Beat the heat with a juicy treat

Falafal is the freshest concept in the restaurant business today. Beginning as a very small outlet, the group has expanded its services to IIM-Ahmedabad, seeking a great response and invite from the institute. And, with a target to achieve over 50 stores in 3 years, the juice brand is betting big on the highly ripe food business market.

Share your entrepreneurial journey and what led to the birth of your brand?

It was a thought that struck my mind in the office where I used to work before starting my own venture. Then I shared this thought with my parents who used to live in Mumbai at that time. So, then I started working on the strategy part and other things which eventually led to the birth of FALAFAL.

How many stores are there within your brand today and what is the average store size?                       

As of now we have 2 stores under the brand name of falafal. The average store size is of 700 sq. ft.

What are the challenges with growing your (franchise) business-i.e. maintaining standard, brand integrity, customer experience etc. and how have you addressed these challenges?                                                                                                                                 

Yes, there are a lot of challenges when you are expanding, but I have strong and experienced team of people who work hard round the clock to maintain standard, customer satisfaction and all. Above all, we also have very strong IT support, that minimizes our problems and help in maintaining the standards.

As you are serving the freshest concept, how is the response so far?                            

So far we have got an overwhelming response. Within six month from the date of starting Falafal we got an offer for IIM Ahmedabad to open up an outlet at their campus. And now also from a small shop of 250 sq. ft. we have almost 1500 sq. ft. of space for the cafe at Drive in (our mother outlet).

What are the extended menu other than juice and shake?                                                     

Apart from juice & milk shake we have fast serving items like sandwich and wraps. We also have antipasti pizza, pastas and dessert as well.

What is the average duration a customer spends at you cafe and the average price break up?                                                                                                                                                                      

More than 50% of business works on take always. But apart from that, a dine-in customer spends around 45-60 min at the cafe. The average ticket size is Rs. 200-250/-.

Do you have growth targets for next few years and any strategy for how you intend to achieve this?                                                                                                         

Yes, of course. We are now looking to come up with 50 stores in 3 years across the western region via franchising.

How are you building on quality at a time when your model is based not on food but time?                                                                                                                                                     

It starts from the procurement itself.  We buy the best brands and best quality fruits available and we have dedicated vendor for that. So, it helps us in maintaining the quality.

Where would you like to see your Brand in the next 5 years?                                                 

In next 5-7 years our target is to cover up major cities of India and is expecting around 200 stores in next 7 years. I see FALAFAL in the top brand of the nation.