Papad is one of India’s most beloved and culturally significant food accompaniments, enjoyed with meals across the country in countless varieties — from the thin crispy urad dal papad of the north to the soft and flavourful appalam of the south. The Indian papad market is estimated to generate revenues of over Rs 5,000 crore annually and supports an active export trade with over 76,000 exports annually to Indian diaspora communities and Asian cuisine enthusiasts worldwide. The market encompasses a diverse range of products including plain papad, spicy papad, cumin papad, garlic papad, rice papad, moong papad, and regional specialities, each with its own loyal consumer base. From large organised manufacturers to iconic cooperatives, India’s papad industry is a fascinating blend of tradition and modernisation. Let us have a look at the top 10 papad manufacturing companies in India for the year 2026.
1. Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad
Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, founded in the year 1959 by seven determined women in a small apartment in Mumbai’s Girgaon neighbourhood with a combined seed capital of just Rs 80, is one of India’s most iconic and inspiring business success stories. What began as a micro-enterprise to provide economic independence to women has grown into a cooperative employing over 45,000 women across 81 branches and 25 divisions in 17 Indian states. The Lijjat Papad brand is a household name across India and its distinctive red and white packaging is one of the most recognised on the Indian grocery shelf.
Lijjat Papad serves Indian households across the country with its traditional urad dal papad in multiple flavours including plain, jeera, and pepper through an extensive network of distributors and retailers, and the brand’s deep-rooted connection to women’s empowerment adds a unique social value dimension that has earned it exceptional consumer loyalty and institutional recognition.
2. Haldiram’s
Haldiram’s, a family-owned business that began in the year 1937 when Ganga Bishan Agarwal started selling bhujia from a small shop in Bikaner, Rajasthan, has grown into India’s most beloved and globally recognised traditional snack and sweet company with an estimated annual revenue exceeding Rs 12,000 crore. Haldiram’s offers a premium and extensively varied range of papads as part of its broader snack portfolio, including Bikaneri papad, urad papad, moong papad, and masala papad in multiple sizes and packs that are available across India and in over 80 countries worldwide through its global distribution network.
Haldiram’s serves Indian consumers across all income levels and ages with its complete range of traditional papads and accompaniments through its extensive retail distribution, own-brand restaurants, and international export channels, and its papad products benefit from the extraordinary brand trust and consumer affection that Haldiram’s has built over nearly nine decades of excellence in traditional Indian snacks.
3. Bikaji Foods International Limited
Bikaji Foods International Limited, founded in the year 1987 by Shiv Ratan Agarwal in Bikaner, Rajasthan, is one of India’s fastest-growing traditional Indian snack companies and a major manufacturer of papads that are exported to over 35 countries. Bikaji is listed on the Indian stock exchanges and has built a powerful brand identity supported by the iconic Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. The company’s papad range includes classic Bikaneri papad and multiple regional and flavoured varieties made using traditional Rajasthani recipes with modern quality-controlled manufacturing processes.
Bikaji Foods serves Indian consumers across the country and Indian diaspora communities globally with its authentic Rajasthani papad and snack products, and is particularly strong in northern and western India where its brand resonates deeply with consumers who associate Bikaji with the authentic flavours of Bikaner’s celebrated food heritage.
4. Bikanervala Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Bikanervala, founded in the year 1950 in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and now headquartered in New Delhi, is one of India’s most trusted and widely loved traditional Indian sweet and snack brands with a strong papad division that has earned national and international recognition. The brand offers a diverse selection of premium papads including urad papad, moong papad, jeera papad, and a range of flavoured varieties that celebrate the authentic culinary heritage of Rajasthan. Bikanervala offers doorstep deliveries throughout India and accepts bulk orders for weddings and events.
Bikanervala serves Indian consumers and hospitality industry buyers across India and internationally through its retail outlets, online ordering platform, and export distribution network, and is particularly valued for the authenticity, premium quality, and rich heritage that its papad products represent for consumers who seek the genuine taste of traditional Indian food.
5. Balaji Wafers Pvt. Ltd.
Balaji Wafers Pvt. Ltd., founded in the year 1974 in Rajkot, Gujarat, is one of India’s most dynamic and fast-growing snack companies, primarily known for its potato chips and namkeen but also a significant player in the papad segment with a strong and growing market presence. The company has built a powerful brand in western and central India through its commitment to innovative flavours, consistent quality, and aggressive value pricing. Balaji’s papad products are known for their unique taste profiles and crisp texture that distinguish them in a competitive market.
Balaji Wafers serves the western and central Indian snack markets with its papad products alongside its broader snack portfolio, and is particularly popular among value-seeking consumers who appreciate the brand’s combination of authentic flavours, high quality, and competitive pricing that has made Balaji a household name in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
6. Bhikharam Chandmal Bhujiwala Pvt. Ltd.
Bhikharam Chandmal Bhujiwala Private Limited, established in the year 1983 as a formal company but with a business legacy dating back 125 years to when it started as a small-scale manufacturer of the original Bikaneri Bhujia, is one of India’s most authentic manufacturers of traditional Rajasthani papads and snacks. The company produces multiple types of papads including Bikaneri papad, chana papad, urad papad, and Punjabi masala papad using high quality original ingredients sourced from the Bikaner region. Bhikharam Chandmal opened its high-tech production facility in the year 1990 to scale up while maintaining authentic recipes.
