Mody & Co.: A Century of Tea, Tradition and Trust in Pune’s Raviwar Peth

Reported by Shoaib Tadvi
Pune, 26th August 2026: In the crowded lanes of Raviwar Peth, where generations of traders have built businesses that have become part of Pune’s commercial identity, one name has quietly brewed its own legacy for nearly a century — Mody & Co. Tea Merchants.

Located on Raviwar Peth Road, near Someshwar Temple and Bohri Ali in Kapad Ganj, the family-run tea business was established in 1925. Nearly a century later, the fourth generation of the Mody family continues to run the business, preserving the same infrastructure, traditional approach and emphasis on quality that have defined the shop for generations.

What began as a general trading business eventually evolved into a specialised tea enterprise, becoming closely associated with the Globe brand, one of the most recognised names sold by the company in Pune.

From a General Store to a Tea Business
The story of Mody & Co. began with Mohanlal Mody, who came to Pune and started the family business. In its early years, the shop dealt in several products, including tobacco, biscuits and other everyday commodities.

Over time, however, the family decided to focus exclusively on tea.
That decision transformed the business. From a traditional trading outlet, Mody & Co. gradually established itself in Pune’s wholesale tea market, developing long-standing relationships with hotels, wholesalers, retailers and tea sellers.

The business was initially built primarily around the wholesale market. Later, the family expanded its focus to include retail customers.

Four Generations, One Legacy
The business has passed through several generations of the Mody family.
The second generation included Natwarlal Mody and Arvindlal Mody, followed by Narendra Mody. The current generation includes Deepak Mody, Vinay Mody and Jayesh Mody, who continue to carry forward the family enterprise.

For the family, the business is more than simply selling tea. It represents a connection between generations.

Rather than dramatically changing the character of the establishment, the family has chosen to retain its traditional infrastructure and operating style.

“We have kept the infrastructure of the shop the same. We do not have any branches and continue to operate from this establishment. Our focus has always been on maintaining the quality of our tea and the trust we have built with our customers over generations,” said Jayesh Mody.

Tea Sourced Directly from Assam

One of the distinctive features of Mody & Co. is its focus on tea sourced from Assam, one of India’s most important tea-producing regions.
According to Jayesh Mody, the company directly sources its tea from Assam.

“Every tea comes from Assam. We directly source our tea from there, and the quality of the tea is very important to us. We have different types and grades of tea, and when customers want better quality, the price naturally increases,” he said.

The shop deals primarily in three major categories of tea — CTC, BOP and Dust — along with various blends and mixtures.

The price board displayed at the shop reflects the wide range of products available. It lists around 27 brands and varieties, including Globe BOP, Globe Dust, Globe Mix, Tower Mix, Premium Mix, Amrut Mix, Super Mix, Deluxe Mix, Zenith Mix, Tower BOP, Premium BOP, Deluxe BOP, Sona BOP, Amir BOP and several Dust varieties.

Among these, Globe remains the company’s most prominent and popular brand in Pune.

The Globe Connection

For generations of tea consumers and traders in Pune, the name Globe has become closely associated with Mody & Co.

The family describes Globe as its flagship brand in Pune, with the product finding a market among hotels, wholesalers, retailers and tea-selling shops.

The company’s strength lies not only in its variety but also in its understanding of the requirements of different customers. A hotel purchasing tea in bulk may have different requirements from a small retailer or an individual buying tea for home.

Mody & Co. has built its business around serving all these segments.

From Wholesale to Retail
For many years, the company’s primary business was the wholesale market. Its customers included wholesalers, hotels and tea retailers across the city.

However, changing customer preferences and growing retail demand encouraged the business to open itself more widely to individual consumers.

“Initially, we were mainly working in the wholesale market. Our main customers were hotels, wholesalers and tea-selling shops. Later, we decided to enter the retail market as well so that we could directly serve retail customers,” said Jayesh Mody.

Today, Mody & Co. caters to both wholesale and retail customers, creating a direct link between tea producers, traders and consumers.
The family believes that its long-standing presence in Pune’s wholesale tea market has helped it understand the trade and maintain relationships built over decades.

Keeping the Old Structure Alive

At a time when traditional family businesses are increasingly adopting modern formats, opening multiple branches or moving entirely online, Mody & Co. has chosen a different path.

The family has retained its original establishment and has not expanded through multiple branches.

For the Modys, this continuity is an important part of the business’s identity.

“We have deliberately kept the same infrastructure and have not opened branches. For us, maintaining the original business and continuing the legacy of the family is important,” Jayesh Mody said.

The shop’s location in the historic Raviwar Peth trading area also adds to its character. The narrow lanes, old commercial establishments and traditional wholesale businesses provide a setting that reflects Pune’s long trading history.

Walking into Mody & Co. is therefore not just about buying a packet of tea. It is also a glimpse into a business tradition that has survived changing markets, consumer habits and generations.

A Business Built on Customers

Over the decades, Mody & Co. has developed a customer base that includes hotels, wholesalers, retailers and individual tea consumers.

The variety of products allows the shop to serve customers with different requirements and budgets. From regular tea blends to different grades of BOP and Dust, customers can choose according to their preferences.
For the Modys, however, the business is not simply about offering a large number of products.

It is about maintaining consistency.

“The quality of tea is our priority. We have different varieties and grades, so customers can choose according to the quality they want. As the quality increases, the price also increases. Our aim is to provide customers with good-quality tea and maintain their trust,” said Jayesh Mody.

A Century Brewed in Every Cup

From Mohanlal Mody’s original venture in 1925 to the fourth generation running the business today, the journey of Mody & Co. reflects the resilience of Pune’s traditional family businesses.

The company began by selling a variety of commodities, gradually specialised in tea, established itself in the wholesale market and eventually expanded into retail. Throughout that journey, its focus remained on sourcing quality tea and offering customers a wide range of choices.

Today, the shop continues to serve hotels, wholesalers, retailers and individual tea lovers from its Raviwar Peth location.

Nearly 100 years after the first generation began the journey, the fourth generation remains behind the counter — keeping the business, the relationships and the flavour of the family legacy alive.

In Pune’s rapidly changing commercial landscape, Mody & Co. stands as a reminder that some businesses do not need to constantly reinvent themselves to remain relevant.

Sometimes, a strong product, trusted relationships and a legacy passed from one generation to the next are enough to keep the tea brewing.