We Are The Best Party Hotspot in Bengaluru: Shankar Srinivas

From being a chef for the most prestigious ocean liner company Cunard and helming the largest kitchen at sea, he has made his dream and life have the best of the best. Travelling to the most exotic places, working with 37 nationalities and cooking for Queen Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela, Rod Stewart has made me open my mind and think out of the box.

“I have kind of developed a style of my own cooking where produce is king. Global influences, local ingredients and modern techniques are the trinity of my cuisines”, said Celebrity Chef & Author, Vicky Ratnani.

In conversation with Restaurant India, Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani, shares about his travel escapades and what’s the next big thing in this to do list.

From a renowned Chef to a renowned author, how has been your journey so far?

The journey has been amazing. I think we have just started to take the big steps. The thing about F&B is that, either you have the passion for it, or you must be crazy. This industry is all about passion, focus and dedication. The industry has gone leaps and bounds where people have the choice to visit a 5 Star Restaurant, a casual dining space or a Multi Cuisine family restaurant. There is so much happening in the industry and you have to keep up with the peace to survive. I don’t call people competitors but contributors, because at the end of the day, we are in the making the people happy business.

What are the current projects in your bag?

I work as the Culinary Director for GIPL. The company owns Pizza Express in India; we are bringing down Ministry of Crab from Sri Lanka, also partnering with a health food startup called the Hello Green. Health is the New Trend. I also consult on the menus from Insignia lounges in INOX cinemas.

What are the chocolate trends to look out for in the coming future?

Everything is becoming artisanal, handmade, and organic with every brand adopting the ‘Farm to Table’ concept. At the end of the day, you are what you eat. So, the game of the chocolate is going up in the country. I think Chocolate is only going to get darker.

You were the pioneer in bringing international ingredients to India. What were the challenges then and how did you still manage to rule with this concept?

About 6 years ago, when I started, people used to keep telling me not to use such foreign ingredients in my dish. I knew, one day, the market is going to be flooded with a variety of international & gourmet cuisines. So, I have given people the recipes 6 years ago which can be cooked even now.

Today, there are already many international brands and foreign cuisines here, but I think we’ll see a lot more. People are willing to spend more money on good food and organic products.

What’s new for Vicky Ratnani in 2019?

Travelling has always been my passion is travel. I have a property called, Vicky- The Gastronaut. Right in the early 2020’s, it’s going to be R&D for me where I am trying to envision the kind of food that I am going to cook for the next 10 years.

I think that farm-to-table will increase too. There are a number of farms and agri-businesses that are working on the logistics to improve the supply chain between farm and restaurant. As consumer knowledge increases, a lot more people are opting for more organic products.

When so much travel & food is involved, what sort of palate is your favourite in India?

When you cook fancy, you eat simple. I have had all kinds of cuisine but my love for Sindhi curry is irreplaceable. South Indian & Coastal foods are also my favourites.

What do you think about the Future of Chocolate Business in India?

Culturally and Culinary makes us one of the advanced races in the world. In every ingredient, we are upping the game and chocolate is definitely one of them. Artisanal chocolates are going to come across really well in the future.

How has Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba transformed from a ‘truck driver eating joint’ to a Dhaba for all?

It was way back in 90s when we both brothers, Sukhdev Singh and I took over the charge of the Dhaba and invested in it to make it a place for travellers. Started with simple Indian traditional fare of dal roti, sabzi, and chawal served on charpais, the eatery has now added North Indian and South Indian dishes to satisfy a growing customer base.

We gave it a modern look by shifting it to a new building in 2000. After that we started getting the high-end customers who were on their way to Punjab and Himachal. And today, we have approximately 8,000-10,000 customers visiting us daily and the number goes up to 12,000-13,000 during weekends.

What is your current revenue and what is the number that you are targeting in the next few years?

Ever since we started, we have been growing by 3-4 per cent monthly. We have never looked back since its inception. At present, we have a revenue of Rs 3-4 crore monthly.

What does the menu comprise currently? What is the price range?

We have North Indian, South Indian, Chinese, Continental in the fare of street foods in our menu. And we have kept the middle class customers in mind while designing it. We have introduced Paratha in our menu with lots of butter at only Rs 50 with complementary salad, pickles and raita.

Who do you see as your competitor in the market?

We have always believed in our own work- giving the best to the customer. We believe in growing by serving quality best food, with hygiene and authenticity. However, we keep on tasting foods at brands like Haldiram and Bikanervala to see what changes they are introducing in their menu.

What is the seating capacity at your restaurant? Who are your regular customers?

We have a seating capacity of approximately 500-600 customers. NRIs, travellers on highways and locals from Delhi-NCR and Punjab are regular visitors for lunch and dinner at our place.

How have you maintained the authenticity of your food since 1956 till today?

We never compromise on quality of food. Sukhdev and I sit here in the dhaba to look after every single operation of the place. We check the food prepared by ourselves; we never rely on chefs or cooks. Even my son, Suraj Singh, who is an M Sc. from Aston University, UK, has joined us and is assisting us in taking the business forward.

As you are known for serving food in Murthal, what is your expansion plan to take this business forward?

We have started the discussion internally among ourselves. We are looking after factors such as location, pricing, menu and the target group and once we will get all these, we may enter other markets.

What is the number of staff at your Dhaba?

Today, we have approximately 300 workers which was only a few members way back in 1956.

From a coding software professional to selling paani puri, Kulkarni talks about how the idea of selling India’s one of the favourite street foods came into his mind and reveals about taking his business to abroad.

Taking the plunge

I knew from the beginning that 9-5 job is not my cup of tea; I can’t be a part of the system. I was working with Infosys Group but I always wanted to be my own boss. That’s why I left the organisation and started Chatar Patar in 2011.

