Top Companies in Nepal

Nepal is not a big industrial nation but it surely has a high potential for industries that can fulfill the demand of the whole of South Asia. Although it is quite impossible for now to dream something like that as already India and Bangladesh have been fighting for this position with rapid development in their respective industrial areas and productions.

Nepal has high potential because of the agricultural raw materials that are locally available but due to having a low demand market, people do not grow these products on large scales. And another problem that hinders the growth of Nepalese industries in Nepal is, Nepal is totally dependent on India being a landlocked country, as well as the cheaper products are easily available from markets of India because of open borders. Most people prefer Indian cheaper products but the good thing about Nepali products is that they have better quality. So to fulfill the demand for Nepalese and serve better products in Nepal many groups of Companies, national and international, are working hard in Nepal.

Today’s world has many multinational top companies which are one of the major factors in the business sector that are responsible for the outgrowth of international businesses. They also own and control the production of goods, services in many countries other than their own home country. There are various national and multinational companies that produce goods for Nepal and other countries too.

You may have already heard a few names of the group of companies and their brands and products before too, which are listed in the list below. This list includes both national and international companies that are operating different works of production, supply, and service in Nepal.

Here we have listed some of the largest groups of companies that are manufacturing, producing, and marketing various products and services in Nepal. Here is the list of Top Group of Companies in Nepal:

TOP COMPANIES:

• Unilever Nepal

The oldest multinational company operating in Nepal is Unilever Nepal. It has been able to expand its branches as well as its consumers all over the country. This company deals with the production of many household brands and goods such as Shampoo, Soap, Salt, Flour, Ice-cream, Tea, Coffee, Deo, cosmetic products, etc.

Its products are available in more than 50 countries in the world including the USA, India, Brazil, Nepal, Germany, etc. Unilever Nepal Limited (UNL) claims that 9 out of 10 households use Unilever products for daily use. On the other hand, Unilever Nepal Limited provides direct employment to more than 240 people and indirectly to more than 20,000 people.

It also has a leading market share in all the branded categories in Nepal. It is producing a total of 35 brands currently in Nepal. UNL’s effort is supported by regular investment in product innovation and marketing activities. For many years it has maintained itself top in the list of the highest dividend-paying stocks listed in NEPSE (The Nepal Stock Exchange Limited).

It has a total Market Capitalization of 23 billion NPR approximately with a Net sales of NPR 5.75 billion in which Net profit is NPR 1065 million and the company has a Turnover Growth of 18 percent as per the annual report for the Fiscal Year 2018-19. The popular products of Unilever Nepal are Sunsilk, Lifebuoy, Liril, Close-Up, Lux, Fair & Lovely, Dove, Wheel, Ariel, Surf Excel, Vaseline, Clinic Plus, Axe, Pond, etc.

• Dabur Nepal

Setup in 1992, Dabur Nepal Private Limited was established as an independent group of companies with a vision of co-sustenance and expanding Dabur’s resource and production base. Most of the people in Nepal have used many of the products of Dabur Nepal and those who haven’t, have surely heard of this brand name as its ads were also quite popular.

Dabur is India’s leading FMCG Companies as well as in Nepal. The influence of this company is seen a lot in the people of India and Nepal with its product choices. Dabur is renowned for its production of herbal medicine which is based on Ayurveda. The brand ambassador for Dabur Nepal is Rajesh Hamal. Their product consists of over 250 herbal and ayurvedic products. They are divided into 5 brands:

• Dabur the main brand consists of natural health care products such as Dabur Laal Dant, Dabur Gulabari Premium Rose Water, Dabur Amla Hair Oil, Dabur Gulabari Face Cleanser – Rose Glow Cleanser, Dabur Meswak Complete Oral Care Toothpaste, etc.
• Vatika for personal care products: Vatika Shampoo, Vatika Hair Oil, etc
• Hajmola for digestion related products
• Real for fruit juices and drinks
• Fem for beauty and skincare products

It has been working in Nepal in the field of health, food, digestives, home care, ayurvedic medicines, etc. Dabur has been producing different products for the last 132 years and it has transformed itself from a family-owned company to a multinational company. Dabur has become a global brand with 5.3 million retail outlets.

