Sweet success after tough ride

LUDHIANA: For the outsider, Amanpreet Singh Sahiwal, 37, is a promising businessman who is fast climbing the success ladder. But to those who take time out to sit and chat with him, it is apparent that the comforts of life have not been served on a platter to him. Owner of Polka ice cream, Amanpreet knows what it is to be in want, to have dreams that seem unreachable and to slog for those dreams.
A resident of New Agar Nagar, Amanpreet Singh Sahiwal said he lost his father very young and life brought a torrent of ups and downs before letting him taste sweet success.
After completing BCom in 1995, Amanpreet's first aim was to be a helping hand for his family. "So I worked in Max Page and Spice for some time and then also started working as an accountant for some private companies to make some extra bucks,'' he said. But the dream of starting his own business was always on the back of his mind and he constantly kept thinking of strategies to make it real. "I was literally building castles in the air,'' he said.
Then in 1997, Amanpreet heard a friend talk about a sick ice cream manufacturing unit and got excited about its business possibilities. The friend agreed to join the venture and the two struck a deal in October 1997 to take over the unit and revive it.
Amanpreet said he was prepared for starting up hitches but he was dealt a blow when his friend and business partner decided to withdraw. "I was left alone but decided to take it as a challenge. At this crucial juncture my mother Balwant Kaur and elder brother Karanpreet Singh, who is a sub-inspector in the police, gave me a lot of emotional support,'' he added. The result became evident for all to see. Amanpreet not only managed to revive the dying unit but also got it to make profit.
"I contacted all the caterers, shops and ice cream parlours all around and struck new deals. God has been kind and now, I have clients all over Punjab where I am supplying ice cream for wedding parties. I also have a great network of ice cream parlours and other eating joints serving ice cream in the radius of 40 km around Ludhiana,'' said Amanpreet.
His inspiration has been Rajni Bector of Cremica Foods. "When I read her story about starting business from her house, I knew I could do it too. I wish I am able to grow the way she has and make Ludhiana proud of me one day,'' he added.
2013 | To expand operations of the factory
2014 | Open his own brand's ice cream parlour
2015 | Open another ice cream parlour to start a chain
2020 | Spread chain across Punjab