While working with Infosys, I often used to have road side paani puri and one such day after having it, I got unwell with food poisoning and after that I did not have it for almost 3-4 months. And that’s the moment I realised that there must be many people who are also going through the same experience and I planned of doing something on the hygiene issue.  I did a online survey by circulating the online form through ‘Orkut’ and found that Paani puri is the largest selling product but there is no brand selling the product under any brand name. And then the idea provoked me and we dug deeper. Today, we are the owner of the world’s first paani puri brand ‘Gapagap’ offering 112 flavors.

Making of a healthy paani puri

Paani puri is being largely perceived as unhealthy and unhygienic but after Gapagap, Indians can have the healthiest version of paani puri. The water that we use is purified and the contents are without saccerine, tatri , citric acid or other harmful chemicals.

Menu designing

We standardise our recipes for all the 112 flavours that we serve across India. We pack everything in Indore and then it goes to different stores across country serving the same taste at different cities.

When we were in the menu designing stage, we were sure to keep everything for each family member, for example, everybody in the family can’t have pizza or burger, but anybody can have chaat and paani puri. We wanted to create a family hangout place. We have different types of bhels, chaats, drinks etc. Around 80 percent of our menu is unique and most of the dishes have been created by us.

Franchising the business

We have started franchising in July ’12.  Our product deserves a bigger market than a single store or single city operations. Franchise route is the fastest way to reach to the people which deserve better paani puri (Gapagap). We are looking for passionate partners to join hands with the fastest growing network of paani puri brand. Till today we have got almost 150 odd enquiries till date. We will be opening 32 stores by the end of June 2014. Our target is to go global. In fact we have received couple of enquires from UK and Australia as well. But we want to have a strong foot hold in India before we cater to the world. 

What was the inspiration behind launching Oh! Bao?

My father is the force behind my entrepreneur journey. He is a self-made man and has always kept a high level of commitment for his work. Gratefully, I imbibed these qualities from him. After my education when I entered the family business, I wanted to change the public perception of MOETS to a more evolving brand. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with something new.

Coming from the house of Moets. What is the culinary expertise that you have brought here?

MOETS has been into the restaurant business and the catering business since 1965. I learned all the organizational processes and management during my time there. With the launch of Oh! Bao. I am working towards strategically micro managing every aspect to redefine the experience at Oh! Bao and Moets.

How many stores are there within your Brand today (Both in Moets and Oh! Bao) and what is the average store size?

There are 10 restaurants operating under the brand name of Moets - Curry Leaf, Arabica, Oh! Bao, Cocopalm, Shack and Stone to name a few. According to me the success of a restaurant is not totally driven by size, the keyword according to me is 'location' along with the experience you provide.

Please give a Break –up city wise if you are present across various cities/countries? How many of these are franchise outlets. if any?

Moets is operating its 10 outlets across Delhi/NCR. All restaurants are self-owned. Some franchise offers are standing in metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad etc but we are yet to take that plunge.

What challenges you see growing your business in the city?

Hospitality is one such business where just following rules, regulation and the procedure bible is not enough. It's all about the personal touch and going that extra mile to retain a customer. Staff motivational programs are a must. There is certain customer relations management software that help you connect with your clients on a more personal front.

As you are operating under Pan Asian format. How are you trying to bring the locals of the Asian flavors at your restaurants?

Oh! Bao intends to bring the local flavors of the orient to its clients. Travelling to and trying the local specialties of Hongkong and Japan were very inspiring and of great help to put this together. Oh! Bao serves a range of delicious dimsums, designer sushis and the delectable Baos!

How do you connect with your customers’?

Before opening of Oh! Bao for the public, we divulged in a series of food-tastings followed by chef-trainings (which is an on-going process). This is to ensure that we bring the best of the Pan Asian cuisine to our loyal clientele.

From where did you source the ingredients for your products?

Raw material sourcing is of great consequence to the taste of the food. For Example the dough of the dim sums makes all the difference. Much of the sauces we use are either homemade or sourced directly from Japanese vendors.

What is your expansion plan growing your brand further?

As for Oh! Bao we are working towards being present in the 5 metropolitan cities of India, along with maintaining exclusivity with no more than one to two outlets per city. We will choose locations wisely.

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

In the next 5 years I would like to see Oh! Bao as a niche brand having its share of loyal customers who enjoy and appreciate the experience. We wish to enhance their experience with us and take it to the next level.

What made you come up with QSR when you already had a successful FMCG business?

Our business is now stable all around the country and overall we saw that global trends are hitting the market. We felt that we have lots of good products and we wanted people to experience in terms of health brand because these are very versatile health food. The other thing we saw was that there was dearth of healthy food offerings especially when you are in office or on the move. The combination of two thoughts made us think that we should do something in the health food space especially extended forward into a QSR vertical where we could offer healthy, convenient and high quality food which is good for people on the move and which they can have on regular basis. QSR food shouldn’t be something which is only known to be unhealthy but healthy.

What’s driving the healthy food trend in India?

Consumers are becoming more aware of the need to eat healthy also earlier they wanted to it but the challenge was it wasn’t available. But now the products are already in India, the awareness is there, lifestyle is changing, and is more enforced to what is happening in the world. They like food to taste good and if it is made healthier they would have it on everyday basis. India has been a very young population and the global exposure of health and wellness is also very good now. Health as a trend globally is on rise. It is one of few trend which is increasing and India being an emerging economy it is growing even faster and that’s what the sort of pace we want to ride in.

What are the locations you are trying to place your brand?

We are trying to take our QSR in very prominent retail spaces which is well visible to the consumer. We are participating in lots of events including The Grub Fest, Amazon India fashion week and are trying to reach out to the local customers. We are doing lots of sampling to our products to give more experience.

From where did you get your products?

We are sourcing the whole products locally, yet we control the formulation and we have our own chef and quality team. We are working with lots of suppliers depending on the location of outlets.

Who are your target customers?

Our target is the urban consumer who is looking for healthy and convenient food. We have got healthy experience and products which they can have regularly.

What is the expansion plan?

We are planning to open 5-6 outlets in next three months and we have already identified some locations for it. We are looking at Delhi-NCR initially. The plan is to go national over the next few years. But we are looking at prominent locations in offices in malls and hospitals to give them healthy food.

