The Legacy of Gowardhan Ghee in Making Gowardhan a Go-to Cow Ghee Brand in India!

Ghee has always been the cornerstone of Indian cuisine. Often portrayed as the power-packed “Golden Liquid”, it finds a special place in every Indian kitchen, tradition and culture. It is not only an essential ingredient of desi dishes but is also considered a sacred offering in various Hindu rituals, poojas and havans. Believed to be a symbolic offering of purity, auspiciousness, and spiritual nourishment, it was being sold in the Indian market under the same label in the 90s. But there was a catch- most of the ghee that was sold in the market was whiter ghee, perceived as pure and high-quality due to its colour. “However, most of these products were made from buffalo milk, which naturally gives ghee a whitish hue, says Akshali Shah, Executive Director, Parag Milk Foods.”

To deal with this, Devendra Shah founded Gowardhan, a sub-brand under Parag Milk Foods, one of India’s leading dairy brands. After the flood of buffalo Ghee in the market, Devendra envisioned a clean cow Ghee brand and started this brand. “Gowardhan emerged with a clear mission to uplift Indian farmers while delivering pure, high-quality dairy products to consumers,” says Akshali, who is the second generation in this legacy brand. 

But all this was not easy for Devendra back then. As mentioned earlier, the market was already brimming with Ghee and dairy brands, and Gowardhan had to carve a niche in the market. One of the biggest challenges it faced was in the ghee segment, where whiter buffalo ghee was perceived as superior. "Educating consumers about the benefits of cow ghee-its golden colour, superior nutrition, and digestive benefits an uphill battle," recalls Shah.

Rather than competing directly, Gowardhan pioneered a new category-100% cow ghee. Through strategic marketing and consumer education, the brand successfully positioned cow ghee as a healthier alternative. "What started as a challenge turned into an opportunity, and today, Gowardhan has established cow ghee as a mainstream category, holding a 22% market share," says the current director of Parag Milk Foods.

Although the brand sells other products, such as milk, paneer, dahi, chaas, lassi, butter, and milk powder, Ghee has always been at the heart of Gowardhan’s success. "From the very beginning, we focused on creating the purest, most authentic Ghee, and it quickly became our signature product," Akshali explains. "Today, whenever people think of Ghee, they think of Gowardhan, which is proof of the trust we’ve built with our consumers over the years."

Over the years, it has added more dairy products to the portfolio under various leadership. Akshali, the daughter of Devendra Shah, took over the baton as the Executive Director after working at various levels in the company. Taking the reins of a legacy brand was both an honour and a challenge for Shah. "Having grown up around the brand, I always had a deep connection to its values. When I stepped into this role, I knew it was crucial to respect and build upon the legacy my father created while bringing in fresh ideas to stay relevant in today’s market," she shares. As she continues to contribute to the success of the brand, the young lady aims to expand Gowardhan beyond its core dairy offerings. "One of the most natural extensions for us is our entry into the Indian sweets (Mithai) segment, leveraging our pure cow ghee, milk, and paneer to craft authentic, premium mithai," reveals Shah.