Stories
From Kitchen Experiments to Global Giant: The Story of Manorama Industries
- •Manorama Industries started as a small family venture in the 1940s when Manorama and Janakilal Agarwal began grinding seeds and extracting oils at home.
- •Janakilal used his expertise in fat chemistry to discover that fats from forest produce like sal seeds and mango kernels could be processed into cocoa butter equivalents.
- •Unable to afford a trade fair stall, Janakilal creatively showcased his products on his own body, which caught the attention of Italian businessman Michael Ferrero.
- •The company officially incorporated in 2005 now sources raw materials from forest communities across multiple Indian states and supplies major global brands like Ferrero, Mondelez, and L'Oréal.
- •Manorama Industries reported a consolidated revenue of Rs 1,357.7 crore in FY2025-26 with a profit after tax of Rs 233.2 crore.
Key Questions Answered
Manorama Industries reported a consolidated revenue of Rs 1,357.7 crore in FY2025-26, which represents a 76.1 per cent increase from the previous year's Rs 770.8 crore. Additionally, the company's profit after tax more than doubled, reaching Rs 233.2 crore.
Unable to afford an expensive exhibition stall at international trade fairs, Janakilal creatively used his own body to demonstrate his specialty fat products. This unusual presentation caught the attention of Michael Ferrero, leading to a discussion on how these specialty fats could improve chocolate stability and establishing a lasting business relationship.
Manorama Industries sources a variety of forest produce from communities across states like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. They process raw materials such as sal seeds, mango kernels, shea seeds, and kokum into specialty fats and butters for global food, confectionery, and cosmetics companies.
