Mumbai, August 13: On the occasion of India celebrating its 72 years of Independence, LatestLY has compiled a list of 5 companies that existed in the pre-Independence era and continues to remain firm till today. Our list includes Vadilal Group, Raymond, Parle, Cipla and Godrej Group. These companies have stood strong during the storm and have remained unfazed in spite of the fierce competition. The entry of new-age players, foreign behemoths and the change in demands of the consumers, have undeterred these players, and they have refused to budge from their dominant spot.

Vadilal Group

The Gujarat headquartered company was founded in 1907 and is one of the prominent players in the ice-cream industry today- second-largest ice-cream manufacturer, and a major player in the frozen dessert space. The company has come a long way since its start, and one of the main highlights of the brand is the ability to cater to different market segments with the launch of a varied range of products. Its aggressive marketing strategy, like roping a Bollywood celebrity like Parineeti Chopra, and using the other advertising mediums has helped the brand to stay in the top of the consumer's mind, despite the geographical handicap, and the tremendous growth of competitor player Amul.

Raymond

The Indian branded fabric company operating since 1925 is one of the most trusted brands in the country.  In 1958, the first exclusive Raymond retail showroom was opened in Mumbai, and today is the leader in the ready-made garment space in India, with a turnover of Rs 200 crore. The tagline Raymond-the Complete Man has become synonymous with the brand and is one of the most popular taglines in the advertising industry. The Group owns apparel brands like Raymond, Raymond Premium Apparel, Park Avenue, Park Avenue Woman, ColorPlus and Parx.

Parle

In 1929, a small company by the name of Parle products started in the British dominated era. It owns the popular biscuit brand Parle-G and has a dominant share in the Indian biscuit market. According to Brand Footprint 2018 study by Kantar Worldpanel study, Parle leads the Customer Reaching Points (CRP) list, followed by Amul, Clinic Plus and Britannia. Over the years, Parle has introduced a varied range of products keeping the different set of consumers in mind. From having a mass product like a Parle-G to entering the premium biscuit market space with the launch of Nutricrunch, the brand continues to enjoy not only a good recall but a dominant market share in the F&B sector.

Cipla

Cipla is an Indian multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, headquartered in Mumbai. It was founded by Khwaja Abdul Hamied as 'The Chemical, Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories' in 1935, and the name was changed to Cipla in 1984. The company primarily develops medicines to treat respiratory, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight management, depression, and other medical conditions.

Godrej

The Godrej Group was founded by Ardeshir Godrej and Pirojsha Burjorji Godrej in 1897. Ardeshir decided to make locks, safes and security equipment. It is an Indian conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai, managed and largely owned by the Godrej family. It operates in diverse sectors such as real estate, consumer products, industrial engineering, appliances, furniture, security and agricultural products. The Godrej Group is mainly divided into two major holding companies- Godrej Industries and Godrej & Boyce.

We really hope that these companies which have stood the test of time continue to evolve and make India proud!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2018 04:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).