Jute is a heritage fibre of India—versatile, environment-friendly, and beautiful, with a golden colour and a silky shine. It is also a part of my family’s heritage. I’m a third-generation Panipat-based entrepreneur. The family business is more than 30 years old, and while our roots are in Jute, we now compete in three verticals: Plastics, Yarns and Home Furnishings.
I joined the company after completing an MBA in Finance at IBS Hyderabad. I really wanted to understand all the nuances of the business, so I started off by working across different departments, from finance to manufacturing to human resources. This let me appreciate the structure and processes we have in place to make our INR 200 crore enterprise run smoothly.
After immersing myself in the business for four years, I saw an opportunity to build on our unique Jute sourcing expertise and expand into manufacturing. This was how Jutex India was born and how my entrepreneurial journey began.
Jutex India handpicks the finest Jute fibre and crafts it into exclusive, high-quality home textiles for export markets. We’ve grown considerably in the past year, hitting a growth rate of between 20% and 25% and making up the lion’s share of the group’s turnover.
As a well-established business, we fared better than many during the pandemic. I’m pleased that we had the resources to support our workers physically and mentally. We were able to continue to pay full salaries, even paying in advance to help workers absorb the impact of the April 2020 lockdown.
It was also important for us to assure our people that we would assist them in case of any future difficulties. And, of course, we worked closely with the government to set up guidelines to help us keep our employees safe after the lockdown and going forward.
When I heard about Walmart Vriddhi, I knew it was the right program for me.
Three key factors motivated me to join Walmart Vriddhi: knowhow, networking and the Walmart brand.
First, there is much synergy between Walmart Vriddhi and my MBA background and practical experience. The program acted as a refresher for me, helping me better understand the intricacies of running a business. I also appreciate how the Walmart Vriddhi team was so diligent in helping me make the most of the opportunities on offer.
Second, my network has widened considerably thanks to Walmart Vriddhi. I’ve been able to connect with many different people, which has helped me grow and learn.
Last but not least, I recognise the value of being able to associate with the Walmart brand and gain insights into its supply chain practices.
My next step is to further explore the potential of online commerce. I registered the business on Flipkart in December 2021 and have hired two people to help me develop and execute a winning online strategy. I’m excited by the possibilities and believe that online sales will be a key driver for the growth of Jutex India in the upcoming year and beyond.
