From Local Grains to Digital Gains: How a Century-Old Rice Mill Found Its Place in the Modern Market
You didn’t come this far to stop
Top rated by clients
★★★★★
Secured partnerships with Blinkit, Zepto, and 2 regional e-commerce platforms.
150% increase in direct website inquiries for bulk orders.
40% rise in retail sales via online platforms within 6 months.
300+ new social media followers (80% from target cities: Kolkata, Asansol, Durgapur).
The Challenge
Tradition Trapped in a Digital World
Our Confidential client's Rice Mill, a family-run business in Burdwan since 1923, was known for its aromatic Gobindobhog rice. But their reputation stayed locked within local markets. The younger generation of the family, Aniket and Priya, struggled to compete with branded rice packs flooding Blinkit and Zepto. Their website? A single dusty page with a phone number. Their social media? A forgotten Facebook account last updated in 2018 with grainy photos of rice sacks.
Our Strategy
Modernizing Heritage, One Grain at a Time
1. Packaging That Spoke to Kitchens, Not Warehouses
We ditched the plain gunny sack aesthetic. New packaging featured:
Local Art: Hand-drawn kolka motifs by a Medinipur artist, with taglines like “Your Grandmother’s Rice, Now Just a Click Away.”
QR Codes: Scanning led to recipes (e.g., “5-Minute Chingri Pulao for Busy Moms”).
Blinkit/Zepo-Friendly Sizes: 1kg vacuum packs for urban buyers + 25kg bulk options.
2. A Website That Felt Like a Farmer’s Market
Interactive Mill Tour: A 360° video showing the aging owner, Mr. Debashish, explaining the traditional stone-churning process.
B2B Portal: Bulk buyers could check real-time stock (e.g., “87 quintals of Kalonija left this season”).
“Why Us?” Section: Testimonials from Kolkata restaurants like “Bhojohori Manna uses only Balaram’s rice – taste the difference!”
3. Social Media – Where Rice Became Relatable
Facebook Reels: Workers singing bhatiali folk songs while cleaning rice – one viral hit crossed 50k views.
Recipe Contests: “Post your rice pudding photo tagged #BalaramSweetness – win a year’s supply!” (62 entries in 2 weeks).
Behind-the-Scenes: Stories showing the 90-year-old mill’s antique wooden huskers – “Same machines since 1923, same purity.”
4. Cracking the Quick-Commerce Code
SEO for Hungry Searches: Optimized product titles like “Instant 5kg Gobindobhog Rice – Ready for Zepto Delivery”.
Blinkit Negotiations: We helped the family navigate commission rates and delivery logistics.
Limited Editions: “Monsoon Harvest Mini-Packs” exclusively on Blinkit during Durga Puja.
The Stakes
Losing shelf space to corporate brands in quick-commerce apps.
Aging loyal customers (60+) with no strategy to attract urban families.
Zero visibility for their premium rice varieties like Gobondobhog and Radhatilak.
The Results
When Age-Old Quality Met New-Age Demand
Restaurant Revival: 12 Kolkata eateries switched to Balaram’s rice after seeing their website.
The Ultimate Win: A message from a customer in Bangalore: “My dad used to bring this rice from Burdwan. Cried when I found it on Zepto here.”
Blinkit’s Top 10: Ranked #8 in Kolkata’s “Grains & Pulses” category within 3 months.
“We thought apps like Blinkit were for chips and cola. GleamInk showed us how to make our rice a ‘click’ for busy families. Last week, a college student in Hyderabad ordered our 1kg pack. His WhatsApp read: ‘Ma says this tastes like home.’ That… that’s our real profit.”
— Aniket Panja 4th-Gen Owner, Client