The document provides details about the Mumbai Dabbawala system of delivering home-cooked lunches to office workers. It discusses how the system started in 1890 to address the need of migrant workers. Today, over 5,000 dabbawalas use bicycles and trains to deliver 200,000 lunches daily with an error rate of only 1 in 16 million deliveries. The dabbawalas have received international recognition for their efficient supply chain and time management despite having little formal education.

1. CASE STUDY –
“MUMBAI
DABBAWALA”
BY-
Suraj Mishra
ASM – Duroflex Pvt. Ltd
(Mumbai)
Cell : 8356815001

2. Dabbawala Means -
 In Mumbai The dabbawalas constitute
a lunchbox delivery and return system that delivers
hot lunches from homes and restaurants to people
at work.
 The lunchboxes are picked up in the late morning,
delivered predominantly using bicycles and railway
trains, and returned empty in the afternoon.
 The 2013 Bollywood film The Lunchbox is based on
the dabbawala service.
ON TIME….. EVERY TIME !!

3. How The Dabbawala System Started -
 In 1890 Bombay, Mahadeo Havaji Bachche started a lunch delivery service with about a hundred
men.
 In 1930, he informally attempted to unionize the dabbawalas.
 Later, a charitable trust was registered in 1956 under the name of Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box
Suppliers Trust.
 The commercial arm of this trust was registered in 1968 as Mumbai Tiffin Box Supplier's
Association.
 The service was born during the British Raj in the 1890.
 With more and more migrants of varying communities reaching the big city in those days and no
fast food culture and office canteens were available.
 there was a lack of an effective system to ensure that office-workers could eat at lunchtime.
 There was also a supply of illiterate workers, who had travelled to the cities due to agriculture not
being able to support them.

4. Dabbawala’s Working -
 Error Rate : 1 in 16 million transactions .
 Education : 85% are illiterate and 15% educated up to
class 10th only.
 Cost of service : Rs.350 to 1500 per month
 Standard Price : Weight, distance and space
 Earning : Between 12 to 18k per month per dabbewala
 Diwali Bonus : 1 month Salary
 Technology : Recently they have started digital platform

6. Customer Profile share-

7. Earnings & Expanses -

8. Features of Supply Chain-
 Fuel : Zero %
 Modern Technology : Zero %
 Investment : Zero %
 Performance rate : 99.99 %
 Customer Satisfaction : 100 %
 Green Organization
 Food is taken from Home or mess and is delivered at
office on time

9. Supply Chain Of Dabbawala –

10. Distribution -

11. Supply Across Mumbai Rail Network-

12. Coding System- How its error free !

14. Organizational Structure -

15. 58
142
321
695
1206
2106
3216
4605
5551
5102
5164
5300
5600
1445
4120
9675
22865
45889
82000
140000
176040
160000
130860
166701
200000
215000
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2019
THE GROWTH
NUMBER OF DABBAWALAS NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS
Dabbawala’s Growth
Total Turn Over : 95 Cr. +

16. Prince Charles & Richards Branson meeting with Dabbawala’s
 England King prince Charles requested to met dabbawala on 4 Nov. 2003
 He was told to come to church gate railway station and meet dabbawalas.
 So that the delivery of dabbas to clients is not affected.
 He spent around 20 minutes with dabbawalas.
 Virgin group chairman, Richards Branson, travelled with dabbawalas on 1-4-2005
and delivered dabba to his own employees.

17. Dabbawala’s Discipline -
 Discipline is one of the main reasons of dabbawala’s success.
 Dabbawala’s are penalized for not wearing Gandhi topi, not pre-informing leaves, and misbehaving
with customers.
 After giving a few warnings, if dabbawala’s doesn't change then he is expelled from the system.
 In 2011, dabbawalas went on strike for the first time in 120 years to promote and attend a rally
by Azad Maidan to support Anna Hazare in his campaign against corruption
 They meet every month to sort out issues & differences. Take their lunch and sing together.
 Dabbawala’s are marathi so same language, same tradition & same social status.
 Most of the dabbawala’s are 3rd generation decedents, some work upto 85 years age
 Retained because of respect, healthy relation and ownership.
 Dabbawala’s handles activities like collection, sorting, transportation, finance, customer care etc.
 Doing Multiple task so, this will ensure smooth operation.

18. Wings Of Dabbawala’s in Mumbai-
1) Dabbawala Foundation
2) Mumbai Jevan Dabbe Vahtuk Mandal
3) Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charitable Trust.
4) Ghatkopar Jevan Dabbe Vahtuk Mandal
5) Vitthal Rakhumai Jevan Dabbe Vahtuk Mandal
6) Sant Dnyaneshwar Jevan Dabbe Vahtuk Mandal

19. Six Sigma Certification -
“Six Sigma Means how many mistake company commits while accomplishing task “.
 In 1998, forbes global magazine conducted a quality assurance study on the dabbawala’s
operations.
 Gave rating of 99.99%
 Dabbawala made 1 error in 16 million transactions.
 Stood high along with MNC’s like Motorola ,
GE (General Electric ) etc.
 Dabbawala’s got ISO 9001 – 2000 for excellence in service.

20. Services (Current & Upcoming)-
 Dabba Service
 Lectures / Seminars & Ted Talks
 Digital Dabbawala
 A day With Dabbawala
 Advertise with Us
 Centralised Kitchen

21. Strength
 Teamwork, discipline and honesty
 Time Management and ownership
 Customer Satisfaction
 Service delivery of six sigma standard
 Process consistency, service
commitment
 Satisfaction of team members
Opportunity
 Expanding network in other cities
 Tie-up with caterers to serve variety of
meals.
 Opportunity of expansion of service on
the route of Mumbai metros
 Generating revenue by the promotion of
other brands
Weakness
 Highly dependent upon Mumbai local
service
 Fund For association
Threat
 Threat from small restaurants
 Catering services offering tiffin services
 Food courts in mall and big office
premises
SWOT

22. Studies and Accolades-
 In 2001, Pawan G. Agrawal carried out his PhD research in "A Study & Logistics & Supply Chain
Management of Dabbawala in Mumbai".
 In 2005, the IIM – (A) featured a case study on the Mumbai Dabbawallas from a management
perspective of logistics.
 In 2010, Harvard Business School added the case study The Dabbawala System: On-Time
Delivery, Every Time to their compendium for its high level of service with a low-cost and simple
operating system.
 In 2014, Uma S. Krishnan completed her PhD research in "A Cross-Cultural Study of the Literacy
Practices of The Dabbawalas.
 Ritesh Shantaram Andre is the new and youngest Spokesperson of Mumbai Dabbawala
 On 21 March 2011, Prakash Baly Bachche carried three dabbawalla tiffin crates on his head at one
time, which was entered as a Guinness world record.

23. Certification & Licensing-

24. Mumbai Dabbawala’s Clients-
More than 1000+ clients

25. Conclusion & Learnings -
 Excellent time management & very less errors.
 Mostly they are illiterate but becoming legend for literates.
 Hard Work and sincerity are the main factors in their success.
 They are great example of efficient service provider.
Learning :-
 Discipline
 Organization
 Work Management
 Time Management
 Simple, flexible and accurate process
 Strong culture of belonging