A surge of women entrepreneurs are coming to the forefront and breaking traditional gender stereotypes with their respective success in their businesses. Rajni Bector received the prestigious Padma Shri Award from the government of India back in January 2021 for her inspirational journey as an entrepreneur.
Rajni started an in-house baking and ice-cream shop with a modest investment of Rs. 20,000, which is now renowned by the name of Mrs. Bector’s Food Specialities Limited.
India’s famous brands like Cremica and English Oven were also founded by Rajni Bector under her parent company, Mrs. Bector’s Food Specialities Limited. Mrs. Bector’s Food Specialities Limited’s market capitalisation touched the mammoth mark of Rs. 6681 crores in 2023.
Rajni Bector was born into a reputed family in Karachi in 1940. At the age of 17 in 1957, when Rajni was pursuing her graduation from Delhi Univesity’s Miranda House, she got married to a Ludhiana-based businessman, Dharamvir Bector. After her marriage, she completed her graduation and then shifted to Ludhiana, where her husband was running his family business of fertilisers and grains.
After a few years of their marriage, Rajni Bector and Dharamvir Bector welcomed three sons, Akshay Bector, Anoop Bector, and Ajay Bector. The children were studying in boarding school, and it was when Rajni decided to explore her passion for baking. She did a baking course from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), after which she started implementing her learnings into food items. From experimenting with ice creams, cookies, and salads to deserts, she started inviting relatives, friends and children to her home to taste her delicacies. Rajni Bector took her in-house bakery business to the next level by setting up a small cream unit in the backyard in 1978 at a cost of Rs. 20,000. Due to the immense success of their company, they incorporated Mrs. Bector’s Food Specialities into a private limited company in 1995. It was a massive moment for Mrs. Bector’s brands, Cremica and English Oven.
In 1996, McDonald’s chose her company, Mrs. Bector’s Food Specialities Limited, as a permanent bun supplier to meet demand. In order to meet this demand, Rajni Bector opened a manufacturing facility in Greater Noida and established several more locations across the nation.
Her story serves as motivation for aspiring entrepreneurs who think that money is more important than motivation.