• Chaudhary Group

The Chaudhary Group, popularly known as the CG, is one of the most popular and leading groups of companies in Nepal. The group is led and managed by Binod Chaudhary, who is also the first and only billionaire of Nepal.

On five continents, the Chaudhary Group owns about 136 companies in 15 different business verticals of the world. This group has been present in the country for more than 135 years and during these periods it has earned itself the reputation of being the biggest company of Nepal and a household name. Chaudhary Group has an annual revenue of US$ 1.14 billion.

The name that comes to the mind upfront of Nepalese people when it comes to instant noodles or fast food is Wai Wai, a product of CG. Not only in Nepal, but it also has its branches in 20 countries of the world. It is also leading the noodles market in India after Maggi. It aims to win over the Indian noodles market in the coming five years.

CG has been able to cover Food and Beverages, Real Estate, Financial Services, Hydro Power, Infrastructure, Hotels and Resorts, Telecom, Cement, Biotech, Education, Electronics, White goods, Energy, etc.

Modern Hosiery Industries Private Limited was established in Nepal in the year 1965 which then was followed by Nepal Spinning, Weaving, and Knitting Private Limited. Then in 1967, Ratna Stainless Steel Private Limited, Flooring, and Furnishing Center were established and then Arun Emporium in 1968.

They established United Builders in 1970 whereas later on Pashupati Biscuits (1973), CG Foods (1984), Rahul Exim Trading Private Limited (1991), Impact International and Himalayan International Marketing Associates Private Limited and United Finance Private Limited (1992), ABB Investments Pvt Ltd., Himalayan Intercontinental Pvt Ltd.

(1994), Chaudhary Foundation and Shree Lunkaran das Ganga Devi Academy for Arts and Literature (1995), CG Education and Shree Lunkaran das Ganga Devi Chaudhary Charity Hospital Pvt Ltd.  (1996), CG Developers (1999), CG Finco (2003), CG Energy and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.

(CGEI) (2006), FMCG, CG Biotech, CG Electronics, and CG Financial Services such as CG Hotels and Resorts, CG Developers, CG Ayurveda, CG Education (2012), and CG Telecom (2013) were subsequently established. It has not only earned success in Nepal but also in other different countries with its products and services also being available there.

Check also: Business Investment Opportunities & Ideas in Nepal

• Jyoti Group

Founded by Maniharsha Jyoti Kansakar the Jyoti Group is one of the leading business houses in Nepal. Although the group’s major field of business is travel, Jyoti Group of Companies has also been involved in other sectors. Jyoti Group has an estimated annual turnover of USD 150 million.

Companies that come under the sole, as well as joint venture of the Jyoti Group, are Syakar Company Limited, Himal Agencies, Himal Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd, Himal Wires Pvt Ltd,  Himal Oxygen Pvt Ltd, Bhajuratna Engineering and Sales, Bhajuratna Pharma Pvt Ltd, Syamukapu, Suruchi Travels and Tours established in 1990, Jyoti Yarn Processing Private Limited, Jay Spinning Pvt Ltd, Butwal Power Company established in 1966, Sagarmatha Insurance established in 1996 and Grande Hospital established in 2012.

The trading company Syamukapu founded in the 1920s by Manisharsha Jyoti acted as the rise of the empire of the group in the country. Bhajuratna Engineering and Sales Limited in 1964 was established followed by Syakar Company Limited in the year of 1976.

The first Nepalese iron and steel factory Himal Iron and Steel was established in 1961 which then later various other factories of Jyoti Group such as Himal Wires Pvt Ltd, Himal Oxygen Pvt Ltd, Jay Spinning Mills Pvt Ltd, Jyoti Yarn Processing Pvt Ltd., and the Jyoti Farm were established.

The group of companies, with its variety of sectors, has been able to present itself as one of the top business houses in Nepal. The group had established the Himal Agencies to supply Kolkata to Nepal logistic solutions as well as to offer freight clearing and transportation services from Kolkata port (one of the main ports of India nearest to Nepal and most of the products are shipped to Kolkata port for Nepal) to different destinations in Nepal.

