Mrs. Bector fought a hard fight against time , came out with a crowning glory and established the world leading brand - Cremica.
Her love for Ice creams lead to one thing and the story moves on . All the same glowing , the legacy is taken by her son and daughter but the essence of Cremica roots to her.
There is no shortcut to success , feels Bector , q follower of Aurobindo and The Mother. " Work is worship. That is what Mother teaches us in her writings . I've followed that all my life ". She remembers the times when she would work for 16 hours , " I had put my children in boarding schools. When they returned , I used to stop work to give them sufficient time ." Today , the third generation has also joined her business . Bector's advice to them is to maintain quality at all costs and they're definitely paying heed.
"Food business is very tricky and safety measures have to be followed religiously. My grandson was here recently , and we were discussing how , in Delhi market , an insect made its way into one of our bread packets. This tends to happen when breads are sold at vegetable and fruit counters. Our team immediately visited the complainant's house and resolved the matter," she says.
THE HARDSHIPS & CHALLENGES
Rajni Bector of Cremica did not let her detractors get in the way of building one of India's biggest foods company.Married off as a student , she went on to become the "Mrs. Bector" of bakery products and condiments.
Meanwhile,her husband was very particular about branding and doing it the proper way. Say,for instance , the day he called up Bector to register the business under a brand . "He asked me to quickly think of a name ---- whatever came to my mind. I used a lot of cream to make my products , and that is how Cremica [ Cream Ka] was born in the early '80s', explains Bector.
INITIAL YEARS OF STRUGGLE
In an Era of 1970s when Indian women from well-to-do families weren't heard working , Mrs. Rajni Bector laid foundations to create a 650 crores business empire in food processing industry , CREMICA GROUP . The story of Cremica Group can be seen from the way the business looks today . What Mrs. Rajni Bector started as hobby out of her backyard was taken to a different level by her sons.Her sons grew it further and made it a leading food supplier. Cremica group now has entered into the biggest FMCG space. Mrs. Bector's fondness for cooking made her to try out various recipes of ice creams , cakes and cookies. It was so good , that her friends motivated her to start a business out of it. Operating from her home kitchen , with one small oven an an initial investment of Rs.300 , she started her business. Word spread and orders for parties and functions kept pouring in.
A QUICK RAPID FIRE ROUND :
1. INSPIRATION : My Mother & Friends
2. SUCCESS FACTORS : My taste buds and passion for food.
3. MEMORABLE MILESTONE : Putting up my ice cream stall next to Kwality , mine was a bigger hit.
4. BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT : Always do your work right and be perfect .
5. ONE THING I LEARNT THE HARD WAY : I wanted to do everything on my own earlier , that has changed.
6. MENTOR : My Mother & My Husband.
7. ULTIMATE GOAL : Get ahead of everyone in the food business.
8. MOTTO IN LIFE : Work is worship and never compromise on quality.
9. WORK LIFE BALANCE : Be sincere at your work and you will find balance.
There's no doubt to the fact that Mrs. Bector is an eye opener to everyone out there who wishes to grow and be a successful entrepreneur. She is a great source of inspiration.
Story and Content by : Chandni Singh
Editorial@Talentstoryindia.com