HISTORY

Traversing in time to over a century ago, Wagh Bakri Tea Group was the fruition of the dream of a devout Gandhian, Shri Narandas Desai. An entrepreneur at heart, he started out in 1892 with 500 acres of tea estate in South Africa. Taking on the fine task of nurturing tea, passionately and single-handedly, he learned the intricacies of cultivating and producing tea, along with the aesthetics and norms of the business. However racial discrimination forced him to return to India with nothing but a few valuables and a certificate from Mahatma Gandhi for being the most honest and experienced tea estate owner in South Africa.

Shri Narandas Desai's three sons Shri Ramdas Desai, Shri Ochavlal Desai and Shri Kantilal Desai followed in their father's footsteps by joining the business. Till 1980 Gujarat Tea Depot continued to sell tea in wholesale as well as retail through 7 retail outlets. Also the first to recognise the need for packaged teas, the group launched Gujarat Tea Processors and Packers Ltd. in 1980. The company also started an office in Kolkata to oversee and check the purchase of tea at auction centres there.The corporate office of Wagh Bakri was inaugurated in 2006. It is a tribute to the founder that his vision is blended with a futuristic outlook, dedication and trust built over many years.