How has been the response so far?

We are getting great response. People are very happy with our product offerings. We have already seen loyalty coming in by seeing same consumer again and again and the brand attachment they have made with Bagrry’s. We are one of the few brands who are very conscious about health and wellness.

What is the price range of your products?

Pricing is equivalent to any QSR in the industry. We use lots of international products and our products are superior in terms of others.  We are at par with the largest QSR brand in the country. 

How is the designing done?

We have designed the outlet in very warm way giving it a very wooden sort of look and feel. It is interactive and has got lots of look and feel factors in it. There is a place for sampling, the customer can see each and product, use it and then purchase it. The size is 100 sqft. So that we can go higher on numbers of outlets.  

Tell us about the concept of The Bento Cafe?

The Bento Cafe is about the boxes from the orient. The whole concept is to customise the boxes by letting customers follow the steps of making their own boxes. We have concepts named as Bento 5 and Bento 3 wherein five is the five step meal and three is the three step meal. The steps that we are talking about here is essentially has key role, the base which is the rice or noodle, salad at step 3, bite at step 4 which is a starter and a drink in step 5.  We are also trying to do street foods from orient whether it is a Singapore Puff or a Japanese yakitori. We want to promote the most popular street food around the orient.

What made you join Ashish Kapur as a Co-founder?

I started my journey as a brand manager with an FMCG company then I moved to foodpanda as Business Head India for strategic alliances and offline marketing. There I came to meet very passionate Ashish Kapur and Joydeep singh, who are owner and promoter of Dimsum Bros and The Wine Company. It was then; they asked me to join them as co-founder of their new venture- The Bento Cafe.

What is your expansion plan?

The response has been really good in Mall of India. We are planning to open one more as people love food and the concept. We are also planning to simplify things and bring more experiences to the customers’. We want to open at least 10 outlets over next couple of years in Delhi-NCR. And, based on the current reactions we are looking for prime locations in the city.

It’s believed that Mall of India is one of the highly paid malls in India. How are you doing the business?

If the rentals are up you probably need to do more businesses. Essentially, see how much sales you are doing per square feet.  I think we are very lucky in that sense.

Yo! China is also running on the same concept. How similar it is to them?

The Bento Cafe has entirely different concept than that of Yo! China. Of course, being a Pan Asian restaurant there are few overlaps, the noodles are same. But, we have a lot more variety including pad thai, spicy thai, Singapore noodles etc.  We are doing cuisines from 8 countries and we are trying to highlight top dishes from each of these countries.

For us it is also about authentic, quick and fresh cooking that takes 10 minutes to serve.

How many orders you are doing in a day?

We are doing 200-300 boxes per day. Bento box starts at Rs 275 and the offer of the day at Rs 175 whereas the noodle boxes are priced at RS 75.

Over the years, beer cafes are not only promoting the drinking culture, but have also come up with creative areas. From just a normal café, these places re providing extra space to working professionals to come and work with their cafes. And, The Beer café is not lagging behind when it comes to go in hand with the ongoing trend.

How is the business cafe different from a normal cafe?

Business Cafes are those which aim to provide a conducive work environment to entrepreneurs and professionals with an ambiance of a casual Cafe. At The Beer Café too we encourage creativity and support the startup revolution that is growing in the country. We do provide complimentary WiFi to all customers and are going a step further with an association with Q desq- a startuphelping workspace seekers discover affordable and serviced workspaces as per their terms and preferences

Also, our upcoming outlet in Bangalore will have a separate co-working and conference space called Biggies @ Work. The whole landscape is changing. With commercial rentals hitting the roof, for many creative professionals and startups, cafes become the idyllic meeting and work space where they can build on business plans and unwind with a pint or two. People are also opting in to work from cafes as it saves them precious commute time.The Beer Café aims to reduce these obstacles and provide a supportive system for young professionals and entrepreneurs at economical prices.

What are some of the unique services The Beer Cafe providing for entrepreneurs?

The Beer Café is offering a day pass at Rs 599 per day that includes a designated space for working, complimentary WiFi (upto 1gb), 2 hot beverages and a voucher of Rs 300/- that can be redeemed on anything in the menu. The guests must inform the outlet and reserve space in advance.

Who is your target customer?

Our target audiences are young start ups, businessmen and professionals who find operating from The Beer Café’s nearest outlet easier than renting out their own space or working from a Home-office.

What is the revenue generated out of this?

We have just started this feature a week back and are still gauging the response. So far, it has been very encouraging however it is too early to comment on the revenues generated.

Please share your entrepreneurial journey and what led to the inception of your brand?

It has been 15 years, since I opened lanterns and has indeed been a long journey. I do remember that time of transformation from a foodie into a passionate chef. But after lanterns, there was no looking back for me. Lanterns was named by our consultant. The restaurant started when I was 18 year old.

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

Presently, we have two stores and 2500 carpet area is minimum requirement.

What are the challenges in growing your business– maintaining standards, brand integrity, customer experience etc and how have you met these challenges?

Well, the most important thing for any restaurant these days would be their HR; staff holds a key for a successful restaurant. We have also used technology to a certain level, where we can monitor customer experience and try to use it to improve our services. For instance, one such is waiter call button- Gone are those days when you needed to call or raise your hand for your needs.

Can you tell us more about your business operations from the standpoint of loyalty Program, technology (Hardware & software), raw material sourcing and talent recruitment & training?

We have a loyalty program in place for last four years. I think customer engagement is the most important thing, if you cannot connect with consumers, you cannot generate increased footfall. We have our apps, website with online ordering and reservations, also tablets for waiters to take orders, free wi-fi for customers, waiter call button on every table and many more such things for building a strong CRM.

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

Every year, we see a growth of minimum 15 per cent excluding the price increase in menu. According to me, give your customer value for money and you would never look back.

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

I hope to open few more outlets, but with a better management system in place.

What is your expansion plans?

