By Tn Lifestyle Desk

Copyright timesnownews

When artisanal breads, gourmet ice creams and quirky desserts dominate Instagram feeds, one name continues to tower quietly over India’s food industry: Rajni Bector. From churning ice cream in her Ludhiana backyard to building a Rs 7,000-crore empire, her rise is as inspiring as it is delicious. And it began with just Rs 300. Early Life: From Karachi to Ludhiana Born in Karachi and displaced during Partition, Rajni moved with her family to India as a child. By 17 she was married into a Ludhiana-based business household, but her entrepreneurial spark had yet to ignite. Once her children went off to boarding school, she enrolled in a bakery course at Punjab Agricultural University, sharpening the skills that would define her career. The Backyard Ice-Cream Experiment Her kitchen quickly became the go-to spot for friends craving cakes, biscuits and ice cream. Encouraged by their enthusiasm, she scraped together Rs 300 for a small oven and began making ice cream at home. Orders came in thick and fast, though profits were thin at first and she faced the usual start-up losses. Cremica Takes Shape In 1978, her husband, Dharamvir Bector, invested Rs 20,000 to set up a proper ice-cream manufacturing unit. Rajni coined the name Cremica—a playful nod to “cream-ka”—and began the journey that would redefine Indian packaged foods. Beyond Ice Cream: Biscuits, Breads and Sauces During the 1980s, when women entrepreneurs were still rare, Rajni expanded Cremica into breads, biscuits, sauces and wedding desserts. Her insistence on quality and consistency built consumer trust and helped the brand become India’s second-largest biscuit exporter, shipping to over 60 countries. Recognition and Legacy Today Cremica commands an annual turnover of around Rs 7,000 crore and dominates North India’s wedding dessert market. In 2021, Rajni Bector received the Padma Shri, officially recognising a lifetime of entrepreneurial achievement and inspiring a new generation of women in business. From Backyard to Empire What began in a modest Ludhiana backyard is now a multi-crore enterprise. Rajni Bector’s story proves that persistence, family support and a dash of creativity can turn even the smallest investment into monumental success. In a world obsessed with the next food fad, her journey is a reminder that the sweetest victories often start small.