Do You Really Need Marketing for Business Success? This 80-Year-Old Alwa Shop asks – What’s that?

By BWA Envoy
November 20, 2021
2 Minutes Read

Your favourite song is playing. The place is calm and cosy, made possible by air conditioning systems. The scent beckons you to stay longer in the shop. That describes most shops. Companies spend a fortune on marketing. But here is a brand that defies all marketing principles. They go against the trends and break every marketing rule. Yet they grow bigger and bigger every day!

How the Alwa got married to a south Indian city

The story starts in Chokkampatti, a place 75 km away from Tirunelveli District in Tamil Nadu. A zamindar from there went to North India for a feast. The sweet served there met tingled his taste buds. That’s it! That experience changed that city’s identity from then on. The north Indian delight made the zamindar enquire about the person who prepared it. “Bijli Singh”, came the reply. The zamindar took him to Chokkampatti. That’s how it all began. It was the 1940s. The sweet was Alwa.

What’s in the name?

Krishna Singh and his son Bijli Singh were the first to introduce Halwa (@Iruttukadaihalwa). into Tirunelveli. They worked for the zamindar during the day. The evenings saw them go street to street selling their sweets. Soon, they opened a shop near the renowned Nellaiappar Temple.

They didn’t choose the name- the name chose them! The brand name will forever change history. It will bring customers far and wide - local, national, and international! People call the shop “Iruttu Kadai Alwa”. Why so? Bijli Singh, the son of Krishna Singh opened the shop when it was half-past five in the evening. In two hours, the Alwa was gone! It was a time when electricity was a luxury. A hurricane lamp was the only light source. The shop was dim and dull and hence the name “Iruttu Kadai Alwa”.

The recipe for success ~ the Singh family

The family has continued the tradition started by Bijli Singh. They reject modernity and technology in their business. The only change made was the addition of a 40- watts light bulb. They are minimalists even with regard to their product. Wheat flour, sugar, and ghee are the only ingredients. What about cashews, cardamoms, and toppings? Nope! They don’t use machines to grind wheat. Their hands do the grinding, thus infusing traditionalism into their product. The mythological Thamirabarani answers their water needs. In Alwa, the cultural heritage and the culinary powers blend to give a distinct identity to the city.

The family has no need of marketing. They make less Alwa, and are in great demand. Scarcity principle at work here! Earlier, the Nellaiappar Temple was the cultural symbol. Now whenever you hear the name Tirunelveli, the mind conjures up images of Alwa. Such is the legacy of “Iruttu Kadai Alwa”. It has become an emblem of Tirunelveli itself. The sweet shop is a testimony to all small businesses. Technology and equipment are not always necessary. A commitment to preserving values will get them more attention. Becoming one with the local community is the mantra of success for every small business.