Britannia Industries Limited (BIL) is one of India's leading FMCG companies. Britannia's product portfolio includes Biscuits, Bread, Cakes, Rusk, and Dairy products including Cheese, Beverages, Milk and Yoghurt. Its brand portfolio includes Tiger, Marie Gold, Good Day, 50:50, Treat, NutriChoice and Milk Bikis. BIL has a presence in more than 60 countries across the globe. The Company's international footprint includes presence in Middle East through local manufacturing in UAE and Oman. It is also the market leader in Nepal. Presently, it is engaged in manufacturing and sale of various food products.
The Company was registered in March 21st, 1918 as a Public Limited Company. The Company's plants are situated in Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Uttarakhand. In 1921, it became the first Company east of the Suez Canal to use imported gas ovens. Britannia's business was flourishing. But, more importantly, Company was acquiring a reputation for quality and value. As a result, during the tragic World War II, the Government reposed its trust in Britannia by contracting it to supply large quantities of 'service biscuits' to the armed forces.
A new factory was established in the year 1924 at Kasara Pier Road in Mumbai. In the same year, the Company became a subsidiary of Peek, Frean & Company Limited, U.K., a leading biscuit manufacturing company, and further strengthened its position by expanding the factories at Calcutta and Mumbai. In 1952, the Kolkata factory was shifted from Dum Dum to spacious grounds at Taratola Road in the suburbs of Kolkata. During the same year automatic plants were installed in Calcutta and later in 1954 the automatic plants were installed in Mumbai plant, also in the same year the development of high quality sliced and wrapped bread in India was initiated by the company and was first manufactured at Delhi and a new bread bakery was set up at Delhi in the year 1965. Britannia Biscuit Company takes over biscuit distribution from Parry's during the year 1975. In 1976, the company had introduced Britannia bread in Calcutta and Chennai. During the year 1978, the company made Public issue, in that Indian shareholding crossed 60%.
The Company re-christened from Britannia Biscuit Company Limited to Britannia Industries Limited with effect from 3rd October of the year 1979. The Company had signed a 10-year technical collaboration agreement with Nebico Pvt Ltd., Nepal during the year 1980 for the supply of know-how relating to manufacturing, packaging and marketing of biscuits and selection of plant and machinery. During the year 1989, BIL's Executive Office was relocated to Bangalore. During the year 1990, two new brands of biscuits, Elaichi Creamand and Petit Beurre were launched. Also, in the same year a new cashew badam variant of the brand Milk Bikis and brand extension of pure magic biscuit Vanilla cream were launched, Fruit bread was launched in Delhi. The Company launched two new speciality brands in the year 1991 viz., Britannia milk bread and Britannia brown bread in Delhi and extended nationally its main brands Petit Beurre and Elaichi Cream. In 17th August of the year 1991, the Company handed over its Soya unit at Vidisha, MP to SM Dychem Ltd. BIL had celebrated its Platinum Jubilee in the year 1992. After a year in 1993, Wadia Group had acquired the stake in ABIL, UK and becomes an equal partner with Group Danone in BIL. The Company was in re birth phase during the year 1997, new corporate identity 'Eat Healthy, Think Better' leads to new mission of 'Make every third Indian a Britannia consumer' and in the same year BIL entered into the dairy products market. In 1998, BIL had launched Half/Half, a soft cake filled with cream in two variants, chocolate-vanilla and vanilla-orange. The Company had rolled out its flavored milk brand Zip-Sip' in tetrapaks in the year 1999. Zip-Sip had been launched in Mumbai and some markets in the South.
Forbes Global Ranking rated the company during the year 2000 among Top 300 small companies. In the same year, the company had launched Britannia Milkman Butter, a product under the Milkman brand. BIL made its fund in-principle agreement to acquire 49 per cent of Kwality Biscuits in the year 2001 through internal accruals. During the year 2002, the company had entered into a joint venture with the Fonterra Cooperative Group, New Zealand's biggest company and one of the leading diary co-operative groups in the world and the Britannia New Zealand Foods Pvt. Ltd was born. Pure Magic, the company's product was winner of the Worldstar, Asiastar and Indiastar award for packaging in the same year 2002. After a year, in 2003, BIL had launched 'Treat Duet', most successful of the year and Britannia Khao World Cup Jao rocks the consumer lives yet again. During the year 2004, Britannia accorded the status of being a 'Superbrand' and the brand Good Day added a new variant Choconut in its range. Reviewed marketing alliance with the Kolkata-based Thacker Dairy Products Pvt Ltd.
