and the bankers. It was then decided to adopt a name and get it registered. After a number of choices the name Lijjat was finally zeroed in on. Smiles Jaswantiben, "I said Lijjat se Izzat Badegi." Once it got registered a committee of 11 women was formed. The branch then got shifted to Wadala due to lack of space.
What could be the secret behind the spectacular success resulting in the opening up of 72 branches across the country and 45,000 women being associated with the Rs 500-crore company? The export of the company is worth Rs 25 crore and the local business in Mumbai amounts to Rs 1.25 crore.
Says Jaswantiben, "Well, the rule is simple - Never compromise on quality. I personally taste all the atta (flour) distributed to the ladies who come here for rolling pappads or taking it home. Even a slightest doubt about the quality and the entire dough is discarded. We never agree for sub quality material. Quality control has been our USP, and then comes the uniformity in taste and hygiene. We work on "no credit" and "no loss" basis so the question of loss never arises."
Even today Jaswantiben wakes up at 4.30 in the morning to start working as early as 5.30 am. She personally supervises every activity that goes in the Marine Line branch of the company.
The training of new associates is also taken seriously by the company. Jaswantiben says, "We make sure that if a new branch is opened we go and stay there for a few months to impart the requisite training and guidance. I stayed in Pune for over 2 months when our branch opened there for the first time. "
The enthusiasm and positive vibes that Jaswantiben possesses at 80 could easily be a lesson for thousands of youngsters aspiring to be entrepreneurs. Little wonder that Jaswantiben was named Economic Times' Businesswoman of the Year in the year 2002.
The company has diversified into wheat, masalas, biscuits, detergent powder (Sasa), cakes etc. Every branch has been divided into several departments for smooth functioning of the business. Says Jaswantiben, "We keep an account of business on day-to-day business."
The success of Lijjat mainly stems from the fact that the concept is simple and can be carried out smoothly without disturbing the household chores.
Lijjat has worked on the concept of equality of work. Every member holding a rolling pin is considered to be the owner of the company and paid a standard amount of Rs 21 for I kg of pappad that she rolls.
Jaswantiben shows all willingness to plunge into a new business that comes her way. "Recently I went to Pune where a parent was complaining about the quality of food given to the school kids. I told her that we could think about taking this up as our new business, provided proper training and guidance was given to us."
To the young women who are still struggling to find a destination as the Lijjat women did, Jaswantiben says, "Just do what you like and spare no sweat to make it work."
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