Priyagold is a renowned Indian brand known for its wide range of biscuits, cakes, cookies, confectionaries, and beverages. Established in 1992, Priyagold is a flagship brand of Surya Food & Agro Ltd., which has established itself as a prominent player in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). The company derived its name from the term "Priya," which means "beloved," and the word "Gold," which denotes the quality. Shri Ballabh Prasad Agarwal, the Founder of the Priyagold, had always desired to build a biscuit factory to provide quality snacks at affordable prices. Agarwal relocated from Kolkata to Noida in 1991. The brand is dedicated to offering premium biscuits produced from the best ingredients. The main headquarters for Priyagold Biscuits is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
History: Visionary Journey of BP Agarwal
The business ran in the blood of Ballabh Prasad Agarwal. Ultimately, his lineage was rooted in the conventional Marwari Business family. The family was well-established in Kolkata's coconut oil industry. In 1967, he made biscuits out of coconut oil his family produced. Since biscuits were close to his heart, he named it "Priya". Soon, Priya started doing well, and Ballabh decided to take a step that shocked his family and friends. He left the business to make biscuits full-time. He wanted to make Priya biscuits of pure quality, like gold. B.P. Agarwal founded the company with the collaboration of his three sons, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Navin Kumar Agarwal and Shekhar Agarwal, in December 1992. After leaving his extended family and various businesses in Kolkata, B.P. Agarwal embarked on a journey to Uttar Pradesh, Noida. With modest funding, Ballabh Agarwal launched the biscuit company in 1992 under the Priyagold umbrella brand. He began a biscuit business by obtaining a bank loan for Rs 25 lakh.
His early stages of ideating the industry were not smooth, but he worked harder continuously. He established Priyagold with the vision of offering customers good-quality biscuits at affordable prices. The biscuit industry in India at that time did not have any companies providing good quality biscuits at an affordable price to customers. Either the biscuits were expensive, or the affordable ones needed higher quality. Priyaglold was launched with the vision of providing high-quality biscuits to customers at an affordable price, and the tagline of the brand, "Haq Se maango"(Demand it right), captures the vision behind launching the brand, which means everyone has the right to good quality biscuits.
Priyagold needed to have strong marketing. So, Ballabh signed the actress Priya Tendulkar for a unique campaign. The Agarwal of the first generation, With several years of experience and expertise in the industry, baking runs deep in their genes. With time, the family kept joining with new people. Priyagold was in states like Delhi, UP and Haryana. Ballabh wanted to go to South India too. So, he expanded to 3500 distributors, 125 super stockists and 300 railway kiosks. He doubled it up with a marketing budget of 15 CR and a fresh face in actress Karishma Kapoor. And the results came along.
Over the years, Priyagold diversified its product range, introducing well-received brands such as Marie Lite, CNC, Snacks, Cheez Bit, Butter Delite, and a successful chocolate line, Snakker. Notably, Priyagold ventured into the manufacturing of juices under the brand names Fresh Gold and Treat Juices in 2006.
BP Agarwal, the founder, passed away at the age of 72 due to cardiac arrest on 2nd June 2021. The second generation took charge of running the brand. Manoj Agarwal brings his managerial expertise to manage all the company's manufacturing units along with his younger brother, Navin Agarwal. Navin Agarwal manages the company's sales. Shekhar Agarwal has had a significant role in managing the company's finances, sales, and marketing. With a slew of successful brands, Surya Foods touched sales of 3000 CR in 2023.
They all worked extremely hard in the management and marketing departments. Afterwards, Priyagold changed from a traditional family-owned business to a corporate entity as the third generation of the family entered the industry. To modernise the organisation and make it more professional, the third generation implements new rules and procedures. They are implementing new ERP systems, bringing in DMS and SFA, launching data collection advertising campaigns, and attempting to engage the entire supply chain in a digital ecosystem to transform the company. As customer trends and behaviours change, the third generation has concentrated on channels such as E-commerce, Quick Commerce, and Modern Trade Retail. It has even started its direct-to-consumer business. The third generation is introducing new policies and procedures to make the entire organisation more professional. Priyagold Biscuits is poised to continue its growth trajectory in the Indian and international markets. It continues to be the star product and the first choice of customers.
Manufacturing Units:
Priyagold operates nine manufacturing units, including three in Greater Noida, for biscuits, juices, noodles, and cakes. The other units are Surat, Haridwar, Jammu, Lucknow, Jagdishpur, and Kolkata.
Expansion and Global Presence:
The brand has a global presence is available in more than 20 countries. Priyagold expanded its footprint beyond India, exporting products to countries including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
Future Prospects:
Since its inception in 1992, it has become synonymous with quality and taste. As it looks towards the future, its ongoing initiatives and dedication to consumer satisfaction position it for continued success and growth in the years to come. The target consumer is the youth. Priyagold Biscuits has a solid history and a dedication to innovation, which positions it to maintain its growth trajectory in both the Indian and global markets. The company's approach to digital transformation and market expansion is a strategic reflection of its commitment to maintaining a leading position in the dynamic food industry.