Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale’s Journey of Legacy and Modernization
The legacy of Chitale Bandhu speaks of a rich tradition that has been passed down through generations. The brand has gained widespread recognition and popularity over the years for its commitment to quality and taste. Chitale Bandhu initially started as a small dairy and sweets business but soon expanded its product range to include a variety of food products.
Over the years, Chitale Bandhu has expanded its operations and now has multiple outlets across Maharashtra, as well as a strong online presence, making their products accessible to a wider audience.
Chitale Bandhu’s heritage of over 75 years is built on its dedication to upholding the highest quality standards, employing traditional recipes, and giving great flavour and customer satisfaction. This commitment has won the brand a devoted consumer base and established it as a household name in Maharashtra and beyond.
For more than six decades, the firm has successfully built a totally distinct brand identity by constantly delivering a tasty and fresh experience!
Mithai & Namkeen Times had the honour of conversing with the acclaimed Chitale Bandhu, who is known for their long legacy. Sanjay Chitale (SC) and Kedar Chitale (KC) gladly expressed their opinions throughout this interaction, and we comprehended their words in a juxtaposed style for easy understanding for our readers.
A brief introduction of Chitale Bandhu’s personas:
Sanjay Chitale is Senior Partner Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale & President of MFDA (Mithai, Farsan and Dairy Association)
Kedar Chitale, Partner, Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale
MNT: Please share the decades-long legacy of Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale to date.
SC: Since 1950, the name ‘Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale’ has been in talks in Pune primarily and all over Maharashtra as well. Now, in 2025, we will proudly complete 75 years as an established business, which is indeed a huge feat for us.
My grandfather, Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale, popularly known as B.G. Chitale, started this venture back in Bhilawadi, which was then carried forward and expanded by my father and my uncle, Rajabhau Chitale and Bhausaheb Chitale, respectively, amongst all their brothers. Their generation was key to establishing the business in Pune.
Now, with immense pride, my generation—my brothers and I—as well as the next generation—are taking that heritage forward by emphasizing automation and mechanization of manufacturing processes to produce Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale products that are not only delicious but also hygienic and fresh.
Thanks to the family and all team members involved who have been instrumental in making Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale what it is today, a sweet and namkeen Brand that is loved by one and all and across the country.
MNT: The ranking of Chitale Bandhu in the mithai and namkeen industry is considered the most modern and highly mechanised firm. How did you get to this point? What are your plans for the future?
KC: Since the establishment of Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale in 1950, we have diversified our product portfolio from just mithai to namkeen and have now also introduced an on-the-go snacking range by the name of Bingebar and a mindful and mouthful products range under the Chitale M2 (no-added-sugar sweets as well as high-fibre cookies).
With a growing wave of demand for our products, it was nearly impossible to efficiently meet the market’s requirements with manual processes. Initially, our production methods for namkeens were traditional; however, to make our processes and products more hygienic and increase the overall output, we decided to implement automation and technology into our production systems. Shev and Bundi were some of the earliest namkeens to undergo the transformation, and by 1998, we had also successfully automated the Bakarwadi production.
During the early phases of the business, approximately 20 workers were required to produce around 200 kilograms of Bakarwadi daily. However, we’ve since enhanced our capabilities and can now produce the same amount each hour through automation. Our company has experienced significant benefits as a result of implementing this strategy. Specifically, we have been able to reduce labour costs associated with labour while increasing our production capacity manifold.
Our future plans include diversifying the range of our namkeen products. Given the changing preferences of our customers, who are now moving away from fried products, we are exploring the possibility of introducing roasted namkeens made with less oil and low-fat content.
MNT: After being the dominant brand in Maharashtra, how does Chitale intend to expand into other states and territories throughout the country?
SC: Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale is definitely in a strong position in Maharashtra right now. Apart from Bakarwadi, our other sweets and namkeen products have also been well-known in the Maharashtrian market and within the Marathi diaspora for decades.
Penetrating the market outside Maharashtra is indeed an exciting challenge for us; getting non-Maharashtrian people familiar with the various tastes of the traditional Maharashtrian cuisine via our products is what we aim to do with the expansion in national markets.
There are, in fact, multiple types of sweets and namkeens in and around India itself; we think that if we are able to identify similarities between the regional products under these categories and blend in some familiarities while still maintaining the authentic Maharashtrian taste in our products that we promise to offer, we can definitely capture the hearts of the target audience in markets outside Maharashtra and India.
