The Inspiring Journey of Lijjat Papad – A Women's Cooperative

65 years of continuous business growth …

From the north to the south of India, languages change. Cultures shift. But one thing remains constant: the humble papad on every plate.

I only discovered recently that one key organisation is behind this ubiquitous snack.

Enter Lijjat Papad. A women’s cooperative that’s redefining business success.

45,000 women. 82 branches. 17 states. $224 million annual turnover.

And a 90% market share in India for a daily staple.

All from rolling papads at home.

Here’s how they built a remote manufacturing empire:

? Cooperative model: Every woman is a shareholder. Equal profit sharing. True ownership.
? Standardized processes: Central sourcing of ingredients. Uniform quality standards. Surprise inspections.
?‍? Peer-to-peer training: Existing branches mentor new ones. Knowledge spreads organically.
? Decentralized production: Low overheads. Scalable model. Women work from home.
? Centralized support: Marketing, distribution, and quality control handled by HQ.
? Inclusive workforce: No formal education required. Skills-based approach. Empowering women regardless of background.
? Localized production: Reduced distance between production and distribution. Ensures freshness. Slashes logistics costs.

The result?

A business that’s grown consistently for 65 years. Empowering women. Dominating the market.

No apps. No AI. No blockchain.

Just smart systems, aligned incentives, and a focus on simplicity.

The lesson?

You don’t need cutting-edge tech to scale.

But you do need good processes. Technology just amplifies processes which is why it’s possible to scale in the wrong direction.

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At CMAX.ai we also believe a good process is one that adapts to change which is why my team built a self-learning SEO automation platform that automatically targets the 90% of online searches that most companies miss with SEO.

Click on the link below to find out more:
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Author

Jeremy Tang

Seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Area Ten

Jeremy Tang is a seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Area Ten. With over 2 decades of experience in business consulting and digital marketing, he has successfully driven seven startup businesses, six of which achieved $1 million in revenue from zero in less than 16 months, 5 of which grew to multi-million dollar a year ventures without any external funding. Jeremy's expertise lies in streamlining business processes through technology and leveraging digital (in particular SEO) for business growth. He resides in Australia, travels extensively, and draws inspiration from his global experiences. For more information click here.

The Inspiring Journey of Lijjat Papad – A Women’s Cooperative

Jeremy Tang

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