Jyoti Naik started the Lijjat Papad cooperative in 1959 with 7 women and a small loan. The cooperative is run democratically by its 21,000 female members and has grown to annual sales of over Rs 301 crore without adopting modern machinery. It focuses on empowering women through self-employment and training, with a strong emphasis on quality, values of self-respect and no donations or charity. Lijjat Papad has become a household name in India and is exported to over 60 countries through its network of distributors while maintaining its roots.

1. Jyoti Naik

2. Entrepreneurship skills
• Visionary (especially for women – self
employment)
• Reaching out and empowering women at the
grassroots level (converted a small industry to a
cottage national movement for women)
• Sheer hard work & dedication

3. • Simplicity & co-operation
• Extremely value driven
• Invaluable business ethics
• Great emphasis on quality
Entrepreneurship skills

4. How the company started
• Started by 7 women in 1959 with a modest loan of
Rs.80
• Jyoti Naik started at the age of 12 in 1973

5. • Working of the organization
▫ Any woman who pledges to adopt the institution's
values and who has respect for quality can become
a member and co-owner of the organization
▫ Every morning a group of women goes to the Lijjat
branch to knead dough
▫ Every member gets her share of vanai
How the company started

7. Distribution Flow Chart
• Distributors pick up the quantity of papad they require
and pay cash on delivery because wages are paid to
workers on a daily basis
• Generally each distributor has his three-wheeler and
about eight to ten salesmen to deliver to retail outlets
within his territory
• A distributor pays Rs150,000 as deposit

9. Distribution
• HQ: Mumbai with sixteen branches and six depots
having 32 distributors
▫ Distributed all over India to 62 different locations
▫ Do not have individual door-to-door salesmen or women
selling from homes
Strong distribution network but no B2C business

10. Distribution
• Exports
▫ Account for Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million)
▫ 30 per cent to 35 per cent of the production of Lijjat
Papad is being exported, mainly to countries like the
United States, the United Kingdom, the Middle East,
Singapore, Hong Kong and Holland

11. • Consistent good quality the USP
• Even without modern machines due to the
rigorous training even today they make
handmade papads to perfection
• every lot of papad goes through testing
Quality

12. Leadership Style
• Democratic + Lassies’ Faire leadership style
• Focus on Decentralization - Sarvodaya philosophy
(sharing power in all activities)
▫ The committee of 21 members manages the affairs of
the institution
▫ No male can become a member and no male employee
whether working or honorary or on salary basis has
voting rights

13. Values
• sense of self-dignity and respect
• do not accept donation or charity of any kind
• no place for prejudice on the basis of caste or
religion
• perceived as a serious business, not a charity
organization

14. Business Model
• began with a humble beginning with 7 women
who with their sheer hard work & determination
achieved success
• organization’s main assets are people (women)
• Converting drawbacks into strength is another
strong point
• Refrained from adopting modern technology
• Valuing people and under-standing their
problems h

15. Where it stands
• Today, Lijjat is more than just a household name
for 'papad' the cooperative now has annual sales
exceeding Rs 301 crore
• Jyoti Naik started at the age of 12 before
climbing up the ladder to achieve stupendous
success

16. • The organization stands as a symbol to women’s
• Jyoti has often been recognized for her
pioneering spirit and was conferred the
Businesswoman of the Year Award for Corporate
Excellence by the Economic Times.
• Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad was also
awarded the Best Village Industry Institution in
2003 and Brand Power award in 2011.