The Corporate Connect - Mr. Bhupen Dalal

The Corporate Connect, a new initiative by the Corporate Relations Committee, gave ten students from SIMSREE an opportunity to interact with Mr. Bhupen Dalal, Chairman and Mr Utsav Dhupelia, Managing Director at Foods and Inns Ltd. This meeting was conducted on 28^th September 2013, at the Food and Inns office located at Tardeo Circle, Mumbai.

The discussion gave the students insights of the food processing industry in India. The talk covered a spectrum of topics ranging from the history of the company, food processing industry in India compared to that in other countries, to what this industry can achieve for our country if it is given the support that it requires. While explaining the potential that the food processing industry possesses the speakers mentioned that India is blessed with a large percentage of cultivable land and most of it is underutilized, there is huge demand for processed fruits in other countries which can help our exports and value addition to the agricultural produce brought about by this industry is nowhere near to what it is in other Asian countries. They also mentioned the importance of team work by elucidating that team means that “Together Everyone Achieves More” -the ideology that their company firmly believes in.

The speakers explained various technologies explored and employed by Food and Inns Ltd to improve quality of their products, which is the USP of their company. They explained their efforts to bring about social and environmental improvements by making their plants eco-friendly by minimizing the dependence on fossil fuels, helping the farmers getting the right price for their produce and removing all the middle men and their commissions from the supply chain.

The speakers were very enthusiastic about sharing the know-hows of their industry. By sharing these valuable nuances they filled the same enthusiasm in the students too. It was a hearty discussion where students asked their doubts freely and were very promptly addressed by the speakers. There were many light moments throughout the discussion. The discussion taught the students to interpret the statistics and news and utilize them for their development and their organisation’s progress.