Chitale Bandhu: How One Family Built a Food Empire
Chitale Bandhu is a well-known Indian brand specializing in traditional sweets, namkeens (savory snacks), and dairy products. Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, the company has grown from a modest family enterprise into a brand with a significant presence across India and in international markets. Early Roots (1939) The story begins in 1939 when Late Shri Babasaheb Chitale (also referred to as Bhaskar Ganesh Chitale) established a dairy business in the village of Bhilawadi in Sangli district, Maharashtra. Facing challenges in his earlier life, including the impact of the 1918 pandemic on his family circumstances, he moved to Bhilawadi, an area with abundant milk production. He began selling milk and dairy products such as curd and chakka , initially supplying them via the railway network to retailers in Mumbai. Founding of Chitale Bandhu (1950) In the mid-1940s, Babasaheb’s sons—Late Shri Bhausaheb Chitale (Raghunathrao) and Late Shri Rajabhau Chitale (Narsimharao)—shifted focus to P...