Inside Haldiram’s ambitious Southall factory

In a 10,000-square-foot hub, India’s best-loved snack and sweets brand is expanding its presence with quality, culture, and a mission to go mainstream. Kiran Grewal reports. 

Tucked into a quiet industrial estate in Southall, a town known for its rich South Asian heritage, inside a 10,000-square-foot facility, one of India’s most beloved confectionery and snack brands, Haldiram’s, is re-engineering its legacy for a British and European audience. At the forefront is a cultural and strategic transformation, and Kennedy’s Confection were able to visit the factory in action last month, outlining a story of adaptation, innovation and a relentless focus on quality. 

“We were the first food manufacturer in this estate,” recalls Wilber Fernandes, Head of Operations at Haldiram’s UK. Setting up the Southall facility was no small feat. From sourcing high-quality ingredients to reconfiguring the site for food-grade operations, the early days were fraught with challenges. 

“There was nothing here. We had to dig up the main road just to get natural gas. No fibre optic internet. Even converting the address from residential use for Royal Mail took months,” Wilber says. The factory was established to ensure that Haldiram’s products in the UK matched the same standards and taste consumers expect in India. “It’s about delivering the exact same experience – the same flavour, the same texture,” Wilber explains. And that starts with sourcing. 

Supply chain precision 

Core ingredients like sugar and milk are sourced with forensic attention to quality. “Our sugar comes directly from the ASL Group factory, and milk is collected every morning from a local farm and never carried over to the next day,” says Wilber. Spices like cardamom are imported from India in controlled batches, going through rigorous inspections before reaching the production floor. 

Even the packaging tells a story of global collaboration. “The sealing film we use comes from Germany, and the raw material for that is sourced in Canada. During COVID, that pipeline was tested, but we maintained enough stock to ensure continuity,” he says. 

Behind the scenes, every step is monitored and refined. “From Bluetooth temperature probes to X-ray inspection and checkweighers, every box that leaves this factory passes through multiple layers of quality control,” Wilber adds. “We don’t do shortcuts here. If anything is subpar – even the trays – we destroy the lot.” 

The Southall facility is now undergoing a major expansion. With a freezer capacity of five containers and a chiller for three more, the project will take over an adjacent unit to double operations. “We’re aiming to finish by year-end, and with that, we’ll grow our workforce by at least 30%,” Wilber says. “More jobs for local people. More capacity. More innovation.” 

But growth is about volume as much as it is about moving with the market, and that’s where the new generation comes in. 

Reimagining Indian gifting and fusion sweets 

Enter Devanshi Mehta, a young and astute Marketing Executive leading a brand refresh. “We identified a gap in premium Indian gifting,” she explains. “For weddings or Diwali, people were going to Fortnum & Mason or Harrods to get something that looked luxurious because there wasn’t an Indian alternative that felt ‘premium’.” 

That insight led to the launch of Haldiram’s Kaas Collection, a marzipan-based fusion sweet range with modern flavours like saffron nut, hazelnut crunch, and chocolate-dipped walnut. “It’s western-style presentation with authentic Indian flavour, designed to appeal to the UK’s multicultural consumer base,” Devanshi says. 

And it’s working. With box sizes tailored for gifting and an emphasis on eye-catching, luxe packaging, the collection is helping Haldiram’s break out of the “ethnic aisle” and move into the mainstream. 

Marketing in a new landscape 

But marketing in the UK is a different beast. “In India, everyone knows Haldiram’s. Here, even among British Asians, that awareness drops, especially with younger generations,” Devanshi notes. This gap in brand knowledge has reframed the entire strategy. “We’re educating the consumers, explaining what paneer is, why gulab jamun matters, and how Haldiram’s differs.” 

The team is focused on building visibility via Instagram, LinkedIn, and a revamped website – supported by SEO and performance marketing. Channels like TikTok and Amazon Shop are on the roadmap, but the team is wisely building the foundations first. There’s also a physical presence to grow. “We’re in select Morrisons and Tesco stores already,” she says. “But the aim is to create products that can go on a mainstream aisle, not just the global foods section.” 

Business meets culture  

Haldiram’s UK operation arrives at a pivotal moment. The premium confectionery segment in the UK is undergoing a cultural shift. Consumers are more adventurous post-COVID, more design-conscious, and more focused on experience-led gifting. According to industry data, the fusion and experiential food segments are growing faster than traditional sweets, driven by younger, multicultural shoppers. For Rhea Agarwal, Director of Business Development for the UK and EU, the mission is to scale thoughtfully, but always protect the brand’s integrity. 