• Vaidya’s Organizations

Vaidya’s Organization of Industries and Trading Houses or VOITH  is one of the most dynamic business houses in Nepal, representing a wide range of integrated trading houses, industrial enterprises, construction activities, and educational academics. Vaidya’s organization has an annual revenue of NRs 20 Billion.

Vaidya’s Organizations operates mainly five different types of companies that include auto, Agri, construction, education, and tea. Here is the list of companies operated by VOITH:

Automobiles:

1. United Traders Syndicate (UTS) Pvt Ltd.
2. Subirasa Incorporated Pvt Ltd.
3. Suzuki Incorporated Pvt Ltd.
4. Vijaya Motors Pvt Ltd. and
5. Agni Incorporated Pvt Ltd.

Tea production and Packaging:

1. Guranse Tea Estate Pvt Ltd.
2. Mai-Ilam Guranse Tea Industries Pvt Ltd. and
3. Nirvana Tea Processing and Packaging Pvt Ltd.

Agri-products:

1. Agri Breeders Pvt Ltd. and
2. Nepal Well hope Agri-Tech Pvt Ltd.

Construction activities:

1. Nepal Singha Construction Pvt Ltd.
2. NeKo Alliance
3. Tawache Brick and Tile Industry

Educational academics:

1. Vijaya Academy of Health and Science for education.

In 2001, Vaidya’s Organization established a contact center namely Serving Minds Pvt Ltd. as a joint venture with the Mercantile Group. It has also built a number of schools for the children of its employees on the brink of its tea gardens and agro-based industries.

Also, thereupon it provides scholarships to the orphans, the handicapped, and poor children in several schools across Nepal, sponsoring the education of seventeen Nepalese students pursuing their degrees in medicine, engineering, and agriculture in the Philippines.

It also has built necessary waiting stands at the stop, gifted vehicles to the Nepal Red Cross Society and Nepal family planning Association. It also has been sponsoring the All-Nepal Annual Toyota Hockey Tournament, Toyota Golf Tournament, and the ANFA Football Tournament. Besides these, the organization also has sponsored various events like the Women’s Motor Rally and the International Marathon which was organized in Nepal for the first time.

Check also: How to Start a Small Business in Nepal? 10 Important Steps

• Dugar Family

The name “Dugar” is quite familiar in Nepal as most of the products we consume or use are produced by Dugar Family. Chandan Mal Dugar started trading in fabrics at a Haat Bazaar in Biratnagar, about 137 years ago, from where this business has reached to this stage. The Dugar Group carries a legacy of more than 100 years and has widened the business by stepping into various ranges of products.

At first, the corporate house only used to do the business of textiles and agro products but later, it diversified into jute exports, steel, rice mills, and many more products.

Now there is not just one heir of the Dugar Family but four different groups that are carrying the legacy of Dugar’s business. In 1962, the Dugar Group separated into two Groups that were TM Dugar and HC Dugar. And later on, TM Dugar also separated into TM Dugar Group and KL Dugar Group. And furthermore, the TM Dugar Group separated into TM Dugar and MV Dugar Group.

Each group is now independent and runs separately. Out of these four groups, KL Dugar is successful with brands like Dhara Oil, Meizan, Swastik Oil, and Gyan Rice. KL Dugar has mainly focused on food products and its annual turnover is 20 billion. KL Dugar group also supplies products of international companies such as Skyworth, Electrolux, Oster, Fagor, etc which manufactures papers, electronic products, LED bulbs, etc. KL Dugar Group also owns a Cement manufacturing plant i.e. United Cement Pvt. Ltd.

Whereas, MV Dugar mainly focuses on automobiles. They have also planned for massive investments in the hydropower sector. Currently, there are three hydropower projects under construction that will generate a total power of 157 MW which is worth 21 billion.

• Berger Jenson & Nicholson Nepal

Berger J&N (Nepal) Pvt. Ltd does the manufacturing and marketing of decorative paints in Nepal since 2000. It is Foreign Direct Investment in Nepal which was done by an MNC based in India with subsidiaries in Nepal, Bangladesh, Russia, and Poland i.e. Berger Paints India Limited (BPIL).

Berger – Jenson and Nicholson’s paint is the world’s leading paint company providing different sorts of color policies and features that specialize in wall attraction and wall life alongside lubrication. In Nepal, it’s also one of the most important multinational companies with its products taking a high space and capturing the most important market.

