An 85-year-old business legacy, strong family unity and a forward-looking approach to changing times have taken the Kalwadia family to new heights of success. Launched in 1999, Ritik Supari has today established a strong identity in the mouth freshener industry. Along with expanding its core business, the family has also diversified into hospitality, healthcare and education. The journey that began with Ritik has now expanded into hotels, hospitals and schools, with the next goal being to strengthen the brand’s presence in global markets.
In the business world, successful enterprises are not built overnight. They are created over decades of dedication, hard work and strong foundations based on principles. The business journey of the Kalwadia family is a remarkable and inspiring example of this approach. Through commitment, vision and continuous innovation, the family has created a distinctive success story.
With the objective of giving a new direction and modern identity to the strong and trusted 85-year-old business foundation established by their father and uncle, the Ritik Supari brand was launched in 1999. This was not merely the beginning of a new brand; it represented a new chapter driven by the dreams and determination of the family’s future generations.
Shailesh Kalwadia, popularly known as Bantu Bhaiya, told Tobacco Plus that under their father’s invaluable guidance and protection, he, along with his elder brother Sharad Kalwadia and Sanjay Kalwadia, took charge of the business. The remarkable coordination among the three brothers, their exceptional dedication to work and strategies developed according to changing market conditions gave the business tremendous momentum.
Their collective efforts and determination enabled the business to continuously reach new milestones. Along with developing its flagship brand, the group also demonstrated its business and management capabilities by playing an important role in the operations of established industry brands such as Mahak and Dilbagh. Continuing this strong management legacy, the group is currently also successfully handling the operations of the prestigious Pan Bahar brand.
Today, Ritik is no longer simply a product or a company. It has evolved into a well-known, trusted and established brand in the mouth freshener industry. Over the years, its popularity has expanded its reach to 26–27 states across India.
Understanding changing consumer preferences and the demand for different tastes, the brand has introduced several premium varieties. These include Ritik Classic Gold, Ritik Gold, Ritik Rose and Ritik Paan, all of which have established a special place among consumers across different segments.
A fennel-based natural mouth freshener under the name Ritik No. 1 is also set to be launched shortly.
According to Bantu Bhaiya, southern states, along with Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, play a major role in the mouth freshener industry. Among these, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are the strongest markets for the Ritik Group.
The group has achieved this success by closely studying taste preferences across different states and regions and introducing attractive schemes for retailers and consumers.
After achieving stability and success in its core business, the Kalwadia family demonstrated its forward-looking approach by planning expansion into several new sectors.
As part of this diversification, the family entered the hospitality sector and is successfully operating five hotels under the Varay name in the religious city of Ujjain. Named Varay after Lord Shiva, the hotel chain is being further expanded, with the family now working rapidly on plans to develop a major international-standard resort to strengthen its presence in the sector.
Large hospitality projects are also being developed in Udaipur, Indore and Goa.
Along with hospitality, the family has expanded into social welfare and healthcare. Its initiatives include a surgical devices business and the development of the state-of-the-art Varay Dental Hospital.
Fulfilling its social responsibilities with equal commitment, the group is also providing quality and modern education to children through Varay International School.
After establishing a deep and strong presence in the domestic Indian market, the Ritik Group’s next major objective is to take the Ritik name to the global stage.
To achieve this, the company is preparing comprehensive export plans aimed at establishing a strong presence in international markets.
Built on an 85-year-old foundation of honesty and commitment, strong family unity and continuous expansion into new areas, the inspiring journey of the Ritik Group is now moving rapidly towards becoming a global brand with an international identity.