In the year 2005, Britannia New Zealand had launched health drink for adult. The new plant in Uttaranchal, commissioned during the year 2005, it was ahead of schedule. In the same year, BIL launched yet another exciting snacking option the Britannia 50-50 Pepper Chakkar. BIL had forged a strategic alliance with CCD Daily Bread Pvt Ltd in the year 2006, a Bangalore based Company engaged in manufacturing and retailing of premium breads, cakes snacks and high end ready to eat foods. In the year 2007, Britannia industries formed a joint venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group and acquired a 70 percent beneficial stake in the Dubai-based Strategic Foods International Co. LLC and 65.4% in the Oman-based Al Sallan Food Industries Co. SAOG. The company was rated as the No 1 Most Trusted Food Brand in a survey conducted by AC Nielsen ORGO-MARG and published in Economic Times in the year 2007. Britannia launched Iron fortified 'Tiger Banana' biscuits, 'Good Day Classic Cookies', Low Fat Dahi and renovated 'MarieGold' during the period of 2008. BIL was ranked 27th place in the list of India's Fastest Growing Large Companies by Business Today, Special on June of the year 2008.
In 2009, Britannia took full control of Daily Bread. During the year, Britannia New Zealand Food (BNZF) became a BIL subsidiary after BIL bought out New Zealand's Fonterra from the existing joint venture. BNZF was renamed Britannia Dairy Pvt. Ltd. (BDPL). During the year, Britannia became the first bakery brand in India to remove trans-fats from 99.9% of its products. During the year, Wadia Group became the largest shareholder in BIL after acquiring stake holdings from Group Danone.
In November 2011, Britannia Bread launched its new range of Health Breads in Delhi. The range consists of Honey & Oats Bread, Multi-Grain Bread, 100% Whole Wheat Bread and Multi-Fiber Bread.
In 2013, Britannia launched new NutriChoice Crackers Range, a biscuit made with the natural taste of sun-kissed golden wheat.
In 2014, Britannia entered into an exclusive tie-up with Amazon for the launch of its latest product Good Day Chunkies, a super-premium chocolate chip cookie. In 2015, Britannia Bourbon, India's first premium chocolate biscuit, completed 60 glorious years.
In 2016, Britannia launched Cake Biscotti, India's first ever classic 'Bridge' product combining the best of the world of a cake and that of a cookie. During the year, Britannia launched its state of the art R&D Centre facility in Bidadi, Karnataka.
The Board of Directors of Britannia Industries at its meeting held on 9 February 2016 considered and approved a Scheme of Arrangement under Sections 391-394 of the Companies Act, 1956 for demerger of the Manufacturing Business division and Retail Sales Business division of Daily Bread Gourmet Foods (India) Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Britannia Industries, into Britannia Industries. During the year 2016-17,this demerger was completed.
On 28 March 2017, BIL announced that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Chipita S.A., a Greek company, for the manufacture and sale of ready-to-eat delicious croissants in India through a joint venture company namely Britchip Foods Limited. BIL will hold 60% stake and Chipita will hold 40% stake in Britchip Foods Limited.
Also in the year 2016-17, the Company acquired 26% stake in Sunandaram Foods Private Limited, a cake manufacturing unit in Assam.
During the year 2017-18, the Company incorporated a wholly owned Subsidiary in Nepal under the name of 'Britannia Nepal Private Limited'.
During the year 2018-19, voluntary winding up of Daily Bread Gourmet Foods (India) Private Limited was initiated considering the unviability of the business in spite of the best efforts taken by the Company to revive the same.
During the year 2019-20, Company incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary in Dhaka, Bangladesh under the name of 'Britannia Bangladesh Private Limited'. It sold equity stake in Klassik Foods Private Limited, an Associate Company, during the year.
During the FY 2021, Strategic Foods Uganda Limited in Uganda and Britannia Egypt LLC in Egypt were incorporated as step-down subsidiaries of the Company.
During 2020-21, the Company implemented 3 transformational projects which mainly comprised of S/4 HANA to integrate all business processes and implement best-in-class practices across value chain; online dealer management system to take sales processes to the next level and end-to-end integration of vendor processes.
The final listing and trading approval for the bonus debentures was received from the BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited on 16 July 2021 and the bonus debentures got listed on both the exchanges w.e.f. 20 July 2021.
During year 2020-21 , the Company commissioned 3 Biscuit Lines, 1 snack line and expanded its depot at the Integrated Food Park,
Ranjangaon, in Maharashtra.
During year 2021-22, the Company commissioned 2 Wafer lines at Perundurai Factory.
During the year 2022-23, the Company commissioned Dairy Plant at Ranjangaon Food Park, Maharashtra; commissioned two large greenfield factories in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu and Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh; expanded Khurda and Ranjangaon Factories with biscuit and rusk lines.
The Company through JVA with Bel SA, France and Britannia Dairy Private Limited (BDPL') sold 49% of its equity stake in its wholly owned subsidiary, BDPL to Bel and consequently, BDPL became a Joint Venture Company of Britannia Industries Limited and Bel SA in India under the name of Britannia Bel Foods Private Limited'. Kenafric Biscuits Limited, Kenya and Catalyst Britania Brands Limited, Mauritius, became step down subsidiaries of Company during the year 2023.
In 2023, the Company launched Nutrichoice Seeds, Herbs & Protein Cookies and also transformed Nutrichoice Essentials and Digestive with 100% Atta; launched Biscafe, a thin cracker which is designed as a great accompaniment to coffee; launched Winkin' Cow Brand and invested in aseptic PET drinks technology; launched Centre-filled Croissants under the brand Treat' .