Bhikharam Chandmal serves traditional snack lovers across India with papads and namkeen products that authentically represent Bikaner’s culinary heritage, and is particularly popular with consumers and gourmet food enthusiasts who seek out genuine artisanal-quality Rajasthani papad products as opposed to mass-market alternatives.
7. Nilon’s India Private Limited
Nilon’s India Private Limited, founded in the year 1962 by Suresh Sanghvi in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, is one of India’s oldest and most respected food processing companies with a significant papad manufacturing division alongside its extensive range of pickles, spices, sauces, and ready-to-cook products. Nilon’s papads are manufactured under stringent quality standards and are available in multiple varieties and pack sizes that cater to households across the country. The brand has built a loyal customer base over six decades of consistent quality and availability in Indian markets.
Nilon’s serves Indian households across the country with papads and a comprehensive range of companion food products including pickles and spice mixes through its wide distribution network that covers modern trade, traditional grocery, and e-commerce channels across India.
8. Rajnandini Food Ltd.
Rajnandini Food Ltd. is a Gujarat-based papad manufacturer that has built a growing presence in the organised papad market with a focus on quality manufacturing and expanding its distribution reach across India. The company produces a range of papad varieties including urad, moong, and rice papads and has been investing in capacity expansion and brand building to grow its share of the competitive national papad market.
Rajnandini Food serves Indian households and institutional buyers with papad products produced in its Gujarat manufacturing facility, and is a growing player in the organised papad segment that is benefiting from the overall formalisation of India’s traditional food industry and increasing consumer preference for packaged and quality-certified papad products.
9. Mahaganapathi Foods
Mahaganapathi Foods, founded in the year 1996, is a leading manufacturer of South Indian papad varieties including Tamil Appalam, Kerala Papadam, Madras Papad, and North Indian Papad, serving both the domestic South Indian market and the global Indian diaspora which has a strong appetite for authentic regional papad varieties. The company produces its papad range in multiple flavours including cumin, garlic, red chilli, and organic varieties that cater to health-conscious consumers seeking clean-ingredient papad options.
Mahaganapathi Foods serves South Indian consumers across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka as well as Indian diaspora communities in the Middle East, the USA, the UK, and Southeast Asia with authentic regional papad varieties that reproduce the traditional home-made taste and texture of South Indian appalam and papadam that diaspora communities crave.
10. SRS Foods
SRS Foods is an established papad manufacturer serving the domestic Indian market with a range of machine-made and hand-made papad varieties produced at its manufacturing facility. The company has built a regional following in its core markets and supplies to both retail and institutional buyers including restaurants and catering companies that require consistent quality papad in bulk quantities for food service applications.
SRS Foods serves retail consumers and food service establishments with papad products in multiple varieties and pack sizes, and is a typical example of the many well-organised regional papad manufacturers across India that collectively serve the enormous domestic demand for this universally loved traditional Indian food accompaniment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the market size of the papad industry in India?
A: The Indian papad market generates estimated revenues of over Rs 5,000 crore annually and supports active export trade with over 76,000 exports annually to global markets. The market encompasses both the organised branded segment dominated by companies like Lijjat, Haldiram’s, and Bikaji, and a significant unorganised sector comprising thousands of home-based and small-scale manufacturers across India.
Q: What types of papad are most popular in India?
A: Urad dal papad is the most widely consumed papad across India and is the variety produced by Lijjat and most large manufacturers. South India has its own distinctive variants — appalam in Tamil Nadu and papadam in Kerala — made with urad flour and spices. Other popular varieties include moong papad, rice papad, sabudana papad, masala papad, and chana papad. Regional variations in flavouring with cumin, pepper, garlic, and chilli are also common.
Q: How is Lijjat Papad different from a regular company?
A: Lijjat Papad is a women’s cooperative organisation rather than a conventional profit-driven company. It was founded in 1959 by seven women with Rs 80 and has grown to employ over 45,000 women who are all co-owners of the cooperative. All member-workers receive an equal share of profits regardless of their individual role. This cooperative model, which combines social empowerment with commercial success, makes Lijjat unique in India’s food industry and has earned it international recognition and awards.
Q: Is papad healthy to eat?
A: Traditional homemade or quality papad made from lentil flours like urad, moong, or chana dal is a reasonably nutritious food when consumed in moderation. Roasted or air-fried papad is significantly lower in calories and fat compared to deep-fried papad. Lentil-based papads are good sources of plant protein and dietary fibre. However, commercially packaged papads may contain added salt, preservatives, and flavour enhancers and should be checked for nutritional information by health-conscious consumers.
Q: Does India export papad internationally?
A: Yes, India exports papad to Indian diaspora communities and Asian cuisine enthusiasts across the world, with over 76,000 export transactions annually. Key export markets include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asian countries with large South Asian communities. Companies like Haldiram’s, Bikaji, and Bikanervala have particularly strong international distribution networks that reach Indian grocery stores in over 35 to 80 countries respectively.
