Later, under the control of Kirit and wife Meena, the family firm dropped the "h" in their name and grew to supply 90 per cent of Britain's 7,500 Indian restaurants. Their cooking sauces, pastes, chutneys and pickles became a hit in over 40 countries.
The booming brand, worth £200million, was eventually moved to Leigh, Greater Manchester, before it was sold to Associated British Foods (ABF) 14 years ago.
George Weston, chief executive of ABF, said: "Kirit was blessed with entrepreneurial flair, astute business acumen and a passion for authentic Indian cuisine.
"From humble beginnings he and Meena created an incredible business - all built on the concept of making Indian-style meals easy and accessible for time-poor people.