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Zafar
Shaikh - Managing Director, Pinch Bottling Co., Jalgaon |
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After rags to riches turnaround in Jalgaon, Zafar Shaikh excels in
Paris:
His is the rags to riches story on everyone’s lips in Jalgaon since
last few years. The miraculous turnaround this Jalgaon star has
undergone in his...Read
Full
Germany bans cola after drug test
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While working with Zafar Shaikh at
Star Bottling Company in Jalgaon nineteen years ago, the fellow
co-workers had never imagined that he would one day become the sole
owner of the huge plant. But highly ambitious Zafar had a plan
working into
his mind and was eagerly waiting for his turn. And that very
opportunity knocked his doors in 1990.
“Because of the honesty and
determination with which I had served at Star Bottling Company for
years, the owners had little problem handing over the plant to me
when they decided to sell it out in 1990”, recalled Zafar Shaikh.
After selling the ancestral land and with the help of the financial
assistance from Maharashtra State Finance Corporation (MSFC), he was able to transfer the ownership rights
in his name. Star Bottling Co. now became Pinch Bottling Company. But the bigger challenge awaited him ahead. “The
company had a reliable standing as far as manufacturing the bottles
was concerned. But the Pinch Soda we were manufacturing was not able
to impact the market in a way we had expected.”
Searching for the ways, the master in
foods and aerated water finally decided to launch Zeera
Masala Soda with natural ingredients. “When I discussed it
with my friends, they termed me mad. Paagal Ho Gaya Hai, they
declared unanimously”, he reminded. But the stubborn in Zafar Shaikh
ultimately triumphed and when he invited his friends for a
‘Trial-Taste’ of Zeera Masala, they all were stumped. “Today the
situation is such that at many places in the country including the
cities like Mumbai and Pune, people refuse to take their foods if
they don’t find my Zeera-Masala in the hotels”, Zafar said as the
proud poured out from his glittering eyes.
The success of Zeera Masala
inspired him even further and he started planning for some new
exclusive product line. “I believed the country is very strong in
agriculture, food and beverages. My belief became stronger after the
success of Zeera Masala and it became evident to me
that if I persist with quality coupled with reasonable rate, there
is absolutely no challenge to me in the world”, Zafar explored in a
clear and determined tone. Mecca Cola, Mecca Orange and Mecca Lemon
soon followed Zeera Masala into the soft drink market.
Learning a lesson or two from
countries like China, Zafar decided to utilize the country’s natural
resources for his own advantage. He came out with yet another
exclusive Mecca Leechi that made the alarm bell ringing in the
competitions who were still recovering from the impact of his
earlier products in the market.
The launch of Mecca Leechi was a sever
blow to the competition. But for Zafar, it was a moral booster.
“While marketing my products I realised that a large proportion of
the young generation in the country is attracted towards alcohol”,
said Zafar philosophically as one more of his qualities exposed to
us. “I decided to come out with Cocktail No.1 in a beer-like
packaging for the youth of the country. Along with promoting it in
the regular soft-drink market, I personally reached to the people
selling alcohol and requested them to keep Cocktail No.1 along with
regular wines”, he said adding, “My non-alcoholic beer Cocktail No.1
recorded a huge selling even from the wine-racks and is attracting
the customers located abroad too.”
Elaborating how he came out with 330
ml plastic bottles with an exclusive crown cap packing after his
competitors indulged in dirty practices, Zafar said, “By expansion
and tricks alone we can challenge the MNCs who instead of fighting
with the quality are engaged in dirty practices.”
After his manufacturing unit in
Jalgaon became insufficient to cope with the huge demands, Zafar
started a new manufacturing unit in January 2009 at Sirsoli few
kilometers away from the main city. With the new manufacturing unit
starting the production, Zafar along with his regular Mecca Cola,
Mecca Orange, Mecca Leechi and Coktail No. 1, launched the new range
of products comprising Juices in various flavors, Jam, Jelly and
Pickles including yet another exclusive, the Banana Juice, the first
of its kind in the country.
Looking at the
pace with which Zafar is working today, we are sure even his Sirsoli
unit will become insufficient to supply the demands his products are
receiving world over.
(Dhule-Jalgoan
Personalties, The Times of India)
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