After rags to riches turnaround in Jalgaon, Zafar Shaikh excels in Paris

Pinch Bottling Comapny's

Jalgaon unit

Jalgaon: His is the rags to riches story on everyone’s lips in Jalgaon since last few years. The mira

culous turnaround this Jalgaon star has undergone in his life would always be there as a glittering example for incumbent industrialists. That the same local star would shine at an International Forum in Paris has taken him as well as others by a pleasant surprise.

Zafar Shaikh, the young and ambitious Managing Director of Pinch Bottling Company is flying high ever since he received the World Quality Commitment INTERNATIONAL STAR AWARD-PARIS 2008. “I had been informed in September 2008 that my company had been chosen for the World Quality Commitment International Star Award for the year 2008 and the organizers had requested me to present there in Paris to receive the same”, a beaming Zafar told ummid.com.

Zafar has gone a long way before achieving the milestone after taking over Star Bottling Company, a sick unit that was closed in 1990 and then establishing his own dream venture Pinch Bottling Company in Jalgaon under a very challenging condition. Zafar who began his career at Star Bottling Co. as a petty labourer soon went on to become Quality Control Manager. With the closure of the unit his dream run came to a halt. However he brilliantly managed to reenergize himself and soon became a pioneer in food and beverages with a vast line of products in soft drinks ranging from Mecca Cola, Mecca Orange, Mecca Lemon, Mecca Leechi, Zeera Masala, Cocktail No. 1 and a wide range of quality Juices, Jam and Jelly.

Because of the illness and the holy month of Ramadan, the fasting month for Muslims world over, Zafar could not go to Paris in September and it is only couple of weeks back that he received the award and the certificate by post. The others in the country besides him who received the prestigious award in recognition of commitment to Quality, Leadership, Technology and Innovation are Reliance Industries, Indian Oil and Tata Elxsi Ltd.

Interestingly along with others who fought Zafar for the prestigious award at Paris, were the popular soft drink brands with deep roots and major market shares in India and the world. “For years these Multi National Companies (MNCs), instead of fighting me in quality and price indulged in negative marketing tactics”, Zafar recalled adding, “I still remember how they used to destroy my products after procuring them from my stockiest just to make it sure that they don’t reach to the end customers.”

The International award has surely given a timely boost to the young industrialist and he is now recuperating for an expansion plan throughout the country. “I am not doing the business just for myself. I am trying to support the young generations through my expansion plan and are inviting them to join me in starting the manufacturing units in different parts of the country”, said Zafar.