ABAD | CheenavalaABAD

Tradition and unity continue to shape the group’s identity. Among themselves, family members often converse in Kutchi, maintaining a cultural link to their origins. The family upholds the principles of integrity, trust, and perseverance, carrying them forward in every venture, from seafood exports to high-rises.

Today, ABAD stands as both a pioneer and a custodian of Kerala’s seafood identity. Its influence is visible in the global presence of Indian seafood, the industry standards it helped shape, and the enduring example it sets as a family-led enterprise rooted in heritage yet open to change.

ABAD Overseas Pvt. Ltd., Nellore Factory

Andhra Pradesh

Legacy & Continuity

For five generations, a shared vision and enduring values have guided the ABAD group. Every successive generation moved the business forward, introducing major innovations in seafood processing and packaging, modernizing shipping practices, and successfully expanding into processed and frozen foods. This growth was matched by an effort to strengthen quality and sustainability standards across all operations.

Beyond fisheries, the group wisely diversified into hospitality, construction, and interior design, establishing a robust presence across Kerala's business landscape. While this diversification has broadened ABAD's portfolio, the family remains deeply connected to its roots. They continue to be active within the Kutchi Memon community of over 700 families in Cochin and uphold their commitment to social responsibility through the ABAD Charitable Trust, which supports initiatives in education, housing, and healthcare for the economically disadvantaged.

Innovation & Industry Leadership

Under Usman Mohammed Hashim’s leadership, the business progressed from sun-dried prawns to canned shrimp, and then to further advancements in frozen seafoods that redefined its future. By the early 1960s, ABAD began scaling up these modern approaches, investing in infrastructure and technology that would soon reshape both its own operations and Kerala’s seafood industry at large.

The introduction of cold storage facilities to India in 1957 opened new possibilities for the sector. ABAD was quick to recognise the potential and soon made the decisive move into frozen seafood production - a shift that overcame the limitations of climate and seasonality, ensured year-round quality, and positioned Kerala’s coast firmly on the global seafood map.

This period marked a wave of firsts for the company. In 1989, ABAD imported India’s first freezer from FRIGOSCANDIA, Sweden, followed in 1995 by India’s first fully panelised air-conditioned seafood factory (CAP Seafoods) and the country’s first modern public cold store. Over the years, the company introduced cutting-edge systems such as cryogenic freezers, brine freezers, and advanced IQF fluidised freezing technology.

Strategic partnerships amplified this progress. Collaborations with the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) brought scientific quality standards, hygienic processing protocols, and export compliance norms that became benchmarks for the industry. Joint ventures with partners in Spain, Italy, Austria, the U.S., and Lebanon expanded market reach and infused global best practices into ABAD’s operations.

This commitment to progress was recognised through accolades such as the Government of India’s Export Excellence Award, affirming ABAD’s dual role as a volume leader and a standard-setter. By blending innovation with a deep understanding of the seafood trade, ABAD transformed itself from a coastal enterprise into a name synonymous with Indian seafood exports worldwide.

Origins & Foundations

In the wake of the 1819 earthquake followed by tremors in the 1840s and 1860s in the Kutch region, many Cutchi Memon families migrated in search of safety. Among them was Mohamed Kassam Allana, a young trader who set sail in search of safety and opportunity. His journey brought him to the thriving port town of Fort Cochin, a place that would become both refuge and foundation.

Drawing on his instinct for commerce, Allana began trading in sun-dried prawns, a local staple that found ready buyers. What began under a tiled roof with small sacks of dried shrimp soon evolved into a robust trade. In 1894, he formally launched a seafood export venture, that soon grew successful.

His sons, Ibrahim Mohammed Hashim and Usman Mohammed Hashim, joined him in the growing enterprise. In 1931, they established Ibrahim Mohammed Hashim & Bro., a firm dedicated to marine exports. As business expanded globally, the length of the company’s name became a barrier, particularly in telegrams. It was then shortened to a single word that captured their aspirations: ABAD, meaning “prosperity.”

It was with this moment that the formalisation of the company and the adoption of the name "ABAD Group" as we know it today began to take shape.

From those early years, the family’s legacy was built on the values of integrity, discipline, and long-term vision. Their foundational efforts didn’t just shape a business, they helped lay the groundwork for what would become one of Kerala’s most significant contributions to the global seafood economy.