In spite of rentals in Delhi being pretty high and survivability becoming  little difficult for restaurants,  we are still looking at a lot of projects with a controlled cost structure and to open small outlets rather than opening giant size restaurants.

Moving to Goa in 2012 and being a true foodie made Shefali Singh decide to open KOI ASIAN DINING.  KOI is a fish that brings peace and prosperity for people who believe in Feng Shui, and that’s exactly what we need in the world today; Peace!  Being an Asian Restaurant the name just fit aptly.

Incorporating the best design

The design element incorporated is modern but with a lot of Asian influences to the space.  The buddhas, gold coloured walls, cane furniture and artwork really give the Asian feel to it.  KOI has a dining area of 120 people at a given time.

Dealing with challenges

Challenges are faced by every establishment; we at KOI face them well.  Overcoming them is not impossible for us and we would like to believe we do a good job with that.  We personally conduct staff briefings and trainings very frequently.  Brand integrity is something we truly believe in and make sure our team live the brand and are proud of it.  Consistency in our food, service and hygiene standards is what helps us maintain our standards to give optimum dining experience and customer satisfaction.

High on loyalty

Goa being a seasonal tourist destination makes it difficult to have a loyalty programme, however we surely believe in giving the best to our clients with the sourcing of fresh ingredients and preparing food without any compromise, we also do not use any added synthetic flavours, food colouring or MSG.  Our staffs are a team of highly trained professionals in their own right.

Expansion plans

We do have growth strategies in place and are working with professionals from different fields to make sure the tourists who come to Goa from all over get to know about KOI. We at KOI would like to see our brand expanding and have branches all over India, serving the same quality that we are known for.  

After coming back from the US in 2004, Aziz Lalani opened a venture called Flag's Restaurant.  Seeing success of the Restaurant & Bar, he decided to open more outlets in Pune & Mumbai.  Having a passion in hospitality Lalani realised he wanted to get into the Hotels, and that’s when he started scouting locations.  Goa, being a growing tourist destination and in proximity to Mumbai, seemed perfect option.  Thinking along the lines of serenity, peace of mind and the beauty of the state, he came up with Azzure, which means exactly that.

Playing with design

The design element of Azzure is all white and blue; giving customers’ peacefulness that colour white brings on the table, along with blue that signifies serenity.  Azzure is a 49 Room boutique leisure hotel, giving it a cozy yet comfortable aura around the property.

Overcoming challenges

Challenges in the hospitality industry are mainly dominated by customer satisfaction; and that is what we focus on primarily.  Seeing a smile on a guests face at the time they check-in and check-out is the biggest award we can obtain.  To achieve this, team works extremely hard and round the clock, keeping in mind all the training, standard operating procedures (SOP's) and brand values we inculcate in them.

Smooth business operations

Azzure has tied up with a young and energetic management company, Spree Hotels. They come on the table with a full team of professionals who are savvy in their own departments, hence making sure of smooth operations with highest quality of systems in place.

Serving fresh

Goa's economy works primarily on tourism, and yes, we get all kinds of tourists, hence there is enough number of rooms in Goa for all categories.  The response for Azzure has been overwhelming, and we cater to a majority of repeated guests who plan their future visits with us even before the current one ends.

Growing exponentially

Growth is a natural phenomenon any business will want to achieve, and yes, we at Azzure strive to do exactly that as well.  Today, the virtual space is something that everyone is looking towards and we are no different.  We do have a few strategies up our sleeves to concur the maximum benefits from the Internet.

The dream is to expand Azzure in all tier II and III cities as that’s where the real traveller is now moving towards, and away from the daily hustle bustle of their daily lives.

Paperboat is a pioneer in ethic drink in Indian market. Investing a total amount of around $45 million till date, it is looking at expanding manufacturing capacity to 5x, which was 3x last year. Paperboat is also targeting 5000 outlets in next 2 months as it continues to grow with Subway as major restaurant partner. 

Sailing the boat

It’s been very exciting.  Today, Indian people have opened up so much. When we were starting, there were all sorts of doubt.  But, since we have launched the brand, it has never stopped growing. Every single moment of this journey has been better than the previous one. It has always delivered more for what we have desired and I think we are continuously growing in right direction.

Challenges faced

There are two major challenges in food business. One is the backend challenge or the supply chain challenge because fruits are not done on commercial scale. We are working closely with farmers so that the right crop grows at the right time. The other challenge is distribution challenge, which is actually a challenge for any of the start-up because there are larger companies in this area.

Distribution Networks

There are six major cities that we cover namely Mumbai, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.  We have our own sales men going into the market and selling products. Then, for rest of the country we have tied up with the German major Nissin foods as the distribution partner.

Retail presence

For us, major channel remains the Mom & Pop store. General trade is the major contributor at 50 per cent, followed by Modern Trade and other retail formats at 45 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

On innovation

It’s a way of looking. We look at the business from a technology point of view, experimenting and finding right product.  We are into a business which is sustainable and long term. We want to grow in India as well as internationally in markets like Dubai and Singapore which is close to India.

Healthy food business

Healthy food is a global trend. India is not new to follow this trend. Though it is very early stage for India, but it will grow. Globally, India is the most happening market today. . The market is not fully penetrated, but its growing. We were the only players almost 6 months back. The un-organised sector was always big, but the growth is shifting to hygienic from unhygienic.   

Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey and what led to the inception of Royal China?

After finishing my under Grad from University of Warwick, I tried coming back to my family business, which is in automobile line. Within no time, I realized this wasn't my passion and left to do my masters from Les Roche in Switzerland in Hotel Management. That's when; I decided I had to open a restaurant and what better than my favourite one.

How does the expansion look like at Royal China today?

In India, Royal China has opened 2 outlets in Bombay, one in Delhi and one in Pune so far.

As you are also present in the global market. What was the major challenge in opening the store?

As a brand, Royal China is present in the global market, but I only run the Delhi outlet.

Tell us about your franchisee operations in global market.

Not handled by us.

What are the challenges with growing your business – i.e. maintaining standards, brand integrity, customer experience etc. and how have you met these challenges?

