Guwahati: In the age of online business, when business houses are constantly innovating to stay relevant, the heritage bakery of Assam, Shaikh Brothers located at Panbazar in Guwahati stands tall doing conventional mode of business.

With no plans of diversification and not jumping in the bandwagon of online sales, the business establishment started in 1885, which initially catered to the needs of staple bread of the British officers, nearly centuries after its establishment is doing brisk business, earning Rs 4-5 lakhs per day.

“Here the legacy of catering to the needs of customers is not working on the basis of any competition. We are mainly serving our customers as per the need and demand,” Shaikh Shah Nawaj, great grandson of Late Shaikh Ghulam Ibrahim the founder of Shaikh Brothers told Business North East.

Notably, Shaikh Brothers is known for its bakery products, but the establishment had started off as soda or aerated water-making plant.

Started in 1885 the establishment has seen four generations working to make it successful.

Shah Nawaj recalls that it was Shaikh Brothers who introduced Pizza in Guwahati. Only later, other Pizza chain Domino's, Pizza Hut etc. reached Guwahati.

“We are not going online, neither we have any plans to open any new outlet. Our business works on simple dynamics of economics that is called demand and supply arithmetic,” Nawaj who is an LLB graduate told BNE.
About new growth plans, Nawaz informed that they are planning to open a factory soon, either in Amingaon or Bamunimaidan.

With staff strength of 80, own bakery made products like biscuits, snacks, birthday cake and customized cakes are a huge hit with the customers.
The bakery boasts of celebrated customers like India’s first Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru, his daughter late Indira Gandhi.

The story of the bakery began when Shaikh Ghulam Ibrahim, an enterprising youth from Bengal's Hoogly district first came to Assam to execute construction work for the Shillong-Guwahati road that was being rebuilt by Maula Baux, a well-known contractor of those times.

Ibrahim's family then, was doing roaring business at their bakery in Calcutta's Mirzapur Street, and so was quick to realize the potential of a bakery in Assam.

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