The paint thanks to its color features and extreme quality, has become the Nepalese first choice paint for his or her personal as well as for other uses. They use it as ordinary polishing and painting, once they are to construct their homes.

Because of the largely positive response from other used customers, people are advised and convinced to use the paint.

The company is upgrading its color features and is increasing the paints standard day by day so as to stay connected with people and customers. It is the first paint company to introduce eco-friendly Paints in Nepal, Silk Breathe Easy. Along with eco-friendly paint, Silk Breathe has also different value-added services, i.e. Berger Express Painting which is a complete painting solution. They also provide Color Consultancy & Preview which is the first time the previews are provided by the company. Berger Paints Nepal has introduced a line of luxury brands i.e. Silk Glamor, Silk Luxury & Silk Illusions through which it has successfully become a market leader in this segment.

When it comes to mind that it is time to color, many Nepalese people demand and use this paint at home. The company has discovered many sorts of products of paints helping its customers to remain connected and feel glad by its glossy color.

Berger is the only supplier to Nuclear Power Plants with its protective coatings and in the automotive sector, like cars and bikes, the paint market is mainly ruled by Berger’s automotive coatings. Luxury car brands which include cars like Mercedes use Berger and companies like Nokia use Berger’s services as well.

In 1973, an industrialist S.P. Sinha had saved the indoctrination and existence by reinventing the company as an Indian Company Company. The company, by providing its qualitative and amazing paints standard, is fulfilling all the demands and desires of Nepalese. It has even created its own brands and has been ready to create its own image of reputation in the Nepalese market.

Check also: Best 10 Small Business scopes in Nepal [Business in Nepal]

• Sharda Group

Sharda  Group is one of the most important private industrial and trading companies. It has an annual turnover of around US$ 150 million, Sharda Group has earned the reputation of being one of the largest business groups in Nepal. The group has been producing and marketing the products like carpet, wool, oil, ghee, oxygen, cement, flour, rice, homecare, noodles, snacks, plastic, soaps, chemicals, rubber, footwear, wires, and cables. It first started the industrial level of production in 1970 but the true success that led to today’s Sharda Group was the result of massive success with the establishment of a rice mill at Lahan in 1948.

The Sharda Group owns Pioneer Carpet Industries as a solo project as well as it has been in joint ventures with various companies and owns Shangri-La Housing, Bajra Shangrila Residency, Infratech, and Shivam Cement Industries in joint ventures. Sharda group also does the import-export business, under the company name of Pioneer Marketing, of products such as Rice, Silk, Betel Nuts, Copper Scrap, Brass Scrap, Zinc Ingot, Zinc Dross, M.S. Plates, Food Products, Chemicals, and other miscellaneous items. The Food and Beverage Division of the company deals with the imports of products like powdered milk, Okl sunflower oil, Chocolates, Betel Nuts, and Dates.

Samiksha Enterprises is responsible for the import and marketing of Electrical goods, machinery, commodity, and chemicals alongside that under the name of ‘Premier’, they do the marketing of electrical goods. They also are involved with the import and marketing of consumer products as well as cosmetic products like toothpaste, toothbrush, powder, bathing soap, candy, etc. They have also contributed to hydropower development in Nepal with the establishment of Ridi Hydropower Development Company Private Limited.

• Khetan Group

Khetan Group is one of the largest groups of Nepal that has been working in the field of mining, fast-moving consumer goods like beverages, food, and service industries like banking/financial services, insurance, telecommunications, IT, real estate, investments, energy, etc.

Khetan Group owns companies like Gorkha Brewery Pvt Ltd, Bottlers Nepal Limited, Himalayan Snax, Noodles Pvt Ltd, Everest Insurance Company Limited, Himalayan Bank Limited, Laxmi Bank Limited, etc.

Himalayan Snax and Noodles Pvt Ltd produces different popular Snax and noodles such as Mayos, Hurray, Ruchi, Lekali, etc. And the popular Brewery that is manufactured and supplied by Gorkha Brewery are Gorkha, Tuborg, Carlsburg, Sam Miguel beer, Somersby, Red Bull Energy Drink, etc.

