A 50-year-old rasgulla shop: Tk 10 sweets, daily milk down from 350 kg to 150–200 kg
A 50-year-old sweet shop in Rajapur, Jhalokathi, keeps its name by making chhana from local milk and selling rasgulla at Tk 10–20. But with fewer customers and weaker buying power its daily milk use has nearly halved, and the owners worry about profit.
A sweet shop in Rajapur upazila town, Jhalokathi, has run for 50 years. It has no signboard, only an old single-pitched tin shed, yet people from the surrounding area come for its rasgulla. After the father died in 1998, the eldest son now runs the business with his middle brother. What sets the shop apart is that it buys pure cow's milk daily from local people, makes its own chhana, and uses it for rasgulla and malai; chhana is also sold. One customer says there is no adulteration, so you can eat with your eyes closed. Rasgullas cost Tk 10, 15 and 20. The owner says they keep the quality and sell at a thin margin so people of every background can taste the sweets. One of the craftsmen has worked there for 35 years. But the business is under strain: a year or so ago at least 350 kg of milk went into chhana and sweets every day, and now, with fewer customers, 150 to 200 kg a day is enough. As prices rise, customers' buying power is falling and the shop is not seeing much profit. Sugar and milk prices plus the craftsmen's wages leave them out of breath at the month's end. The owner says he does not know how long he can go on, but they have to survive.
Lessons
- 1.Buying milk and making your own chhana protects quality and reputation, which holds old customers' trust.
- 2.With sweets at prices like Tk 10, rising milk and sugar costs cut the margin fast, so check price against cost regularly.
- 3.When customers fall, cut daily milk and raw material to match, or waste and losses grow.
We published this with the person's permission, without revealing who they are.
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