About
Twenty‑two years, one house.
Vikas Makhija founded Tapovan Impex Private Limited in New Delhi in 2004 and runs it as Managing Director. The house exports Indian food brands to 26 countries and owns four of its own.
In his words
From the deck Vikas wrote in 2025 for Tapovan’s 21st year.
“I began my entrepreneurial journey in 2004 with the foundation of Tapovan Impex Pvt. Ltd., an export company specialising in FMCG products across the globe.
Over the years, TIPL has introduced some of India’s most renowned brands to international markets, including Bikano, Haldiram, Hindustan Unilever, Jabsons, Parle G, VLCC, MDH Spices, Hamdard, Lal Qilla Rice, MTR and many more. What began as a small export venture has now grown into a Government-recognised Export House. In 2005, TIPL expanded further by launching its own in-house brand, Bharat Bazaar, offering premium quality spices to global consumers. The journey, however, is only just unfolding.”
Vikas Makhija
The beginning
1999. One container, handled alone.
The first container went to Al Rased in Jeddah under the brand Breaktime Namkeen. There was no Google and no scanner. Correspondence ran on Yahoo Mail and an ISD booth, and a translator from Palika Bazaar prepared the Arabic documents.
Customs rejected the shipment and the loss was real. Learning export law and process took four years. Tapovan Impex was incorporated in 2004.
Timeline
Built one warehouse at a time.
Tapovan Impex incorporated
First office at Ansal Classic Tower, Rajouri Garden: one cabin, two staff. Packaging, labelling and dispatch managed from home.
First order from Australia. Bharat Bazaar launched.
In-house spice manufacturing begins under the house’s first brand. Its first product is red chilli powder.
SIAL Paris, the first international exhibition
22 to 26 October 2006. The same year the house begins visiting Gulfood in Dubai.
First warehouse
4,000 sq ft in Kirti Nagar, and a new office at Janakpuri District Centre with 15 staff.
Bawana and Singapore
A 5,000 sq ft warehouse at Bawana E-34 and the first Sixline Zebra printer. A partnership with the F&B Singapore Association.
Pramod Sikka joins as Director
The first label printing machine arrives the same year.
Uminder Singh joins as Director
Bawana grows by another 5,000 sq ft.
KLJ Tower and FOODEX Japan
A corporate office at KLJ Tower, Netaji Subhash Place, where the house still sits. First time at FOODEX Japan.
Gujarat branch
A branch office opens in Gujarat and the Bawana warehouse expands by 5,000 sq ft.
Bikano
The house starts working with Bikano.
Bawana E-35
A further 5,000 sq ft warehouse in Bawana.
First Indus Food
The first of an unbroken run at Indus Food, every year since.
Bakery range
Bharat Bazaar adds biscuits and rusk. Indus Food in January.
Indus Food, third year
The stand in January.
Thela Style and Bhakti Rass. First Gulfood as exhibitor.
Two new brands incorporated, and the house’s own products at Gulfood for the first time. Also Indus Food, AAHAR in April, and Bharat Bazaar on BigBasket.
The Mehak Makhija label joins the house
A luxury womenswear label, under Tapovan Impex. Indus Food in January, then AAHAR in New Delhi and the TPCI Buyer-Seller Meet in Bangladesh, both in March.
Summer Fancy Food Show, United States
The Summer Fancy Food Show in the United States, Gulfood in Dubai as exhibitor, and Indus Food. Israel becomes the 26th export market.
Sonipat reaches 85,000 sq ft
The facility in Sonipat grows by 5,000 sq ft to 85,000 in total.
- JanuaryIndus Food, Greater Noida
- Gulfood, Dubai, as exhibitor
- AugustTPCI Buyer-Seller Meet
- Sonipat facility expanded to 85,000 sq ft
Indus Food, then SIAL Paris, twenty years on
Back at the fair where the exhibiting began in 2006.
- JanuaryIndus Food
- OctoberSIAL Paris, 17 to 21 October
On the trade floor
Twenty years of stands.
SIAL Paris in 2006 was the first. Since then: Gulfood in Dubai, FOODEX Japan, Indus Food every year since 2019, AAHAR in New Delhi, the Summer Fancy Food Show in the United States and the TPCI buyer-seller meets.
Where it ships
Twenty‑six countries, one at a time.
The year each market opened, as Tapovan Impex lists it.
The board
Four directors.
Standards
Recognised and certified.
Tapovan Impex is a Government of India recognised Two Star Export House. The registrations and certifications below are the ones it lists on tapovanimpex.com.
Two Star Export House, Government of India ISO 22000:2018 HACCP GMP FDA registered facility FSSAI APEDA registered Spices Board registered
Contact
Talk to Vikas directly.
Export orders, distribution, private label and press.