We are also looking to expand our overall supply chain network outside Maharashtra to help us with our expansion plans, looking at potential areas to set up factories and also looking at the various logistical factors revolving around them as well.
MNT: Export performance for the food processing industry has been relatively strong over the past ten years. How seriously do you take this market for your exports, especially those that are traditionally well-liked in Maharashtra, such as Bhakarwadi, bhelpuri, peda, etc.?
KC: For quite some time now, multiple companies have been exporting namkeen products to various countries. Chitale Bandhu started establishing its presence in the overseas market in 2008 by exporting our star products like Bakarwadi.
In 2019, we expanded our export range with mithai as well by starting to pack our mithai products using the Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) technology. In the export business, it’s important to adhere to each country’s specific regulations, and we modify our products and packaging accordingly.
One of the biggest obstacles we face is shelf life. After extensive research and development, we managed to work our way up and increase the shelf life of our mithai products while retaining their superior taste to cater to our overseas consumers as well. Nevertheless, we are still limited by this regulation and are only able to export eligible items, but we are still working towards making our products durable enough to be able to export!
MNT: The mithai and namkeen manufacturers on the nation-level, inclusive of Maharashtra, have faced several obstacles. In past decades, your family has consistently been at the forefront of finding solutions to them. How are you bringing Pune’s mithai and namkeen industry together under one brand?
SC: The Federation of Sweets and Namkeen manufacturers has been functioning for a long time now and the Mithai, Farsan, and Dairy Association (MFDA) has been functional for 5 years. Businessmen dealing with mithai and namkeen in India used to travel all the way to the nation’s capital, Delhi, to pose any questions or hurdles that came their way.
In a similar fashion, representing Pune, my father, Rajabhau Chitale, and my brother, Shrikrishna Chitale, used to travel to Delhi along with various other famous businessmen from Pune, like Shree. Babulal Ji Data, head of Laxminarayan Chiwda, and Shree. Surendra ji Gadve, head of Kaka Halwai, amongst others.
They used to meet with many businessmen from the four corners of India—Shree. Manohar Lal Agarwal, head of Haldiram’s, Shree. Shyamsundar Agarwal, head of Bikanerwala from the North, as well as various other businessmen from South India—and discuss all their problems together. Usually, these hurdles revolved around excise duties, the use of colour, and preservatives in mithai, amongst others.
All of these problems were solved with the help of various ministers representing the Government of India. They used to cooperate with these businessmen, voice their problems, and provide solutions accordingly. Now, the new members of the MFDA are carrying forward the good work ahead of the betterment of the industry.
We aim to move forward with those activities at a state level rather than a national one, which will help us bring those local businessmen, especially those from Pune, under one umbrella and help them gain a better standing and understand their problems at a more personal level.
MNT: The mithai and namkeen industries have seen a significant influx of young people. What are your plans to further include them in business and association activities?
KC: The younger generation has a high demand for portable snacks. As a response to this demand, we have already introduced a small, pocket-friendly packet of Bakarwadi, which has been well-received in the market. Additionally, we offer a unique variety of namkeen bars, including Bhel, Lemon Bhel, and Lite Chivda.
These are basically traditional namkeens converted into bar forms. It makes them pocket-friendly as well as travel-friendly. We believe these products have significant potential due to their distinctiveness and are also greatly appreciated by the public at large. Furthermore, as the younger generation is increasingly health-conscious, we plan to launch a range of millet products that will serve as a healthy snack option.
Along with this, we are also committed to community development and are guiding young enthusiasts who wish to enter or expand in the sweets and namkeen industry.
We achieve this through the Mithai, Farsan, and Dairy Association (MFDA), along with our members who have been working in this industry for decades, allowing us to provide valuable insight and support to those seeking to enter this field. Our association assists them in acquiring the necessary machinery, such as Khava or Pedha machines, as well as operations guidance through our extensive experience and industry contacts.
MNT: How important is the presence of a powerful association when dealing with government authorities?
SC: MFDA was formed on the basis of helping FSNM (which currently operates on a national level), particularly in the areas of Pune and within the state of Maharashtra. The Mithai and Farsan Association did exist in Pune since 1990; however, when we combined the Mithai, Farsan, with Dairy industry together as well, it was a rebirth of sorts for this association, thus abbreviated as MFDA.
