imported>Ivario at 20:51, 17 June 2025

2025-06-17T20:51:45Z

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{{Short description|Indian poultry industry conglomerate}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group
| type = [[Private Limited]]
| logo =
| foundation = 1971
| location = [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| homepage =
}}
The '''V H Group''' is an Indian conglomerate primarily comprising companies related to the poultry industry, including processed food, animal vaccines, human and animal pharmaceutical and healthcare products. They are also the owners of [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Venkys (India) Ltd.|url=http://profit.ndtv.com/stock/venkys-_venkeys/reports|website=NDTV Profit|publisher=NDTV Convergence Limited|access-date=25 July 2017}}</ref>

It was founded as Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt Ltd in 1971 in [[Hyderabad]], [[India]] and later shifted its base to [[Pune]], [[India]] to seek favourable climatic conditions required for research of livestock. It has also built Balaji temple at Pune which is a replica of famous Balaji temple of Tirupati. It is also the owner of English football club [[Blackburn Rovers]], overseeing two relegations and one promotion with the club.

==Group profile==
The V H Group is controlled by the family of Dr. [[B. V. Rao]]. His daughter, Anuradha Desai, is serving as group chairperson since his death in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bhattacharyya|first1=Alokesh|title=Hatching a business|url=http://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/cover-story/most-powerful-women-in-india-business-2015-anuradha-desai/story/223465.html|website=Business Today|publisher=Living Media India Limited|access-date=28 July 2017|date=27 September 2015}}</ref> His sons B Balaji Rao and Venkatesh Rao sit on the board of the group's companies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Venky's (India) Ltd (VENK.BO)|url=https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/companyOfficers?symbol=VENK.BO|website=Reuters|publisher=Thomson Reuters|access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Athavale|first1=Dileep|title=Anuradha Desai, chairperson, Venkateshwara Hatcheries|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/anuradha-desai-chairperson-venkateshwara-hatcheries-106022401149_1.html|website=Business Standard|publisher=Business Standard Private Limited|access-date=28 July 2017|date=24 February 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=I-T sleuths search 40 premises of Venky's|url=http://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pune/civic/i-t-sleuths-search-40-premises-of-venkys/articleshow/58650075.cms|website=Pune Mirror|publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd|access-date=28 July 2017|date=13 May 2017}}</ref>

The V H Group has its headquarters in Pune, and has offices in the [[United Kingdom]], [[Oman]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Vietnam]], [[Italy]]. The group has production plants in [[India]], [[Vietnam]], [[Bangladesh]], the [[United States]] and [[Switzerland]].<ref>{{cite magazine |date=7 April 2011 |title=Asia's poultry group to set up vaccines plant in Jura |url=https://www.bilan.ch/techno/asia_s_poultry_group_to_set_up_vaccines_plant_in_jura_ |magazine=[[Bilan (magazine)|Bilan]] |access-date=23 March 2024}}</ref>

In December 2010, the group launched Venky's Xprs, a fast food restaurant specialising in chicken. The first outlet opened in Pune, India.<ref name="midday">{{cite news |title=In the city to add some spice |first=Debarati |last=Palit |newspaper=[[Mid-Day]] |date=9 December 2010 |url=http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/dec/091210-Akon-Venkey-Pune.htm |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref>

==Sport==
===Blackburn Rovers===
In November 2010, the group took over English [[Premier League]] club [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.]], acquiring a 99.9% stake through a new holding company, Venky's London Ltd. The deal was worth £43 million including taking on around £20 million of the club's debt.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |title=Rao family buy Blackburn Rovers from Jack Walker Trust |work=BBC Sport |date=19 November 2010 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackburn_rovers/9210221.stm |access-date=17 October 2012}}</ref>