Bottlers Nepal Limited is also owned by the Khetan Group. Bottlers Nepal produces, manufactures, sells, and distributes the products of the Coca-Cola company. It is the only authorized distributor in Nepal. Coca-Cola is undoubtedly the largest beverage consumed in the world. Its beverage is easily found in almost every part of the country.

This company has been successful in leaving a good impression on Nepalese people with its taste. According to the research, almost 98% of Americans drink Coca-Cola. Its tastes are popular all over the world and are said the taste is different from many people. Many Nepalese people are addicted to this beverage by its flavor or taste by giving the slogan “Chiso Vanekai Coca-Cola” which means Cold means Coca-Cola.

This beverage comes in a small jumbo pack with small quotes written on them. It also has sugar-free Coca-Cola. It has been able to rank its name in the top under the FMCG companies, leveling its level at high speed. Coca-Cola is a high-level multinational company that is operating its services in many countries by providing different tastes in beverages.

In developed countries, it has superior taste while in developing and undeveloped countries it has other tastes. Coca-Cola is liked mostly by the youths, providing them with the taste of thunder in a small bottle to jumbo pack by giving the additional offers and other schemes in buying it. The products that are served under the Coca-Cola company in Nepal are Coca-Cola, Fanta, Kinley, Limca, Sprite, etc.

• Varun Beverages Nepal

Varun Beverages Nepal Pvt Ltd is a subsidiary of Varun Beverages, an Indian company which is owned by RJ Corp. Limited, India. It mainly manufactures, bottles, and distributes beverages of PepsiCo in Nepal. Varun Beverages manufactures and distributes PepsiCo products in the world (except the US).

Pepsi is one of the competitors of Coca-Cola as it stands in the Nepalese market with its own taste of the beverage. It is also one of the largest beverage producers in the world. Pepsi is also regarded as the substitute for Coca-Cola as both of them have the same color and similar taste but there is a great difference in Pepsi and Coca Cola as said by the manufacturers. It also has its variants like Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Wild, Zero Pepsi, Pepsi Next, etc.

Pepsi as Coca-Cola also has been able to trap a huge market and has been listed under the FMCG company. The company is also producing the other beverages in many variants like Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Wild, Cherry Crystal Pepsi, Caffeine-Free Pepsi, Pepsi-Cola Made with Real Sugar, Pepsi Vanilla Pepsi, Zero Sugar, Pepsi Next.

Pepsi has taken the large market with high demand because of its sweetness in the taste, the taste that has understood the demand of Nepalese tongue too. Once there was also the situation when the Coca-Cola company had given offers to Pepsi for purchasing it, but they declined their offer.

They have made their own reputation in the world of beverages. Pepsi is among the largest multinational companies in Nepal due to its variant in product choices and awesome taste. PepsiCo also has different products such as Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Seven-Up Evervess Soda, Mirinda Orange, Mirinda Lemon, Seven-Up Nimbooz Masala Soda, Seven-Up Revive, Seven-Up Nimbooz, Tropicana Slice, Tropicana Fritz (Lychee, Apple, and Mango), as well as packaged drinking water under the brand Aquafina.

TOP COMPANIES IN NEPAL – CONCLUSION

So these were the top national and multinational groups of companies that are providing different products and services to Nepalese people as well as in the world. As we know, the only thing that can develop a country is industrial development and in that race of development, Nepal is still far behind in the race with the countries of the globe.

The above-listed companies are the reason for the development of Industrial sectors in Nepal which ultimately develops the country from the revenue generated from product sales, as well as thousands of Nepalese, have been employed by these companies in Nepal. Let’s hope, Nepal will be more prosperous and industrially successful with its own kind of products as Herbal, the agricultural raw material that can be easily obtained in Nepal.

And the education of technology can create new and advanced technology within Nepal as many small countries like Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, etc are being hubs for tech factories, and countries like India are becoming Skilled manpower in terms of technical aspects such as programming and other information and technology-related stuff.

If we can educate our students about tech then it can help us to establish and run tech industries in Nepal which is also a need of time. Tech industry or software companies are the easiest of all industries to set up, just the only hard thing is to have knowledge about software programming or to get such minds. Certainly, if we could produce our students with knowledge of technology and programming, then Nepal could jump a step ahead.