Meet woman who turned family business into Rs 8500 crore empire, not from IIT, IIM, she is...

Nadia Chauhan is a prime example of how hard work and dedication are crucial in family businesses, challenging the common belief that inheriting a family business is an easy path to success. Born in 1985, the same year Parle Agro was founded, Nadia has been closely connected with the company from the start. She was mentored by her father, Prakash Chauhan, at Parle Agro's Mumbai headquarters from a young age.

After completing her studies at HR College of Commerce and Economics, Nadia joined Parle Agro at the age of 17 in 2003. At the time, the company had a turnover of Rs 300 crore. By 2017, Nadia had helped steer the company’s revenue to Rs 4200 crore, and by 2022-2023, it had surged to Rs 8000 crore. This growth can largely be credited to Nadia’s leadership and strategic vision.

When she joined Parle Agro, Nadia noticed that the company’s profits were overwhelmingly dependent on a single product—Frooti, which contributed 95% of the revenue. To diversify the company’s portfolio, she launched Appy Fizz in 2005, which quickly became popular. Nadia also introduced India’s first packaged Nimboo Pani and established multiple new manufacturing units to expand Parle Agro’s reach. In 2015, she oversaw a major relaunch of Frooti, which helped reduce its contribution to the overall business to 48%, making room for the growth of other products. Another significant milestone in the company’s growth came with the introduction of packaged water, Bailey, which became a Rs 1000 crore business.

Now 37 years old, Nadia serves as the Chief Marketing Officer and Joint Managing Director of Parle Agro, where she is responsible for overseeing strategy, sales, marketing, and research and development. Her older sister, Schauna Chauhan, is the CEO of the company. The Parle Group was originally founded in 1929 by Nadia’s great-grandfather, Mohanlal Chauhan. With a target of making Parle Agro a Rs 20000 crore brand by 2030, Nadia’s ambitions for the company continue to grow.

The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.