After sacking [[Sam Allardyce]] as the club's manager,<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |title=Sam Allardyce sacked as manager of Blackburn Rovers |first=Simon |last=Burnton |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=13 December 2010 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/dec/13/sam-allardyce-sacked-manager-blackburn-rovers |access-date=17 October 2012}}</ref> [[Steve Kean]] was appointed in his place, raising media concern as Kean's agent [[Jerome Anderson (football agent)|Jerome Anderson]] had advised Venky's during its takeover of the club.<ref name="How an agent came to hold so much power at Blackburn Rovers">Conn, David. [https://www.theguardian.com/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2010/dec/21/blackburn-rovers-venkys-jerome-anderson "How an agent came to hold so much power at Blackburn Rovers"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 21 December 2010. Retrieved 02 August 2016.</ref><ref name="Steve Kean finds value of friends in high places at Blackburn Rovers">Hytner, David. [https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2010/dec/16/steve-kean-blackburn-rovers "Steve Kean finds value of friends in high places at Blackburn Rovers"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 16 December 2010. Retrieved 02 August 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/jan/15/blackburn-rovers-board-dismay-venkys |title=Blackburn Rovers board's dismay at Venky's conduct revealed in letter |newspaper=The Guardian |date=15 January 2012}}</ref> Venky's oversaw an unsuccessful period resulting in relegation to the [[Football League Championship|Championship]] after the [[2011–12 Premier League]] season ending the club's 11-year run in the top flight, then a further relegation to the third-tier [[EFL League One]] after the [[2016–17 EFL Championship|2016–17 season]].<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |title=Blackburn Rovers relegated from Premier League as Antolin Alcaraz scores only goal in Wigan's great escape |first=Henry |last=Winter |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=8 May 2012 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/9239025/Blackburn-Rovers-relegated-from-Premier-League-as-Antolin-Alcaraz-scores-only-goal-in-Wigans-great-escape.html |access-date=17 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/so-why-do-the-blackburn-owners-venkys-not-seem-to-care-7729053.html |title=So why do the Blackburn owners Venkys not seem to care? |newspaper=The Independent |date=9 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/opinion/football-opinion/blackburn-relegated-how-venkys-wrecked-823652 |title=How Venky's wrecked and relegated Blackburn |work=Daily Mirror |date=8 May 2012}}</ref> Despite Kean leaving Blackburn Rovers in September 2012, criticism of Venky's running of the club has continued, with both fans and the media calling them into question.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/venkys-and-other-corporate-vandals-must-be-stopped-from-owning-clubs-9ktw7pvhf |title=Venky's and other corporate vandals must be stopped from owning clubs |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=3 September 2016}}</ref> In September 2016, Venky's publicly stated their commitment to the club.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wheelock|first1=Paul|title='We remain totally committed to the club' - Blackburn Rovers owners Venky's release statement at fans' meeting|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/14773708._We_remain_totally_committed_to_the_club____Blackburn_Rovers_owners_Venky_s_release_statement_at_fans__meeting|website=Lancashire Telegraph|publisher=Newsquest (North West) Ltd|access-date=21 July 2017|date=29 September 2016}}</ref>

==Businesses==
The group includes:
* Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt. Ltd.
* Venky's (India) Limited
*
* VENCO Research and Breeding Farms Pvt. Ltd.
* Venkateshwara Research and Breeding Farms Pvt. Ltd.
* Venkateshwara B.V.Bio-Corp Pvt. Ltd.
*
* Uttara Foods & Feeds Pvt. Ltd.
* Uttara Impex Pvt. Ltd.
* Venky's Vietnam Ltd.
* Venky's Singapore Pvt. Ltd.
* VH Group Bangladesh
* Bala Industries & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

[[Category:Agriculture companies of India]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies of India]]
[[Category:Companies based in Pune]]
[[Category:Conglomerate companies established in 1971]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1971]]
[[Category:Poultry industry in India]]
[[Category:Privately held companies of India]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1971]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Maharashtra]]

V H Group - Revision history

imported>Ivario at 20:51, 17 June 2025