History
Mr. Pars Ram Punj, founder and director of the Parsram Group is renowned for his role in pioneering the Australian pulse industry. In 1991 Mr. Punj received the Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award by CSIRO for commercialisation — and continues to innovate and transform the Australian Agri-commodities and food trading landscapes.
Coming to Australia in the late 1970s — having spent his early years working at his father’s business in Singapore — Mr. Punj identified a gap in the market. His observations and subsequent actions would transform Australia’s agricultural landscape and lay the foundations for Parsram Group to become the successful Australian business it is today.
With the growing demand for ethnic food in Australia, Parsram Foods was founded in 1988. Mr. Parsram Punj’s brilliant vision coupled with Mr. Bhoomi Punj’s strong leadership has established Parsram Foods as a leading manufacturer and supplier in the industry.
Here’s our
timeline of 40
years
EXCELLENCE IN INDUSTRY INNOVATION
In the 1970s, chickpeas were only grown as a stock feed, no Australian farmer had yet recognised the vast potential of growing pulses for human consumption – despite the fact that they are a staple food throughout much of the world.
Mr. Punj could see the opportunity in exporting pulses to the Indian subcontinent, Middle East, UK and North America. He worked tenaciously to convince Australian farmers of the merits of growing chickpeas and other pulses. It was not an easy task – he was an immigrant trying to tell born and bred Australian farmers what to do. But his proposition was compelling
“Grow chickpeas as a mainstream crop, and I guarantee I will buy every last grain from you.”
Despite the battles, Mr. Punj found a handful of farmers who believed in him – and so began the success of the Parsram Group. Mr. Punj’s work was recognised in 1991, with his receipt of the Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award by the Federal Government for his role in pioneering the Desi and Kabuli chickpea industry within Australia
Working closely with the CSIRO, who improved the crop to create a more viable option for farmers, Mr. Punj was able to convince more and more farmers to start growing various legumes and beans in between wheat plantings. Furthermore, the long tap roots of the chickpea crop return valuable nitrogen to the soil, giving farmers attractive returns
With similar science and innovation applied to other pulses, the Australian pulse industry was soon established in Australia. Pars Ram Brothers went from strength to strength and diversified into food production, importing/exporting and trading of other Agri-commodities such as fava beans, Kabuli chickpeas, mung beans, Pigeon peas, Dun peas, lentils, lupines, sorghum, wheat and barley.
FUTURE FORWARD
Founded in 1988 to address a growing demand for ethnic food in Australia, the story of Parsram Foods mirrors that of the Parsram Group – it is one of innovation and response to the changing needs and demands of an increasingly discerning market.
As the ethnic population grew, so too did the demand for the basic staples of the Indian and Middle Eastern diet – rice, pulses, oil, flour and spices. Store and restaurant owners had to import their own supplies at inflated costs, and people found it difficult to get Indian-origin foods.
We created Parsram Foods to bridge the gap, establishing strong relationships with leading FMCG companies such as Amul, Deep Foods, McCain, Mother’s Recipe, Girnar, Sohna and more. We then worked closely with AQIS to apply rigorous food standard checks to ensure the premium quality of our imported products.
Soon, we were importing curries, pickles, frozen foods, sweets, beverages and even health care products into Australia to give Australians access to a quality range of ethnic products.
Today, we have an established national logistics and distribution network, with dry and freezer storage warehouses around Australia, and planned facilities for New Zealand. We proudly distribute leading brands in Australian Ethnic Indian retail and food services. We realised that there is a huge market for exceptional quality ethnic food products in Australia, and worked to deliver a premium range that satisfies the discerning modern diner.
