Modest beginnings
“Hailing from the Baran district in Rajasthan, I always wanted to earn repute and fame. My beginning was, however, quite modest. I started out with a small business, wherein I manufactured and sold coconut oil. However, after having saved up enough for investing in a larger business, I decided to venture into the biscuit industry,” says Mr Agarwala.
He set up Surya Food & Agro Ltd(SFA Ltd) in November 1992 at Noida, UP, which started commercial operations in October 1993. There has been no looking back since then, and Mr Agarwala is the man behind the tremendous success of the company.
Leading from the front
The biscuit manufacturing industry was a completely new domain for him, but his patience, dedication and zeal to learn and innovate drove him to excel. It was his passion for the organisation and his never-say-die attitude that helped him overcome obstacles.
Mr Agarwala always led from the front, conducting research, reading and travelling to attend workshops and training sessions to gain in-depth knowledge of the sector. All this has borne fruit today, and has helped SFA Ltd garner respect and reputation.
Mr Agarwala has always been actively involved in all aspects of his company’s operations and ensures that best practices are adhered to during all the stages. These values have helped him capture a significant market share for SFA Ltd.
The basics of business
Mr Agarwala asserts that the unique feature that sets apart SFA Ltd from others in the sector is its premier quality and customer-oriented approach. He ensures that SFA Ltd follows the basic principle of good manufacturing practices. He has invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities equipped with both indigenous and imported machinery. Each of the company’s manufacturing units at Greater Noida, Lucknow, Surat and Hyderabad also have a dedicated R&D team, which has been personally recruited by Mr Agarwala for innovating products.
Mr Agarwala says, “I believe that diversification is the key to survive in today’s cut-throat market as it helps in catering to a larger customer base. I have seized opportunities whenever possible and leveraged them to establish my brand and fortify my distribution network.”
Mr Agarwala entered the business of fresh fruit juices by setting up a subsidiary of SFA Ltd, named Surya Fresh Foods Ltd, in Greater Noida. He has also set up Surya Processed Food Pvt Ltd at Haridwar, Uttarakhand, which will be venturing into the confectionary market with chocolates, toffees and candies.
Winning laurels
Mr Agarwala is a well known personality in the biscuit manufacturing industry and has received the UP Ratan award for excellence in entrepreneurship. Mr Agarwala has also served on a number of associations through his long spell in the food processing industry. He is currently the President of the Indian Biscuit Manufacturers Association. He also holds the position of Vice President in the All India Food Processors Association and is an active member of the UP Udyog Vyapar Mandal. Sharp foresight Five years down the line, Mr Agarwala expects to see his company make its mark in the international markets. As an ardent follower of industry trends, he feels that many profitable avenues are emerging in the food processing industry that can be tapped and exploited. |
