Mahashian Di Hatti Private Limited,[2][3] doing business as MDH, is an Indian spice producer and seller based in New Delhi, India. It is the second largest leader in the Indian market with 12% market share, following S. Narendrakumar's Everest Spices.[4]
It was founded by Dharampal Gulati in 1959, who served as its CEO until his death on 3 December 2020, Subsequently, Dharampal's son, Rajeev Gulati, took over the company and became the face of the MDH brand.[5][6]
History
Mahashay Chunnilal Gulati set up the masala company in 1919 in Sialkot, British India currently located in the Punjab province of Pakistan since 1947.[7] It is associated with Mahashay Chunnilal Charitable Trust.
Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, the son of the founder moved to Delhi after the partition of India. He opened a shop in a shack and started selling spices like his father.[8] He later opened his shop at Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh and expanded from there. In 1959 he bought a plot in Kirti Nagar to set up his own spice factory.[9]
At the age of 94, Dharampal Gulati was the highest paid fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) CEO in India in 2017.[10] He took home over inr 210000000 as salary in the last fiscal year.[11] Two years later, on 16 March 2019, he received the Padma Bhushan award for Trade & Industry from the President of India Ram Nath Kovind.[12]
Operations
MDH has 62 products[13] available in over 150 different packages. These include ground and blended spices,[14] and saffron.[15]
In 2022, the company denied rumours of it being sold to Unilever.[16]
Controversies
In May 2024, New Zealand's food safety regulator said it was investigating contamination in spice products of Indian brands MDH and Everest.[17] Its products were recalled by regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore for containing ethylene oxide.[18]
References
- Sagar Malviya. Masala companies add $1 billion to their topline The Economic Times, 16 January 2023, retrieved 28 April 2024^
- MAHASHIAN DI HATTI PRIVATE LIMITED tofler.in, retrieved 7 October 2018^
- Mahashian DI Hatti Ltd: Company Profile Bloomberg.com, retrieved 7 October 2018^
- FMCG sector's highest paid CEO is a 94-year-old school drop-out The Times of India, retrieved 2018-05-10^
- Remember 'Dadaji' From The Popular MDH Masala Ads? Here's The Man Who Replaced Him India Times, retrieved 8 November 2022^
- MDH owner Mahashay Dharampal Gulati passes away at 98 Economic Times^
- A sneak peek into the flavorful world of MDH Economic Times, 6 May 2009^
- ABP NEWS. Vyakti Vishesh: From a tangawala to billionaire: MDH man Mahashay Dharam Pal 24 October 2014, retrieved 21 September 2017^
- "A Tale of Two Refugees", by Diksha Sahni and Nikita Mehta, Wall Street Journal, 13 December 2011 retrieved 4 August 2017^
- Sagar Malviya. FMCG sector's highest paid CEO is a 94-year-old school drop-out The Economic Times, 21 September 2017, retrieved 21 September 2017^
- FMCG sector's highest paid CEO is a 94-year-old school drop-out - Times of India The Times of India, retrieved 2018-05-10^
- President Kovind presents Padma Bhushan to Mahashay Dharampal Gulati The President of India's Youtube channel, 16 March 2019, retrieved 18 March 2019^
- Himanshi Dhawan. At 95, this Padma Awardee is highest paid FCMG CEO 27 January 2019, retrieved 21 June 2020^
- About us retrieved 2020-12-13^
- Other Products retrieved 2020-12-13^
- MDH denies any move to sell business to Hindustan Unilever Business Standard^
- Rishika Sadam. New Zealand looking into Indian spice brands over contamination Reuters, May 15, 2024^
- In a pickle: Why it's time for Fssai to wake up and crack the whip Mint, 19 May 2024, retrieved 22 May 2024^