The biggest challenge that we face is that most of the ingredients we use is not available in India. And day by day import rules on food are becoming stricter.

Another challenge we face is educating people about authentic Chinese food.  There are still so many people who feel that Manchurian is a real Chinese dish and that just breaks my heart.

Can you tell us more about your business operations from the standpoint of Loyalty Program, technology (Hardware & software), raw material sourcing and talent recruitment & training?

We have a loyalty card for our VIP guests, which entitle them to discounts and VIP festivals where they can eat as much as they like from the menu at throw away prices. The loyalty card also enables customers to get free cakes on their birthdays, VIP kitty menu rates, free home delivery, and coupons for free wine, Dimsums and desserts along with loads of other benefits.

As you are serving Chinese food which is the second most loved cuisine in India? How is the response so far and where do you sit in terms of revenue?

The response has been amazing. However, since we serve authentic Chinese and not Indianised Chinese, it did take some time for all customers to accept us.

What is the average duration spent by the customers’ at your cafe and the average price break up?

Average duration is 2 hours and price is 1000-1500 per head (plus taxes)

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

Would love to see another one in Delhi and hopefully one in Gurgaon.

What are the qualities of beer that you serve at Mahou?

Mahou San Miguel, a 100 per cent family-owned Spanish company and a leader in Spanish beer industry, has 125 years of brewing experience, beginning with the birth of Mahou in 1890. The key differentiator of our products is the unique yeast, a closely guarded secret that gives the beer its unique personality. While we have worked on a formula to satisfy the Indian palate, which usually demands beer which is less bitter, we continue to use this secret ingredient in our products. Currently, we have the following products exclusively being brewed in our own brewery in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan.

Mahou 5 Star

Mahou 5 Star has been created to satisfy the most discerning palates! With a bright golden yellow appearance, Mahou is marked by notes of toasted barley.  Its great balance of taste makes it an authentic 5 star experience for our consumers. Mahou is known for its way of serving – the famous “caña” from Madrid and the thick cream that envelops the glass when poured with a perfect serve.

Dare Devil

Dare Devil is our wonderful Indian brand brewed with “Dare to Win” attitude. It is a superior fresh tasting strong beer, specially crafted for the Indian palate. With its premium packaging and an easy pull off cap, it’s produced to the highest standards of European brewing.

Mahou Clásica

Mahou Clásica is a premium lager that comes with a tinge of fruity flavours and bright golden colour. It maintains the original Spanish recipe, taste and quality given to its production since 1890. It has a crystalline aspect and a faint, elegant malt aroma. It is a scrumptious, refreshing drink with a well-integrated bitter finish and very light balsamic hints, brewed for those who believe in the classic taste of a smooth, easy to drink beer.

India is not an alcohol ready market. What is your view on the same?

The consumption of beer in India has now started becoming more socially acceptable and we see that people’s perspective about beer is changing in a positive direction, becoming part of social engagement with friends and family.  Beer market in India today is equivalent to 27 million hectolitres. Per capita consumption is approximately 2 litres (1.9 in 2014 and it will reach 2.2 in 2016 according to Euromonitor). It has grown at a rate of 13% over the last 5 years and it is expected to reach more than 37 million hectolitres in 2019, enjoying high single digit growth in the coming years.

You have 7 breweries in Spain. What is your plan of exporting to other countries?

Mahou San Miguel products are present in over 60 countries worldwide. The company produces more than 75 per cent of exported Spanish beer. As mentioned, Mahou San Miguel has eight brewing centers, seven in Spain and one in India and  two water springs all equipped with the latest technology that ensures excellent quality of all our products. We are the largest producer of beer in Spain and our market share is about 37%. Right now, our international business is about 13% of our sales, the objective is to make t 20% sale in the next 5 years and India forms an important part of that plan.

How do you compete with global brands in the segment?

Taking a leap beyond the Spanish industry, Mahou has brought its 125 years of brewing experience to India with the flagship beer, Mahou 5 Star to be the first ever Spanish beer to be brewed in India. While Mahou is synonymous with the Spanish culture of enjoying good food and beer, we want to create that culture for our Indian consumers. We have recently started Mahou Cañas & Tapas Nights that were aimed to bring the Spanish flavor to the Indian consumers through Flamenco, Spanish guitar and music and so on. We believe the Spanish culture is making inroads in India, the'Cañas & tapas' (Snacks and Beer) of Spain, will soon become a regular resort of Indian party enthusiasts.

Who is your target customer?

Our potential consumer profile is the brand conscious people of urban cities, who are open to experiment with new international brands and high quality products. They do not just drink beer, but they savor and enjoy it.  They want to enjoy superior quality experience and are ready to spend a few extra bucks for that. With a growing population of young adults who are increasingly more adoptive of premium brands in their focus towards a quality lifestyle, we feel we have a good brand portfolio to accommodate these premium consumers.

How are you placing in the Indian market as we see lots of players emerging?

Currently we are in the launch phase and are learning at each step of doing business. We share accumulated experiences across our teams, both within India and globally. We are in India for a long term, and we want to do it right. Indian consumers are increasingly adapting to new high quality brands. There is a growing acceptance of international beer brands which isn’t restricted to only tier one markets. The Indian market has the highest growth rate worldwide with a CAGR of 13% over the last 5 years and by the next 5 years, it will grow up to 45.14 crore cases. India is the first market for us outside Spain, where we have started producing beer locally through our fully owned subsidiary.

Who do you see as your competitor in the market? How is your strategy different from them?

We see as our competitors any other beer brand playing in the premium segment. Our beers are appreciated not only for their quality and taste, but also for the Spanish lifestyle, values and the serving rituals with which they are associated. As a Spanish company with 125 years of brewing history, we believe that no one can deliver authentic fun loving Spanish experiences to the Indian consumers like us.

Please share your entrepreneurial Journey and what led to the birth of your Brand?

