When he was a child, Dhanraj Balasubramaniam would often see his father, G. R. Balasubramaniam, go from one customer to another, selling butter and later, ghee – observations that taught him patience, trust and humility.
“He started with a very small operation and built the business by understanding the product, the customer and the market at a very fundamental level. There was no large distribution network or established brand behind him. Every new retailer had to be convinced, and every consumer had to be won through the product itself,” he tells The Global Indian.
Today, that venture, better known as GRB Dairy Foods; is one of India’s most trusted brands that employs over 2,500 people with its revenues crossing over 1,000 crores. Built without external investors or debt-funded expansion, GRB has grown largely through the strength of its own business, evolving from a traditional ghee company into a food brand with a presence in more than 40 countries. Most South Indian households linger with the familiar aroma of GRB’s ghee and sweets, whether as part of everyday meals or during festive occasions.
Dhanraj, who now heads the brand as the Executive Director along with his brother Balakarthik, the Director, recollects that his father’s approach was simple — make a good product and earn the customer’s trust. “Till date, every product that leaves our factory carries his personal commitment to quality. He always understood that a business is ultimately built on relationships and trust,” he informs.
Learning the business from the ground up
While joining GRB was always the larger plan for Dhanraj, pursuing a Masters in International Business at the London South Bank University in the UK gave him a broader perspective on business and international markets. But he always knew that he wanted to return and contribute to what his father had built.
He began with sales because he wanted to understand the business from the ground up. His education gave him a framework but it was his time in the field, that included meeting distributors, retailers and consumers, that gave him a clearer understanding of how the business worked.
“I still go on the ground to meet different retailers and distributors across states. Each time, I come back with learnings and insights that help us make our approach sharper,” he says. Dhanraj believes that this connect remains important even as the business has grown, and also mirrors the way his father built GRB — one retailer, one relationship and one customer at a time.
Taking Indian food to the world
GRB has grown considerably from those early days, investing in systems, technology, distribution and processes while continuing to expand its product portfolio as consumer needs change. Its dairy products, sweets and snacks now reach more than 45 countries.
Ghee remains one of its strongest global categories, while traditional snacks such as murukku have also found acceptance in markets such as Japan.
When GRB first entered overseas markets, the focus was naturally on serving the Indian diaspora. But over time, the company began to see consumers from different cultures showing an interest in Indian flavours.
Dhanraj Balasubramaniam
At present, he believes that the larger opportunity for them is to take Indian food beyond the diaspora and make it relevant to a much wider global consumer base. “It is not just about selling more products abroad. It is about taking something familiar from India and introducing it to people who may be discovering these flavours for the first time.”
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A new generation, a familiar foundation
Being the second generation of a 40-year-old legacy brand and taking it into the future comes with its own set of challenges. However, growing up in the business environment, Dhanraj says that he naturally developed a different perspective on some of these changes.
“Every generation brings a different perspective, and healthy discussions are part of any growing business. But the important thing is to respect the experience of the previous generation while remaining open to new ideas, and strengthening the business behind the brand without changing what consumers trust,” he shares.
While Dhanraj looks after the commercial side of the business, including sales and the broader business strategy, his brother Balakarthik focuses on product innovation and food technology. The brothers may have different views at times, but Dhanraj sees that as a natural part of working in a family business. What matters is that they share the same larger goal.
“We may approach certain decisions differently at times, which is natural in any family business, but we are guided by the same values and the same goal: to keep strengthening the trust customers have in GRB,” he says.
Being responsible towards the society
The values Dhanraj learnt from his father extend beyond the business. Giving back, he states, has always been part of the family’s approach. As a member of GRB Dairy Foods’ CSR Committee, Dhanraj contributes to the company’s community development initiatives, which include education, healthcare and preventive healthcare. The company has also supported communities during crises, including contributing ₹25 lakh to the Karnataka CM’s COVID-19 Relief Fund and distributing essential grocery kits worth ₹20 lakh to families during the pandemic.
For us, philanthropy is less about visibility and more about making a difference wherever we can. We believe that a business should create value not only for its consumers and employees, but also for the larger community around it.
Dhanraj Balasubramaniam
Charting the next chapter
With changing consumer habits where people expect greater convenience and choice, and technology transforming the way businesses operate; every company needs to constantly evolve and innovate. Consumers, notes Dhanraj, may look for new formats, greater convenience or new products, but ultimately, “they come back because they trust what’s inside the pack.”
For him, the next phase of GRB’s journey is about taking the brand to more people around the world without losing the values on which it was built. The company sees opportunities across the Middle East, Europe, Australia and North America, where demand for authentic Indian food continues to grow.
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The ambition is not simply to become a larger exporter, but to build a global Indian food brand that consumers from different backgrounds can connect with and trust while strengthening its presence in markets where it already has a consumer base.
Whether someone enjoys GRB in Bengaluru, Dubai, London, Japan or elsewhere, Dhanraj wants the experience to remain the same — authentic, consistent and trustworthy. “Our roots will always remain Indian, but our ambition is global,” he concludes.
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