A few decades ago, sometime in the latter end of 1947, Kori Bai Gogia gave up the comforts of her home and moved to reside in a factory permanently. She did that to help her sons, Radhey Shyam Gogia and Laxmi Narayan Gogia, who were attempting to set up a company that specialized in ketchup. At the time, the three of them did not realize that, in venturing into this, they were setting up their family for a burgeoning love affair with food that would be carried on by children and grandchildren decades later. 

It wasn’t an easy beginning for the company, however. The technicality behind actually preserving tomatoes in cans was not readily accessible knowledge back then. In point of fact, the first attempts at canning tomatoes only resulted in ceilings splattered with tomato puree. It was only after seeking the advice of his chemistry professor, Dr. Tandon, that Radhey Shyam Gogia, alongside his mother and brother, successfully managed to prepare the first batch. 

The name of their company was Halls. 

Halls’s success came about not only because of the quality of its product but also due to its ingenious marketing strategy. From Radhey Shyam Gogia personally delivering bottles of ketchup to restaurants across Delhi to branching out to other canned products, Halls, over the course of a little over two decades, was quietly paving the way for what would come later. 

When Halls’s glorious run drew to a close in the early 70s, a new generation came to the front. 

After a brief stint in pharmaceutical sales, Sudhir Gogia, Radhey Shyam’s son, eventually ventured into the banqueting industry. You remember the names ‘Utsav’ and ‘Utsav Greens’, don’t you? 

While Sudhir Gogia had seen the success of Halls growing up, the banqueting industry was a different beast altogether. That didn’t deter him, however. 

Where others may have faltered, Sudhir Gogia met with another bout of success. And, that success was largely owing to the values and the vision that was handed down to him by his father – a refusal to compromise on quality, hard work, and, most importantly, patience. For the two of them, any business venture was never just about turning over a profit. A successful business has to rigorously maintain its standards and project for future growth. 

Soon enough, Sudhir Gogia would go on to teach his sons, Sammir and Sachin, the ropes of the industry, effectively bringing them into the fold. It was, perhaps, owing to the three of them establishing themselves in the banqueting industry that we, the Gogia family, finally realized where our greatest strength lies. 

Our greatest strength, to this day, lies in our ability to curate the most wonderful experiences through food. 

Itching to take all that they had learned from their father and put it to the test, Sammir and Sachin Gogia began to explore other avenues in the food industry. Enter Saltt. A catering company that has been breaking new ground ever since its inception fifteen years ago, Saltt is renowned for its focus on providing impeccable food with a touch of its signature imaginative flair. 

Of course, things didn’t just stop there. With a storied history spanning decades, how could it? This is where Shakkr came in. For us, Shakkr was just the natural next step in this ever-growing family. And with the valuable contribution of Pooja Gogia, Shakkr envisions to revisit tradition without ever giving up on imagination.

We, as Indians, have some of our most precious childhood experiences rooted in memories of food. More specifically, we remember our Kaju Katlis, the edible foil sticking to our fingers. Perhaps, you leaned more towards Rasgullas, the sweet syrup bursting into your mouth with each bite. Whatever the sweet may be, there is a deep sense of comfort that some dishes just bring out in us.

At Shakkr, we are committed to making you remember that exact feeling. At Shakkr, we believe those experiences are worth treasuring.

With a focus on recreating the traditional Indian mithai with just a touch of innovative flair, Shakkr offers a wide variety of sweets and savouries. What’s more, we believe that experiences are worth more than words can express, especially when it comes to desserts. It is owing to this belief, that we offer a wonderfully designed gifting range that is carefully curated to your personal preferences. 

And, of course, we cater to events. What’s a party without something sweet to remember it by?

When Shakkr took its first steps in the Indian Dessert industry, it did so with the understanding that memories are powerful things. Think back to your earliest memory of food. You vaguely remember what the dish tasted like. However, the memory of it is as powerful as ever. At Shakkr, we believe the layers of any mithai lie not just in the way it tastes but also in the way we remember it.

Our Salted Caramel Pedas may look different than how you remember them. The initial bite may bring about a completely new taste. However, as the Peda steadily melts in your mouth, the mawa coating your tongue, you will be taken back to your earliest memory of eating a Peda. The sweetness, the bits that stick to the ends of your teeth and, of course, the people you had around you at the time. 

That is exactly what we, at Shakkr, want for you. For us, innovation only for the sake of innovation is not the way to go about things. The idea of innovation must be tempered with the idea of keeping things familiar. After all, something new should never take away from something you hold dear.

All throughout our journey, from ‘Halls’ to ‘Saltt’ to ‘Shakkr’, the people who started it all have ingrained one simple truth in us. The ‘hows’ and ‘whens’ may change over time. The ‘why’ you do it, however, should always remain the same. The reason why you are doing something should be the sole focus.

And, the reason we do it all is, without a doubt, you.