4 Small Town Indian Brands Now Worth Crores: Red Chief, Koskii And More

India is growing like a speed train, and so do the talented entrepreneurs. While some have carried forward their family legacies, many have built fortunes from scratch. Many business tycoons began their journeys in major cities, but some shine through small towns. Here’s a list of entrepreneurs who started small and now went on to create multi-crore brands.

Red Chief

Manoj Gyanchandani launched a leather shoe export business in his early 20s while also managing his family’s business. Your story website reveals that in 1995, he established Leayan Global Private Limited to export leather shoes to Europe. Two years later, he noticed that the Indian leather footwear market lacked organisation. Recognising this gap, he decided to close the export business and studied the market thoroughly. In 1997, he introduced the Red Chief brand under Leayan Global Private Limited, a part of the reported ₹6,270 crore RSPL conglomerate.

Koskii

Koskii, a women's ethnic fashion brand based in Bengaluru, India, was founded by Umar Akhter and his family. Initially operating as a small retail shop in Kolar, it has now expanded into a chain of stores, achieving a reported annual run rate of ₹100 crore. This bootstrapped business maintains a strong presence in major Indian cities, with the founders, including Umar Akhter, holding a majority stake.

At just 16, Umar Akhter faced challenging times when his father, Saifulla Akhter, a Bengaluru-based distributor, struggled in his saree distribution business, which involved sourcing sarees from manufacturers and selling them to retailers.

Mysore Deep Perfumery House

Mysore Deep Perfumery House (MDPH) began in 1992 as a small garage business in Indore, founded by Prakash Agrawal. This family-run company has grown into a leading FMCG brand with a global reach. Its flagship product, Zed Black, ranks among India’s top three agarbatti brands, supported by an extensive distribution network and international markets. The company employs over 4,000 people, with women contributing significantly across all areas of operations.

Malabar Golds & Diamonds

Malabar Gold & Diamonds, a global leader in jewellery retail, was founded in 1993 by M.P. Ahammed. Starting as a small initiative in Kozhikode, Kerala, India, it has grown into a prominent brand with a strong presence in both Indian and international markets. The 62-year-old founder, M.P. Ahammed, exemplifies the belief that success comes from doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.

With 15 business verticals across 13 countries, this is the fastest-growing business conglomerate worldwide. It generates an annual turnover of USD 7.5 billion and employs over 25,000 management team members globally. Since its inception, the group has prioritised ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance), focusing mainly on Health, Housing, a Hunger-Free World, Education, Environment, and Women’s Empowerment.