India's food processing industry is expanding at a much faster rate, and as per IBEF, the Indian food processing industry is one of the largest in the world and will grow at a CAGR of 11 percent to reach $535 billion by 2025–26. A leading name in this domain is Gandour India, a Lebanese confectionary company established in 1857 with a 165 years of heritage with brands like Safari – Caramel Rice Crisps, Yamama – Cake Sandwich, Tofiluk – Biscuit Bars and Caramel in a Milky Chocolate Layer and Chocosquares – Soft Cake with Chocolate Layer, available in Middle East, Africa, Gulf Region as well as Asia, Indian subcontinent, Europe and North America with production operations in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India.
Gandour India was set up in 2009 as a food processing business that produces Chocolates, Cakes, Wafers, Biscuits and other Confectioneries. The facility in Hyderabad, India has a very high capacity, state of the art equipment and depending on configuration can produce anywhere between 2500 to 3000 Tons per month.
The USP of Gandour India is that it has a state-of-the-art facility with top-notch machinery imported from the world's leading machine manufacturers, as well as a well-designed plant and building that complies with international standards. In addition, Gandour India is a contract manufacturer for industry leader like Mondelez/Cadburys for brands like Perk, 5 Star, Chocobakes, Fuse Fit, and more led by Mohammed Rafathullah, Managing Director, Gandour India, who is a transformational business leader with over three decades of business experience in leading step change and business turnarounds.
Gandour India is focused on minimizing risks to food safety and quality in the interest of public health, controlling those risks, and continuously improving business processes with the goal of satisfying consumer and customer needs. Their formulation of high-quality ingredients using modern machinery is the secret to the production of high-quality chocolate. “We are committed to the effective development, implementation, and continual improvement of our quality and food safety management systems based on FSSC 22000 V-5.1. Our success is a result of actions that direct us to provide high-quality goods and services along the full value chain”, speaks Mohammed Rafathullah. He strongly believes that the formula for success is a combination of skill, will, resources and processes and to be successful, one has to have heart, mind and soul in business growth.
“Our Quality and Logistic Policy ensures 100 percent safe product delivery to the customer and provides traceability of the product which is an integral part of our business process framework for establishing corporate level performance metrics and its accomplishment is incorporated in the Company's objective”, says Mohammed Imran Siddiqui, Manufacturing Head, Gandour India. The use of high-grade raw materials and the delivery of 100 percent safe finished goods through temperature controlled (air-conditioned) transport systems to consumers are ensured by the quality lab's well-equipped instruments and micro lab.
Gandour India fosters continuous improvement efforts at all functional levels by promoting an environment where employees are encouraged and trained frequently to work effectively in teams to achieve quality and food safety goals and business objectives. “This vision is supported by superb workforce with young budding food technologists, ITI trainees and very aspirational professionals who work cohesively in ensuring the best Global Quality Standards set by the Industry. Structured leadership development interventions with clear objectives of business growth, profitability and a performance driven culture with strong focus on KPIs and implementation of SAP Success Factor have helped Gandour India immensely in achieving its business goals”, speaks Shuddha Sattwa Das, Head HR, Gandour India.
Gandour India is focused on minimizing risks to food safety & quality in the interest of public health, controlling those risks, & continuously improving business processes
“As we grow, we plan to focus on large format retailers in India in addition to current wholesale and export business which we have been doing to South East Asian Countries. After a couple of years of stability in current stream of business, entering general commerce would be the best course of action since we would like to be there, among all the other chocolate players who are present in every mom-and-pop store. Indeed, our dream is to be ‘The finest chocolate maker and baker of India”, wraps up Mohammed Rafathullah.
