Our History

THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

82 years ago, a young butter and ghee merchant set forth, seeking to make his fortune in the traditional and affluent neighbourhood of Mylapore. Settling upon the name “Ganapathy & Co.”, Shri S. Ganapathy Pillai inaugurated his small shop in 1942, that would then go on to become a brand renown for authentic south Indian delicacies. He purchased Desi Butter directly from Uthukuli and hand-churned it to produce pure, premium quality Uthukuli Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter).

People from all over the city thronged the store for the aromatic Desi Ghee. The fragrance of freshly churned Desi Ghee could be felt even as one passed the store on South Mada street, along the Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple tank.
Over the years, as the shop and customer base grew, customers still preferred dropping by the shop to buy quality Uthukuli Butter & Ghee from the founder himself.

A Household Name:
A signboard depicting the earlier name of the store, GANAPATHY & CO.

Our Founding Father:
Late Shri S Ganapathy Pillai

THE SECOND GENERATION STALWART

After the demise of the founder in 1973, the store was run by his eldest son Shri. G. Sankaran, a visionary who set the benchmark for Mylapore Ganapathy’s as we see it today. He expanded the business with a range of homemade South Indian traditional food products.

He began preparing Homemade Appalams, Pickles, Vadams and Vathals at his residence in Mylapore. Customers who tasted the authentic homemade products started asking for more varieties in the product range.

Shri Sankaran also introduced Ghee Sweets and Savouries and soon they all became best sellers at the store. Even at the age of 78, till his demise in 2019, he regularly visited the store and ensured there was no compromise in taste and quality.

Second Generation Entrepreneur:
Late Shri G Sankaran (on the left).

Measuring Success:
Young entrepreneur Late Shri G Sankaran busy at work at the store, in 1970.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

His eldest son Shri S. Saravanan who had trained under his father, the stalwart Late Shri Sankaran for more than 25 years, took over the reins after his father’s demise in 2019.

Saravanan is an administrator par excellence who took the legacy of Mylapore Ganapathy’s forward by maintaining consistent taste and quality in all the products. He strives to create new avenues for the brand and consistently works towards improving the customer experience.

Saravanan is assisted in this endeavor by his brother Shri S. Balaji who has been managing Mylapore Ganapathy’s online platform for the last 5 years. The brothers ensure that both physical and online customers of Mylapore Ganapathy’s are always served quality food products and excellent customer service.

Late G. Sankaran with his sons S. Saravanan (left) and S. Balaji (right).
(The picture published in “The Hindu” edition dated 15.11.2017 on Mylapore Ganapathy’s celebrating its 75th Anniversary)

Our History

THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Our Founding Father:
Late Shri S Ganapathy Pillai

In 1942, S. Ganapathy Pillai started out as Butter and Ghee merchant in the neighbourhood of Mylapore.

The same year, he set up Ganapathy & Co, a small storefront, that would then go on to become a brand renown for authentic south Indian delicacies.

He purchased Desi Butter directly from Uthukuli and hand-churned it to produce pure, premium quality Uthukuli Desi Ghee (Clarified Butter). People from all over the city thronged the store for the aromatic Desi Ghee.

The fragrance of freshly churned Desi Ghee could be felt even as one passed the store on South Mada street, along the Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple tank.

A Household Name:
A signboard depicting the earlier name of the store, before it was changed to “Ganapathy’s – Butter & Ghee”

Over the years, as the shop and customer base grew, customers still preferred dropping by the shop to buy quality Uthukuli Butter & Ghee from the founder himself.

THE SECOND GENERATION STALWART

After the demise of the founder in 1973, the store was run by his eldest son Shri. G. Sankaran Pillai, a visionary who set the benchmark for Mylapore Ganapathy’s as we see it today.

Second Generation Entrepreneur:
Late Shri G Sankaran (on the left).

He expanded the business with a range of homemade South Indian traditional food products. He began preparing Homemade Appalams, Pickles, Vadams and Vathals at his residence in Mylapore.

Customers who tasted the authentic homemade taste started asking for more variety in the product range. Shri Sankaran also introduced Ghee Sweets and Savouries and soon they all became best sellers at the store.

Measuring Success:
Young entrepreneur Late Shri G Sankaran busy at work at the store, in 1970.

Even at the age of 78, till his demise in 2019, he regularly visited the store and ensured there was no compromise in taste and quality.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

His eldest son Shri S. Saravanan who had trained under his father, the stalwart Late Shri Sankaran for more than 25 years, took over the reins after his father’s demise in 2019.

Saravanan is an administrator par excellence who took the legacy of Mylapore Ganapathy’s forward by maintaining consistent taste and quality in all the products. He strives to create new avenues for the brand and consistently works towards improving the customer experience.

Late G. Sankaran with his sons S. Saravanan (left) and S. Balaji (right).
(The picture published in “The Hindu” edition dated 15.11.2017 on Mylapore Ganapathy’s celebrating its 75th Anniversary)

Saravanan is assisted in this endeavour by his brother Shri S. Balaji who has been managing Mylapore Ganapathy’s online platform for the last 3 years. The brothers ensure that both physical and online customers of Mylapore Ganapathy’s are always served quality food products and excellent customer service.