I had joined the family business of manufacturing of automobile components at the age of 15. During my numerous visits to our customers across more than 50 countries in the world, I experienced a different culture and hospitality of our customers. The different facets of hospitality always encouraged me to expand our Hotel Division into the Food and Beverage Industry. At the age of 18, I opened Imperial Cafe, a rooftop restaurant in our Hotels Division. The Arabic Themed Lounge seemed to be the step in the right direction and I believed In having passion and love for anything I do. At the age of 21 after finishing my Bsc in Management Studies, the most notable achievement took place wherein we set up the food and beverage division of Balu Hospitality with the vision of being the fastest growing and leading F&B brand serving the highest quality of food and service. We decided to expand into various sectors in the Food and Beverage Industry from Sports Bars to Fast Casual Dining Restaurant to Cocktail Bars, etc.

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

We have a Mexican Asian QSR named Loco Chino which is present in 4 locations in the city. We have introduced the fast casual dining concept in this brand, wherein we look at serving the best quality food with the use of imported ingredients at economical prices. All of them are currently owned by Balu Hospitality. The company itself is expanding in more locations other than Mumbai..

We have a Cocktail bar launched known as Asado the Cocktail Street. This is India's first street style cocktail bar with the ambience set around 3d walls, false sky and spread over 2000 square feet. We are looking at expanding this brand into South Mumbai soon and thereafter other places will follow.

We also have a Sports Bar and Grill namely Zouk in Andheri. This is a sprawling 3000 square feet Sports Bar. The bar boasts of drinks and food carefully crafted with the use of Molecular Gastronomy. Our notable achievement has been that we were voted as one of the best places in the world to watch an Arsenal Game by an independent British Tabloid known as Bleachers Report. We have officially tied up with the official Supporters Club of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool of Mumbai. We have had the great Football players visit us during screenings including Robbie Fowler, Nicholas Anelka, etc.

Please give a Break –up city wise where you are present across various cities/countries? How many of these are franchise outlets, if any?

All our outlets are currently based out of Mumbai with plans to expand them in other metros, Tier 1 c and Tier-2 cities. As of now, all outlets are owned 100% by the company and none are franchise outlets.

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

As of now, all the operations are centralised and under the arm of Balu Hospitality. We have not yet franchised out. Maintaining the brand standards is a great challenge as expansion gets aggressive. We have put up all these outlets in one year.  We have always had a strong belief among all out employees that customer is king and we have supported empowerment of employees. Empowerment of employees in decision making helps in implementing the standard measures and Brand standards across all outlets. This helps in brand equity and brand integrity.

Can you tell us more about your Business operations from the standpoint of Loyalty Program, technology (Hardware & software), raw material sourcing and talent recruitment & training?

We have a centralised Operation Structure within our company. We are proud of our technologically advanced Central Kitchen which caters to the needs of all our outlets and at the same time maintaining the desired quality and standardisation of our products. All departments right from the Marketing to Training and Recruitment to Human Resources Department to Purchases and Store (Centralised Buying and Economies of Scale) sit in the corporate office chalking out programmes to optimise the present resources to maximise the benefit. Special analysis and audits are carried out to ensure smoothness and success of operations. We are just about to launch our own innovative Loyalty Programme, which will help customers to use and redeem within the whole umbrella of Balu Hospitality.

Do you have growth targets for the next few years and can you reveal any strategy for how you intend to achieve this? Where would you like to see your Brand in the next 5 years?

The vision of Balu Hospitality is to be the fastest growing & leading Food & Beverage company providing its patrons highest quality of food & service, keeping in mind the long term viability & profitability of the organisation.  We believe that value and innovation are key drivers to derive a competitive advantage in the industry. Seizing opportunities, creating value will facilitate growth  lead to customer satisfaction. The consumer is the king and the ideals of serving the highest quality of food without any compromise will lead to customer satisfaction and brand equity. We believe in scaling our models aggressively. With Loco Chino, our fast casual dining concept, we have successfully set up 4 in the first year owned by the company. We are looking at more locations in the city , expanding to other cities including Delhi and Bangalore and then expanding to Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities.  Our cocktail bar concept is getting great tractions and will be soon upcoming in more locations. Our immediate growth target is to have 50 Loco Chinos by 2017 and Balu Hospitality to have more than 100 outlets accross brands in the next 5 years. This is a stepping stone to the food and beverage industry and we have miles to go to become the leaders.

With a unique conscious capitalist approach for nourishing pure living for consumers and farmers, Milk Mantra, a dairy firm based in Orissa creates innovative dairy products that consumers ‘love’. It has World’s two most innovative brands- Milky Moo and Moo Shakes that are created out of the need to give customers’ more healthy products.

Tell us about your brand presence and its value chain?

Milk Mantra is the umbrella company and we have two brands; a fresh milk brand called the Milky Moo, which is majorly present in Eastern Indian states like Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand. We have done significant innovation in terms of product quality, product integrity through the value chain and especially on packaging innovation focusing on the convenience of the consumers. The other brand is Moo shake brand, which is a functional health milkshake with cur cumin which is an active ingredient of turmeric. It is a product we have developed and launched in Bengaluru. .

What is so innovative about your products?

Moo shake is world’s first milkshake with cur cumin and that’s the innovation in itself. It is very healthy and is not just beneficial for kids but also adults.

What was the inspiration behind starting these innovations?

When we were starting Milk Mantra, we realised that Milk boils due to two reasons, the temperature and the light exposure. And, no one till now has done any innovation in the fresh dairy segment and milk was being sold in pouches for 30 years in India. We made a significant innovation to see how we can develop a new kind of pouch, which will prevent themilk from damaging due to light exposure. We have developed a film called tri packed film and the film has a black inner layer which prevents light exposure. We made this kind of packaging available for the first time and with this the shelf life of milk has doubled. And, the consumer did not need to boil it again.

How much effort and money have you put in this innovation?

We believe in Google innovation, and not in investing money, rather re-engineered thing to come up with the best.

What is the response of your customer towards your product as this is first of its kind product?

