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The Company
begun its European operations at least 40 years before the
Indian Government ushered in liberalization, and allowed
setting up subsidiaries abroad. It began exporting bulk teas to
Poland, then a Soviet bloc member, in 1978.
In the late '80s, Poland allowed
setting up of 100% foreign-owned companies. the company
responded by opening its Warsaw subsidiary. It also introduced
small consumer packs under the "MK" brand name, and set up a
warehouse for smooth off-the-self delivery.
As the export business began to
thrive, Mr. Shah now concentrated his efforts on backward
integration, by becoming a tea producer himself. In 1990, he
acquired the Nangdala tea estate in the Dooars region, and
started making good quality CTC teas.
In 1993, when Russia too
allowed foreign-owned companies, the company flagged off their
Moscow subsidiary, which sourced "MK" teas from India. Ten
years later, when Russia imposed heavy duties on imported
package teas, the company set up a wholly owned packing unit
in St.Petersberg. The company introduced tea bags and premium
teas.
Again in 1999, the company
acquired the prestigious gardens of Koilamari Tea Estate from
the esteemed Jokai group. However in 2001, it struck another
deal, this time with M/s Williamson Magors and he took over
the world renowned gardens of Gingia, Seajuli and Majhulighur.
These five estates together made over 4 million kgs of tea on
an annual basis. For the next four years, the company
concentrated all its efforts on the upliftment of his newly
acquired properties, and spared no effort in increasing their
profitability.
In between all this, in 2001,
the company had started its Kazakh subsidiary, based in the
capital, Astana. Then in may ‘2005 Mr. Shah acquired “Rossell
Industries” from M/s Hindustan Levers, along with which came
the seven prestigious tea estates of Panitola, Bokel, Nalani,
Hattialli, Muttuck, Daisajan and Singlijan, all belonging to
the erstwhile Jokai group.
With this M. K Shah Exports Limited has now become the proud
owner of twelve premium quality tea gardens, producing on an
average of over 11 million kgs of quality tea on an annual
basis. In the export front, apart from the CIS, M. K Shah
Exports Ltd today has full fledged export operations in the
markets of Dubai, Iran and the EU.
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