Dabbawala of

Mumbai
The
DABBA
LUNCHBOX
Management
Guru
DABBAWALA
PERSON CARRYING LUNCHBOX
FROM HOME TO WORKPLACE

Lokesh P Chaudhari

DABBAWALA
5000 Dabbawala
2,00,000 Dabbas
Six Sigma Certified
ISO 2000 Certified
Most are Illiterate
Lecture MBAs

No strike for 116

years
Prince Charles Friend
Indias Top Brand
Pride Of Marathas
Icon Of Hard Work
A management Guru

HOW THE DABBAWALA SYSTEM STARTED?

1890
Parsi Banker.

Hon. Mahadu Havaji Bacche

Hon. Dhondiba Medge

BELIEVES OF DABBAWALA
Work is Worship.
Serving People is
serving god.
Annadan is Mahadaan.
Time is money.
Unity is Power.

MAJOR FEATURES OF SUPPLY CHAIN

0% Fuel
0% Modern Technology
0% Investment
0% Disputes
99.9999 Performance
100% Customer satisfaction
Food is taken from home or mess & is
delivered at office
Cost Of service:- Rs. 250- 900 per
Month
Standard price for all (Weight;
Distance; Space)
Rs. 30 Crore approximately Annual
Turnover.
Earnings:- 4000 To 5000 P.M

DISCIPLINE
Wearing White Cap During
business Hrs.
Reporting To Duty on time
Behave Properly & respect
the customers
Carry Identity cards.

TOP 10 REASONS FOR USING DABBAWALAS SERVICE

Organizational Flowchart Of
Dabbawala
President

Vice president
General Secretary
Treasure
Director (9)
Mukadaam
Member (500)

Strength

Weaknesses

Teamwork, discipline
Time management
Customer satisfaction
Consistency
Commitment
Financial independence

Highly dependent on Mumbai local

trains
Limited access to education limits
diversification of members to
other business
Limited fund flow

Opportunities

Threats

To tie up with caterers

Diversification of services
Expanding network in other cities
Booking of service through
internet or sms

Fast food joints and small restaurants

Food courts at malls / mega structures
Catering services offering tiffin services

JOURNEY OF DABBAWALA

CODING
SYSTEM

Initial Coding System used

colored threads to mark 7 Islands
Then Utilized thrown away cotton
waste from tailors.
Now using colour

markers.

PICK UP DABBA FROM RESIDENCE & BRING IT TO SOURSE

STATION.

9:30 A.M- 10:30 A.M

homes,
hotels,
messes etc. by Dabbawalas

brought to source Station.

Now these collected Dabbas

are sorted according to
Destination.

JOURNEY IN THE LOCAL

10:30TRAIN
to _____A.M /PM( As per destination
Station)

Load the wooden Crates filled with Tiffin

Into the luggage or goods compartment

in the train

UNLOADING & SORTING

AT DESTINATION STATION
By 12:30 P:M ( Churchgate/C.S.T.
station )
unloading takes place at the destination
station
Re- arrangement of tiffins takes place as
per the Destination Areas & destination
buildings
Dabbas are Delivered by

ANNADATAS HAVING THEIR FOOD

12:30P.M- 1:00P.M (LUNCH TIME)

Dabbawalas carry their

Food with them
Areas wise sit together &
have their lunch
The family that eats
together stays together.

COLLECTION OF EMPTY DABBA &

SORTING AT DESTINATIONS
STATION
1:30- 2:30 P.M( At all destination
stations)

Pick up the Dabbas from the offices

where they had delivered almost an
hour ago

Return journey by train

RETURN JOURNEY
Usually by 4:30P:M to destination
station

Dabbawalas lighten up the moment

with
merry making;
joking around
singing.

SORTING & DELIVERY OF

EMPTY DABBA
3:30- 4:40 P.M ( At all Origin Stations)
Sort out the Tiffin's as per the origin
area
The empty dabba is delivered at the
Respected Residence.
NOTE: The actual address of the
residence is not mentioned on the
Dabba. It is remembered by the
Dabbawalas.