When Rhea Agarwal speaks about Haldiram’s, she doesn’t talk like a corporate strategist. She speaks and acts like more of a custodian, of a name that carries four generations of meaning. Sitting at the helm of Haldiram’s UK and EU operations, she has the delicate task of expanding one of India’s most iconic brands into a market that barely knows its name – yet.  

“My vision is to build Haldiram’s as a trustable brand here, just like it already is in India,” Rhea says. “Even though Indian food might be niche in the UK, people still have mango chutney or papadums in their shopping baskets. We want to be the brand they pick up for those items, and for everything else Indian.” 

“This is our only base outside India. It plays a major role in our expansion, especially since we’re eyeing markets like Australia and New Zealand, which share similar dairy regulations. This is our hub for that,” she explains.  

Balancing heritage with relevance 

As with many legacy brands, Haldiram’s faces a balancing act: how to maintain its heritage while resonating with modern consumers. Rhea is acutely aware of this tension, and embraces it. “Heritage is everything. A lot of our products are traditional, and you can’t compromise on that. Take our bhuja: it was a common snack in Rajasthan, but our family changed the flour base from besan to moong dal, which made it crispier. That innovation became part of the tradition.” 

Still, she acknowledges that younger consumers—especially in Western markets—expect more. That means considering factors like protein content, sugar levels, and global trends like pistachio-flavoured desserts. 

“Sometimes, it’s not even about changing the product. It’s just about changing the messaging. We could already be part of a trend—we just need to frame it in a way that connects.” 

Rhea was the driving force behind the Khaas Collection, from identifying the market gap to overseeing its execution. She agrees with Devanshi’s earlier statement on needing an Indian equivalent that also looked luxurious. “People don’t want to gift just kaju katli anymore. They want something special. So we created something that looks familiar to British consumers but is infused with Indian flavours, like saffron nut and chocolate-dipped walnut.” 

The marzipan base, she explains, was chosen after extensive R&D. It offered the right texture and shelf life, while serving as a familiar canvas for Indian-inspired flavours. “It’s designed to be customisable. Nut-free options, tailored price points, flexible packaging.  Whether it’s for Diwali, weddings, or corporate gifts, we can create something premium and meaningful.” 

On retail, restaurants, and responsible growth 

Despite the product innovation, Rhea is careful not to run too fast. She believes in thoughtful growth, and that includes taking time to build the right retail partnerships and routes to market. “We’ve already been exporting our packaged food since 1994. But now, the restaurant side is our next big move. London is the natural place to start, and it’s definitely a priority for us.” 

E-commerce is also central to the expansion strategy. Rhea’s team is investing in SEO and exploring partnerships with major platforms beyond their own website. “It’s a huge growth area. People don’t even know they can order most of our products online. That’s something we’re fixing, because we want to be everywhere, with formats that make sense. A giant pack in Costco, a smaller one in local shops, it’s all about visibility and accessibility.” 

Perhaps the most powerful insight into Rhea’s leadership comes from the factory floor. Every six months, she personally meets with each member of the production team. “They’re shy, modest people. But they love the brand. They treat it like family. If we’re short on time or need something done urgently, they’ll stay late, with no hesitation. Because they know the brand takes care of them.” 

It’s a lesson passed down through her grandfather. “He always told us: ‘Take your team’s problems onto your own head. If you care for them, they’ll care for the work.’ That’s something I live by.” The company hosts barbecues, celebrates both Diwali and Christmas, and maintains open lines of communication across departments. It’s a deliberate effort to blend Indian warmth with UK workplace dynamics. “We do a lot of recreational things, but really it comes down to being accessible. If they’re happy, that translates into the food. And ultimately, that’s what the customer tastes.” 

As Haldiram’s grows beyond India, there’s always the temptation to localise the brand; to rebrand or create sub-labels for new markets. Rhea is not interested in this, she reaffirms: “Even if we create sub-brands or play with logos, the name ‘Haldiram’ is not going anywhere. It was the nickname of my great-great-grandfather. That’s what the brand stands for, and that’s what we’re carrying forward.” 

That sense of duty—to her family, her employees, and her customers—is what makes her approach so distinctive. “If the people who work with me or buy from us can’t feel that passion, it won’t translate. But if they do, if it reaches them, then we’ve done something right.” 

And in that, perhaps, lies the true essence of Haldiram’s UK journey. It’s about sharing a legacy of care, of quality, and of cultural connection. 

 

Editorial contact:
Editor: Kiran Grewal kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk