The popular business reality show Shark Tank India has garnered a lot of attention ever since the premiere of its first season. The show is back with its fourth season, which is expected to be as exciting as ever. The previous panel of judges featured leading faces from the business world, like Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh and Peyush Bansal.
On the other hand, a few sharks from the previous season won’t be a part of the show. The names that won’t be a part of the show are Deepinder Goyal, founder of Zomato, Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, Ronnie Screwvala, co-founder of UpGrad, and Amit Jain, CEO of CarDekho.
As the show is back with its new season, it also introduces a new judge on the panel, and it is none other than Viraj Bahl, a leading name in the food industry. Viraj is one of the sharpest minds in the FMCG sector, and he carved his own path despite many failures. Let us read on to know every detail about Viraj Bahl, also known as the ‘sauce King of India’.
Born to businessman, Rajiv Bahl and his wife, Vibha Bahl, Viraj Bahl completed his schooling at Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram, Delhi. After his schooling, Viraj moved to Singapore to pursue industrial engineering.
Viraj’s father had a successful food business and since a young age, Viraj was eager to join the family business. However, his father laid a condition before him and wanted him to earn Rs. 3 lakh a month to join the family business. The target of Rs. 3 lakh was quite high especially in 90s era. It was at that moment when Viraj joined Maersk as a second engineer.
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Soon, Viraj achieved his target and earned Rs. 3 lakhs per month. By fulfilling his father’s target, Viraj also joined the family business, ‘Fun Foods’. Within six years of joining the business, Viraj transformed it into a successful brand, making it a household name in India.
In 2008, Viraj Bahl’s father decided to sell ‘Fun Foods’ to a German company, Dr. Oetker for Rs. 110 crores. Though Viraj was against the idea, he had to eventually agree to his father’s decision. Using his share from the sale, Viraj started a restaurant business in 2009 with the name, ‘Pocket Full’. It was a turning point in Viraj’s entrepreneurial journey.
Even after putting his heart and soul to his restaurant business, ‘Pocket Full’, failed and wasn’t able to earn the profit expected out of it. By 2013, Viraj decided to close all six outlets, and it was a devastating time for him and his family.
The failure of his first business venture, ‘Pocket Full’ left him financially drained. However, it was his wife, Ridhima Bahl, who supported him throughout. The couple decided to sell their house to begin their next venture. Even losing hope, Viraj started his next venture, ‘Veeba’, in Neemrana, Rajasthan, in 2013.
Veeba initially served as a B2B (business-to-business) supplier to restaurants like Burger King, Domino's and Pizza Hut. Viraj used this model to avoid intense retail competition. Soon, Veeba made its mark in the market and expanded to over 700 cities and 1.5 lakh retail outlets. With a wide range of condiments, including ketchup, mayonnaise and salad dressing, Veeba emerged as India’s fastest-growing food company. By 2024, Veeba’s revenue touched the Rs. 1000 crore mark, expanding its market in Singapore, Australia, China, and the USA.
Despite his failed business and other low points in life, Viraj Bahl never gave up. With hard work and dedication, he carved his own path and made his name in the FMCG sector.
Also Read: Arvind Swami's Story: Dream Debut, Break From Acting, Leg Paralysis, Built Rs. 3300 Cr Business
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