We aim to work with an increased drive for this association, and we do participate in multiple activities with absolute enthusiasm and support from our side. Shree. Murlidhar Choudhary of Bikaner Shev Bhandar who is the Working President, Shree. Prashant Babulal Data of Babus Laxminarayan Best Chivda, Shree. Makarand Shivkumar Gadve of Kaka Halwai Sweets & Namkeen who work as the Joint Secretary, and Shree. Amit Agarwal of Amarnath Agarwal Mawawala (Secretary, MFDA), Shree. Dinesh Agarwal of D. N. Agarwal Mawawala (Treasurer) and Shree. Kailash Zanvar of Aaswad Food Products (Associate Treasurer) are important and noteworthy names in this association in Pune. Shree. Sachin Gadve of Kaka Halwai Sweet Centre, Shree. Dilip Budhani of Budhani Wafers, Shree. Yogesh Agarwal of Agarwal Dairy who are working with Kedar Chitale as Vice Presidents have done a commendable job already.
MNT: Besides factory automation and modernization, youthful branding and the modernization of packaging are also crucial. How do you see these aspects at Chitale Bandhu?
KC: In our line of business, modernizing our packaging is a critical aspect. Customers often make their initial product selection based on appearance, making it essential that our products stand out on the shelf. To achieve this, we use innovative packaging designs and incorporate a variety of vibrant colours. For instance, our Bingebar packaging is distinct from other products on the market. We strive to explore different options for all our products.
Furthermore, we place emphasis on ensuring the durability of our packaging to prevent any potential damages that may occur during the transportation process.
We received feedback from our customers that the packaging for Bakarawdi, which is a delicate product, was not robust enough, leading to damaged goods. To address this issue, we invested in new machinery to produce durable and tamper-proof packaging, which has now solved the issue to a large extent.
MNT: How can MFDA and FSNM work together to solve mithai and namkeen-related problems in order to benefit the country as a whole?
SC: MFDA and FSNM have already decided upon various schemes that they can carry out together, one of which includes introducing various training programmes involving the young generation that will now join the mithai and namkeen industry.
We aim to help these individuals gain that vision and passion for this industry and pursue it on a greater trajectory, all while being proud of the industry that they are in.
For those who want to enter and grow in this market—both individuals and startups—MFDA and FSNM are working on various fronts together to help them by guiding them onto the right path and helping them establish themselves in this market.
Apart from this, there is a buzz going on about the mithai-making traditional workforce, not just all over Maharashtra but all around the country itself. A major problem that is still posed by this is the lack of skilled workers in this sector.
Hence, MFDA and FSNM are also planning on another initiative together: the creation of a training school, or perhaps a short course specially designed for this audience, with the help of the Catering Colleges of Pune and Mumbai.
We believe that this will help them not only know how to make all sorts of mithai and namkeen products but also have a much better understanding of the hygienic processes that need to be followed, which is quite important but still missing in today’s day and age. Around 10 years ago, we did try to establish a similar course for nearly 2 years with an association with the Catering College of Pune, but on a much smaller scale. However, we still see the benefits of that to date, as we currently have those chefs contributing to our company by working with us who have completed that course.
We believe that such joint initiatives can definitely be done on a larger scale to contribute towards the overall development and betterment of the mithai and namkeen industry in India.
MNT: How has the company adapted to changing consumer preferences and market trends? Are there any social or community initiatives undertaken by Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale?
KC: With decades of experience in the retail industry, we have gained valuable insights into the evolving buying patterns of customers. As cultural shifts take place, such as the rise of IT culture in Pune, we have observed corresponding changes in customer preferences. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a notable impact on consumer choices. While fresh mithai was once the preferred option, customers are now more open to trying packaged sweets. This is especially true for gifting purposes, where packaged mithai has become a popular choice.
At Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale, we prioritize customer satisfaction and strive to adapt our products and packaging based on customer feedback.
A word of appraisal:
A solid foundation based on the values of quality, excellence, and exceptional customer service has allowed the firm to develop into worldwide markets. Currently, the firm sells a variety of goods to Australia, South East Asia, the United States, and nations in the European Union. The growing demand for its products in international markets demonstrates its broad popularity.