There are a lot of women working in the F&B business in India, which is expanding quickly. Despite making up a sizable portion of the workforce, women continue to confront obstacles including discrimination, a lack of growth possibilities, and wage disparities. However, in recent years there has been an effort to advance gender parity in the food and beverage sector via a variety of programs designed to increase women's economic participation and professional advancement. As the number of women-owned businesses in the food and beverage sector grows, more and more women are assuming positions of authority and making their mark there. One of the pioneers in the Indian food and beverage industry is Nivedita Data Garg, having led a 78-year-old family firm to great success.

Nivedita Data Garg, who represents the fourth generation of her family to run Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda, has the most up-to-date knowledge and ideas. She is a leader who lives by the Monash motto, "AncoraImparo," which translates to "I will never stop learning," and who seeks knowledge from the individuals, happenings, and surroundings in her life. Below is an excerpt of Nivedita’s exclusive interaction with Women Entrepreneur magazine.

What are some important features of your expertise as an F&B leader?

Being a family-owned business makes internal communication particularly crucial, therefore that will be the priority. Having the skill to articulate your thoughts is essential in the corporate world, where everyone has to be on the same page about their roles, duties, and end objectives to function effectively. For the simple reason that establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships with other experts, suppliers, consumers, retailers, distributors, and end users in our sector may help us discover untapped markets and seize new possibilities. Henceforth, we were able to forge a solid connection between our wholesalers, merchants, and end users because of the extensive network we had established.

 Introduce us to Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda and its legacy.

My great-grandfather, Laxminarayan Data, established Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda in 1945, making the brand 78 years old this year. It all began in a little store in a home that doubled as a factory, and today I represent the fourth generation to run the family company. After 78 years, our storefront remains in the same spot where it was first established by Laxminarayan Data. Furthermore, as a company, we do not want to franchise. We are a single-location company whose expansion plans include adding wholesalers and retailers. Consequently, our supply chain includes both domestic wholesalers and international companies. With the cooperation of our distributors, we can meet the needs of the market by supplying wholesalers and retailers.

In addition, we've evolved and developed over the years, but we've never wavered from our dedication to time-honored procedures and premium materials. However, after my Grandfather Babulal Data took over the company from my great-grandfather Laxminarayan Data, he diversified the company's offerings. We made some significant improvements to our packaging, such as modifying and standardizing our export-grade packaging for both international and domestic sales. And to honor Babulal Data, who established this legacy, Laxminarayan Best Chiwda is now known as Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda.

"To honor babulal data, who established this legacy, laxminarayan best chiwda is now known as babus laxminarayan best chiwda"

Tell us about the various challenges you encounter as a leader in the Indian F&B space. How do you overcome the roadblocks that you face?

Inadequate representation and cultural differences come first. There is a clear lack of female role models in the top positions in the Indian food and beverage industry, and this is a problem that affects many other industries in India as well. Moreover, women face additional challenges while trying to advance their careers, such as a lack of role models and a lack of access to professional networks. In the male-dominated F&B industry, that's a bit of a roadblock. Secondly, finding a fine balance between work and personal life. It may be difficult to balance the needs of your company with those of your family and home life.

But I wasn't about to give up, thus I came up with some easy solutions to these problems. One of the most useful things you can do is to network with other women in your field. After that, you should always have an open mind about new learning and development possibilities. A team led by driven and well-educated women is essential if we are to achieve any progress toward advancement, as is the encouragement of the aspiration that they will one day become well-known in their chosen fields. I'd like to think that the women working with me outnumber the males and that they're all given the resources they require to succeed on their own.

Drawing from your personal experience, what advice would you give to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

Any endeavor demands hard work and dedication. Especially in the beginning, you'll need good business acumen. The second is to locate a mentor since I believe in lifelong learning. A solid professional network is crucial. Don't hesitate to ask for help, I follow that basic statement. As a result, I'm persistent and resilient, so if I need help, I'll ask for it. Additionally, reaching objectives might be tough and time-consuming. However, perseverance is key to recovering from a setback.

Nivedita Data Garg, Managing Director, Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda

Nivedita Data Garg has an MBA in Finance and Banking from Monash University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Savithribai Phule University. Nivedita is the fourth-generation head of the family firm, Babus Laxminarayan Best Chiwda, where she now serves as Managing Director.