Patak's, the story of a very British brand

The Pathak family have grown from owning one small shop, to supplying almost every supermarket in Britain. This is the story of how it happened.

In 1958 on a quiet street off Euston Road, London, Laxmishanker Pathak opened a small grocery shop. With help from his wife he began selling sweets, spices and vegetables to fellow Indians and a few curious Londoners. It was a real family affair, with his son, Kirit Pathak, doing deliveries around London – after all, Kirit rode for free with his junior bus pass.

The business grew. New shops and factories were opened, and new lines and products were developed. Today Patak’s (the ‘h’ was removed to make pronunciation easier) employs 700-or-so people worldwide and exports to over 40 countries. Which is a long way from its humble beginnings.

The history room

This amazing journey is recorded in a small room just off the main lobby in Patak’s state-of-the-art production unit in Leigh, Lancs. 'The history room', as it’s known, is a fascinating tour of the family’s business endeavours and efforts.

In one cabinet are some of the first jars, packets and cans that Patak’s produced, replete with 1960s labelling and font, as well as a small recipe booklet with such dishes as 'egg vindaloo', and 'curry fish and chips'. On the walls are other personal mementos, family photographs and newspaper clippings.

The collection is fascinating and charts not only the rise of the business, but also the changing relationship with Indian cuisine and ingredients.

Same as it’s always been

The blend of spices that makes up the core of Patak’s products has barely changed over the past 50 years. At Patak’s head office a team of development chefs work tirelessly on maintaining this tradition, as well as planning new tastes and flavours for the next 50 years. Chef Anjali Pathak, granddaughter of Laxmishanker Pathak, is busy promoting the wonderful dishes you can make with Patak's pastes. She says: “We want to make sure everyone tastes that true authentic taste of India!”

Also worth your attention:

Win a trip of a lifetime to India 

Great recipes from Anjali Pathak

Watch the video on YouTube