Viraj Bahl

Some Lesser Known Facts About Viraj Bahl

• Despite having a family business, Viraj’s father did not allow him to join it. He said in an interview that his father first wanted him to earn as much as him only then he will allow him to join the business. He further said,
  

  We had a family business, and my father had this rule that you can’t join the family business till the time you’re earning enough to raise your family in the same standards of comfort that you have been raised in.

• Viraj used to work on oil rigs and merchant navy ships in the middle of the ocean in a global shipping company Maersk in Skagen, Denmark. He worked there for three years from 1999 to 2002.

• After Viraj reached the salary benchmark his father had set up for him to join his family business, Viraj was 23 years old when he resigned from his company and returned to India; his salary then was Rs. 3.6 lakhs per month. In fact, he got a promotion that day and a salary raise when he resigned.

• In 2002, Viraj joined his father’s food processing business, Fun Foods. In 2008, the company was sold to Germany’s Dr. Oetkar for Rs. 110 crore.

• In 2009, Viraj founded Pocketful Restaurants, but the venture was closed in 2013 after four years of operation.

• Viraj founded Veeba in 2013 initially as a B2B supplier of condiments to QSR such as Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Burger King. Later, the company expanded into the retail market with products like ketchup, mayonnaise, and salad dressings.

  

• To get his first order for his company, Viraj used to go and sit in the Domino’s office, four times a week despite not getting any response from its officials. Eventually, he got his first order of  70-80 metric tons from Domino’s.

• Viraj raised ₹3 crore for Veeba at a valuation of ₹105 crore in 2014 and by the financial year 2024, the company reported revenues of ₹1,000 crore.

• Viraj has been recognized for creating an exceptional work environment by being named the Best Place To Work in India Awards 2022 by AmbitionBox, and Superbrand 2021 and 2022.

• Under Viraj’s leadership, the company expanded into the Chinese and pan-Asian sauces and dressings segment with the launch of its new brand, WokTok. The company also expanded its operations to include 85 stock-keeping units in 700 cities.

• In 2025, Viraj appeared as a judge on the entrepreneurial reality show, Shark Tank India.