The story of Bikaneri Bhujia begins in 1937 when Bhikaram Chandmal, from a Marwari family, opened a small tea and snack shop in Bikaner. His grandson, Ganga Bishan Agarwal, who was fondly called Haldiram at home, used to accompany him to the shop. Eventually, the shop was named "Haldiram" after him.
Haldiram, from a young age of 11, had dreams of starting his own company. His determination paid off, and "Haldiram" became a well-known brand. Bhikaram’s son, Moolchand Agarwal, had four sons. Together, with their sister Saraswati, they expanded the family business.
However, after the family business was divided, Moolchand’s son Shivratan Agarwal branched out and started "Shivdeep Food Products" in Bikaner, specialising in bhujia. This laid the foundation for the creation of the Bikaneri Bhujia brand, Bikaji, which is now one of India's leading snack companies.
Shivratan Agarwal, who studied only until 8th grade, revolutionised the production of bhujia by introducing machines to make the snack, which was earlier handmade. His innovation helped Bikaji expand globally.
Today, Bikaji Foods offers over 250 products that are sold in more than 30 countries. The Bikaneri Bhujia is especially popular in Gulf countries and is also exported to the US, Germany, Spain, France, and many other nations.
