Britannia Industries Limited is an Indian company specialised in food industry, part of the Wadia Group headed by Nusli Wadia. Founded in 1892 and headquartered in Kolkata, it is one of India's oldest existing companies and best known for its biscuit products. The company sells its Britannia and Tiger brands of biscuits, breads and dairy products throughout India and abroad. Beginning with the circumstances of its takeover by the Wadia Group in the early 1990s, the company has been mired in several controversies connected to its management. However, it still has a large market share and it is profitable. History The company was established in 1892 by a group of British businessmen with an initial investment of 295. Initially, biscuits were manufactured in a small house in central Kolkata. Later, the enterprise was acquired by the Gupta brothers, mainly Nalin Chandra Gupta, an attorney, and operated under the name, V.S. Brothers. In 1918, C.H. Holmes, an English businessman based in Kolkata, was taken on as a partner and The Britannia Biscuit Company Limited (BBCo) was launched. The Mumbai factory was set up in 1924 and Peek Freans UK, acquired a controlling interest in BBCo. During the Second World War, the government of British India needed a continuous supply of biscuits for British soldiers. The Britannia Biscuit Company started supplying biscuits to British Army for several years, and the company sometimes devoted 95% of its capacity to produce biscuits for the armed forces. Biscuits were in high demand during World War II, which gave a boost to the company's sales. The company name was changed to the current Britannia Industries Limited in 1979. In 1982, the American company Nabisco Brands, Inc. acquired the parent of Peek Freans and became a major foreign shareholder. In 1978, Britannia came out with its public issue, and its Indian shareholding had increased to 62%, which firmly established Britannia as an Indian company. The 38% foreign stake was owned by the UK-based Associated Biscuits International Limited (ABIL). In 1993, textile tycoon Nusli Wadia of Bombay Dyeing took control of the company from Britannia's then-chairman Rajan Pillai, with the help of French food giant Danone. In 2009, Wadia Group became the largest shareholder in BIL after acquiring a 25% stake owned by Group Danone. In December 2018, it launched a new category, Treat Crème Wafers. Britannia acquired a controlling stake in Kenya's Kenafric Biscuits in October 2022.