For Milky Moo brand over the last four years we have grown at about 100 per cent year on year and we are the fastest growing fresh dairy brand in the country.  I can say the consumer response is tremendously positive. And for Moo shake brand, the response that we are getting in Bengaluru is pretty good and from next month’s onwards we are going to expand this in big cities and also into new markets.

How about national presence?

Fresh dairy is extremely regional in large country like India; even Amul is not a national brand. We are widely present in Orissa, Kolkata, Jharkhand and are about to launch in Chhattisgarh.

How are you bridging the gap of a traditional dairy player to that of an innovative dairy player?

We are not bridging the gap; we are creating next generation of innovative dairy product. We are pioneers in the innovative dairy segment. We are first to do this kind of innovation and a milk that consumer can have the confidence to take straight from the dairy. And, our Moo shake is also a next level for milkshake with lots of health benefits. So, if you want to have 3-4 Moo Shakes a week, your immunity will see lots of improvement.

Do you see any competition in the market?

Yes, of course we have competitions from other brands.,There  are  brand and products which are  in the same name space. But our products are a bit different, for example- The Moo Shake is entirely a new category we are trying to build.

How about having a global tie-up?

Our fresh dairy has milk, paneer, pro-biotic dahi which is also very unique product and only few brands in India have it. We don’t need a global tie-up because our product development category is very strong internally.

Are you confident of taking your reach to other regions?

We used to wonder before launching whether the consumer will love our products or not. But with this new kind of packaging we can launch this product in a developed market like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi and even in Orissa, consumers have spent on it and they can sense the value in addition while paying for it. It is very important for us because innovation which is focused on tangible consumer benefits can really work. And consumers will really accept them well because today they are smart.

What about the distribution network?

We have a pretty wide and deep distribution network with 130 distribution and we are present in Eastern India in about 6000 outlets including kirana shops, convenient stores and supermarkets.

How have you grown as a brand in terms of revenue?

We are a four years old brand, in the first year we closed at Rs 18 crore, hitting the market the following year with Rs 45 crore revenue. In 2014 we were at Rs 73 crore and are targeting around Rs 120-130 crore revenue this fiscal, followed by Rs 250 by doubling the targets and expansions.

Aureole is a cosy boutique space in Andheri East, which serves s busy travellers with comfort and 'almost home' experience. Operated and managed by Dharmesh Karmokar from United Facets Hospitality that has crested and built brands like Nom Nom, Silver Beach Cafe and various other restaurant and hotel projects, Aureole has giving foodies a new delight to celebrate at their restaurant ‘Lume’..

How difficult or easy it was for you to run a restaurant under a boutique hotel?

Ours is a Concept Business Hotel, and we like to treat our restaurant as an independent identity. If we do not do that, the restaurant will be lost in the nuances of running the hotel. Therefore, our restaurant works independently. It can get difficult to run the restaurant in a hotel if you treat it as an outlet only.. Therefore, for us it is a level playing field, and we face the same challenges that a standalone restaurant has.

How is the response so far? How much does it contribute in the overall business?

Initially it was unknown, but then we decided to advertise on Zomato and be ensured we did not mention Aureole Hotel, but focused on our restaurant’ Lume’ . The response is now picking up. And it definitely contributes to a large extent; we internally also ensure that the complimentary breakfast is revenue to the restaurant from the rooms division.

Tell us about your journey in the hospitality business?

A pass out from IHMCTAN (Dadar Catering College) 1992 batch, I saw my life looking after guests and made 'wine and dine' my business. I guess it was the pursuit for perfection which every successful hospitality professional exuberates attracted me to this industry.

What according to you will be the trend that will drive the industry in 2016?

One word answer-  Innovation. With the advent to the plethora of access to information, the coming years will be all about innovation as India has just begun to climb the first ladder towards becoming a developed nation. Smart work, customer service etc should be focused, innovate and you will be rewarded. And in the process create Brands for India.

I believe operating a restaurant is one of the toughest jobs when it comes to handling a business. What are the three important lessons you would like to share with young entrepreneurs?

If you have decided to be hospitality professional, you must be passionate, because without this quality you cannot be in this industry. If you are passionate then you are an emotional person, therefore

-Ensure you keep your decision making process without emotions, never take a decision in haste, and take your time

-Keep meeting people and keep visiting restaurants, it’s very important to know your market which is ever so changing.

-learn to handle people, this is a people’s business, your team is not a cost it is your asset. Hospitality Industry should change to Human Resource Asset from Human Resource Expense

Fine dining catches a very small part of the crowd. What growth do you see from this segment?

We see the lines of segmentation dissolving, the proof is that it is now not money which gives you great experience, people who spend less money are having a better experience,  than people who go to the typical standard fine dine restaurants. The premium segment is bored of the cliché - fine dine, they want newer experiences and are willing to take the risks as they are bored of the fine dine restaurants who are providing very typical boring predictable experiences. Therefore fine dining has moved to experiential dining. And the cool affluent segment is willing to experiment.

What is your expansion plan? Are you also open to other formats?

Yes, we have expansion plan, we will be opening another hotel in Goregaon East , and our approach to the market is to find the gap and place our product there. Being market savvy helps. And lastly this business is always about location location location.

We see many concept based restaurants hitting Mumbai. Can we see one coming from you?

Surely, our chefs are working on the menu and we will be announcing very exciting news in the near future (April 2016).

Started by Sagar Daryani and Binod Homagai in 2008, Wow! Momo is known for its unique and specialised momos. Started with a mere investment of Rs 30,000, the brand has grown rapidly, becoming the country's largest momo chain with good turnovers and new innovations. Currently operating 61 stores across Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Kochi, Delhi, NCR, Coimbatore and Digha, the group is targeting to open  100 stores in next two years.

What all is included in your product line?

Our menu comprises of mainly momos and thupka. We serve 11 different flavours of momos available in steamed, fried, pan-fried, sizzler and baked variants in Chicken, Vegetable, Fish, Mushroom momo, Paneer, Prawn, Corn Spring Onion and even Chocolate and momo burger.

