Silver Coin Atta cracks down on counterfeit threat

In a committed effort to safeguard consumers against potential health risks and uphold the credibility of its brand, Sanghvi Foods, renowned for its Silver Coin Wheat Flour (Atta) - ranking among the top 3 brands in India - has taken decisive action against adulterated products posing as their own. Several FIRs lodged in Maharashtra and Gujarat prompted Sanghvi Foods, the Silver Coin Traditional Chakki Atta makers, to launch extensive raids targeting counterfeit wheat flour products resembling their brand colors and name. This proactive stance aims to root out the adulteration of wheat flour and fake branding, an issue plaguing India's processed flour market and food industry. Silver Coin considers confiscating unsafe counterfeit items crucial in protecting its reputation and consumers' well-being. Their ongoing efforts involve conducting comprehensive market surveys and pursuing legal measures consistently to combat counterfeiters. This initiative extends beyond the current year, as Silver Coin remains dedicated to eradicating the prevalence of counterfeit products in the processed flour market and broader food sector across India.

Rahul Sanghvi, director of Sanghvi Foods, shared, “Amidst our aspirations for business growth, safeguarding our intellectual property rights is the cornerstone of our success. In the coming year, we are poised to strengthen our strategies, leveraging legal measures and proactive approaches to fortify our brand, ensuring its authenticity and integrity prevail in the market. We urge consumers to remain vigilant and purchase Silver Coin Atta products only from authorized and reputable retailers to safeguard against counterfeit products. Sanghvi Foods reaffirms its dedication to providing safe and authentic products to its consumers and will continue to invest in robust quality control measures to prevent the circulation of counterfeit goods in the market.”

The India-packaged Atta market size reached INR 63.7 Billion last year. The market is expected to reach INR 154.9 billion by 2028, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 15.7% from 2023 to 2028. Silver Coin is amongst the Top 3 Leading Wheat Atta Brands in the Mumbai Metropolitan region.

In the latest series of raids in Kashimira, Mira Road, in Thane District of Maharashtra, the team from Sanghvi Foods filed an FIR with the police and, along with the local authorities, raided a manufacturing facility owned by Manish Rakesh Singh, where the team discovered tonnes of inferior quality counterfeit flour being made. Over 2,500 Kilograms of counterfeit flour under Silver Cook under yellow and red combination packaging was confiscated, and 43,000 packaging bags were also confiscated at the manufacturing facility and seized in the raid. The team also raided local grocery shops, namely Bajrang Kirana Stores and Geeta Agencies, where counterfeit flour in 118 bags was taken.

Earlier, to protect the brand and its IP, Sanghvi Foods had conducted multiple raids in various locations with the help of a legal team. The company confiscated counterfeit products from Apna Bazar in Nallasopara, Thane district of Maharashtra, and Om Sai Traders in Palghar in Maharashtra. This started a reverse process of identifying the manufacturer of the contaminated wheat flour. For the first time, arrest was conducted with a remand of 2 days given to the offender. Through the series of raids, Sanghvi Foods has unearthed a nexus, which stretches to neighboring states as well, with the company conducting raids at Umargam near Valsad in Gujarat State at Hemant Suresh Rawal of Arrpan Food. The raiding team found 2,500 Kilograms of wheat flour with bogus packaging with brand names like Silver Cion, along with several additional tons of empty packaging.

In one more police raid in Navsari Dist in Gujarat, around 3,000 Kilograms of wheat flour with the packaging of yellow and red color combination with counterfeit brands like Silver Cool and Select Cool were found by the raiding team at Riddhi Siddhi Grain Processing of Heet Hareshbhai Chapla at Chikhli, Dist. Navsari, Gujarat, along with several additional tons of empty packaging. The brand, known for its unwavering commitment to quality and authenticity, immediately collaborated with law enforcement agencies to track down the source of the counterfeit operation. Working in tandem, the authorities swiftly conducted raids on multiple locations, seizing several tons of the fraudulent product.

Rajendra Bhansali, attorney and advocate of Sanghvi Food, said, "The company takes the safety and trust of their consumers very seriously. These manufacturers of spurious wheat flour are playing with consumers' health, who are fooled into buying products with similar sounding marks/names and similar packaging and color combinations. The unauthorized production and distribution of counterfeit brand/label Silver Coin not only jeopardize the health of individuals but also undermine the trust the company has built with their customers over the years."

Rigorous follow-ups and tracking of the movement of the counterfeit packaged goods by the Sanghvi Foods team uncovered the fake operation. The discovery of counterfeit wheat flour, produced under the guise of the reputable Silver Coin Atta brand, raised serious concerns about the potential health risks posed to unsuspecting consumers.

“Sanghvi Group of companies” is now a well-known name with its brand Silver Coin, the trusted name for every household. It all started with a small production of 60 MT per day capacity in the year 1990, which has now reached India’s highest wheat grinding capacity of 3000 MT per day, operations being run through 7 production units that use ultra-modern machinery from Buhler AG, Switzerland situated across four states. The plants have FSSC 22000 Certification, USFDA certification, ISO 9001:2008, and HACCP certifications.

In the retail segment, Silver Coin is one of the leading brands of the country in Chakki Atta and has extended its range to Rawa, Daliya, Besan, Suji, Maida, Multi-Grain Atta, Bafla Atta, Jowar Atta, Makka Atta, Missi Roti Atta, Poha, Soya Products, and Sabudana. Clientele includes Top national & international well-known FMCG Industries.