200 Years
Legacy
A Legacy Spanning 200 Years
1820
The Beginning
Our journey began in South Asia when Haji Mohammad Hashem (1789–1850) moved from Isfahan to Bombay and established a trading business that laid the foundations for what was to come.
1830
Entering the
Tea Trade
Haji Mohammad Hashem became the only Muslim member on the Calcutta committee of the Assam Tea Company— an early entry into the global tea trade, with operations expanding through Calcutta.
1860–1880
A Broader Footprint
Mirza Mehdy (1841–1913), Hashem’s grandson, moved the business headquarters to Madras. He also spent 12 years in Cairo, trading Indian produce including leather, tea, turmeric, tamarind, and peanuts.
1880–1900
Expanding into New Cities
In 1880, a branch was established on Ezra Street in Calcutta. Subsequently, in 1890, another office was opened in Dhaka where Ispahani remains active to this day. In 1900, Mirza Mohammad Ispahani (1871–1925), son of Mirza Mehdy, formally founded the partnership M.M. Ispahani & Sons. That same year, the business expanded internationally with a London branch near Oxford Street.
1918
Transition and Continuity
Mirza Ahmed Ispahani joined the firm and formally took over as head of the company in 1925, continuing the family’s commercial legacy into the next chapter.
1934
Incorporation and Growth
Mirza Ahmed Ispahani, along with his brothers Abul Hassan and Mirza Mahmood, formally incorporated M.M. Ispahani Limited as a private limited company, headquartered in Calcutta.
1940
Leading in Jute
M.M. Ispahani Limited became one of the largest exporters of raw jute in India. The group also established Victory Jute Products, which was later relocated to Chittagong.