How do you do the pricing of Momos?

Our ranges start from Rs. 70-150 and even our ABC is Rs.100 as we value the money. 

There are so many unorganised momo chains in India. How much competition do you face from them?

Yes, there are many momo chains and unorganised players and no organised player like us. So, we are way ahead; now many more companies are coming up with their  momo businesses. What we think is that increase in  competition will  make things more challenging.

According to you, what are the global trends coming in 2016?

Earlier, there was only MC Donald’s and KFC but now Carl’s Junior and other global chains are entering Indian market, giving a way to the global brands. Lots of finger food will be coming up and also international food. Even now, eating out has become a fashion. People want quick food as everyone has a busy lifestyle. So, this the correct time for the huge open market QSR to flourish.

Where do you stand  in terms of revenue?

This year our turnover was Rs 40 crore which is growing gradually. 

What are  your expansion plans?

We are planning to open 100 stores by March 2017. Presently, we have seven in Delhi, 33 in Kolkata. We want to be the best in what we do with presence  in 5-6 different cities.  We are looking at IPO from 7 years and  want to target the Indian market, as its expanding rapidly.

When and how did you decide to foray into the restaurant business? Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey.

It all started few years back, to be exact- in mid 2012. The idea sprang up when I was sitting in a luxury bar in Singapore and sipping my whisky. I realised that there is no such place in Delhi, which can offer good beverages and equally good food in a luxurious setting with family and friends. I realised that there is a big gap and that’s when the idea of opening an upscale bar and restaurant struck me first. Since then it kept coming in my mind. My journey as an entrepreneur started quite early in life. In my early 20s, I was involved in the family business but later on I decided to take my own route with my brother. In the voyage till now I have started various trades ranging from medical devices to garments & now a restaurant. Yes, I have seen my own highs and lows; but that’s what has made me what I am today- financially as well as emotionally.

What inspired to open a restaurant cum bar in a fine dining environment?

As mentioned earlier, there was a gap which became a reason of motivation for me to open a restaurant. But if I’m asked that did I intend to create a fine dine and formal place? I don’t know. However, the inspiration of opening a good place came from my experiences that I had while dining in various Michelin star restaurants, high end bars and salons. I decided to create an environment where customers come and place their orders and that’s it! I understand that when we go out to dine or drink, we don’t want to be bothered about anything else and we just want to enjoy the experience. The chairs have to be comfortable, the lightings have to be soothing, the place has to be spick and span, the staff has to be courteous, products have to be best in quality, , the washrooms should be spacious and there has to be a nice waiting area. If all these things together make Dramz a fine dine place; so be it. I am not concerned about the tag that we get, but I am definitely concerned and particular about the experience that we provide to our customers. What was the initial challenge?

Oh! The initial challenge was to convince myself that I have to open a “Whisky major place”, it was like being a man on a mission to get a place like this with so much bureaucracy in the system.

Now let’s talk about funding, how did it happen?

I funded the entire project myself.

Who do you see as your major competitor in the segment today as there are number of restaurants coming in the city these days?

I believe in creation, collaboration and cooperation rather than competition. I believe that we all possess a creative wand and we should use it to create something new and worthwhile. I always see myself at a global level. Whatever I am doing; has got potential to stand apart globally. Is my vision adding something to the economy of the physical location where I am situated? Whatever I am doing, is it going to make people come to my place or city? I am not talking only about the intra city customers but I am taking about international customers as well. To me competition with my peers is such a waste of time, energy, efforts and money. Rather, I would prefer e to invest these resources in creating something new. Moreover, I have my own favourite places, which I venture a lot and I always want those places to do well. I have my memories attached to them. I want all of us to come together and make this city a destination on global gastronomic map.

What according to you is luring the industry to come up with these large format restaurants?

Today everyone is better informed, travelled and knowledgeable as compared to yesteryears. People have higher disposable incomes and they are demanding. Also, the market wants places which are world class.

What are the design elements that you have kept in mind while setting up this restaurant to match the Scottish theme?

As whisky is in the forefront, what could have been better than a Scottish chalet? Also I wanted to give a feel of warmth, comfort and luxury. And all these elements are reflected in the architecture and the interiors.

Tell us something about the extended menu that you are offering at your restaurant. How is the pricing done?

Our endeavour is to be a place which stocks and sells maximum labels of whiskeys from different countries, that’s why one can see an extended beverage menu. Not to forget, we also have a huge stock of alcoholic beverages like wines, high end cognac, gin and rum. As far as food is concerned, we try to give ample choices in terms of bar starters, mains and desserts. We have kept our menu simple yet attractive. No two things in the menu taste or look similar. Pricing has been done keeping in mind what the market can shell out. Also, we have done our back end calculations. We all know that older the whiskies costlier it becomes, so one can also see few costly stuffs on the menu but I want to inform you that our margins are inversely proportional to the cost price of the whiskeys or any other product.

How much are you involved in the social media marketing?

Dramz is a result of my passion so I am actively involved in the social media marketing of Dramz. But more than anything, it is the word of mouth publicity, which does the trick.

As we have seen restaurants these days tying up with online aggregators to fasten their delivery model. Can we expect something similar at Dramz?

I want Dramz as an exclusive club kind of place, and for that word of mouth publicity is more fruitful. I would want the Brand to get strengthened, so I refrain from tying up with online aggregators for, you might get categorised in a generic nomenclature.

What is your expansion plans in taking the restaurant forward?

Right now I want to concentrate on this outlet only. It’s first of its kind and requires lots of my personal attention and involvement. May be in future I shall open something different not just Whisky.  

Thakur Bhuvan Singh completed Bsc (Hons) in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Oxford Brooks University, UK and worked at Radisson, New Delhi as a trainee. On completion he joined his father’s restaurant business under the brand DeeZ Biryani | Kebab | Curry. He worked with his father towards the expansion of the brand from a Single Restaurant to six restaurants at present. Here are the excerpts from the interview.

What made you enter into food business?

My interest in the F&B industry led me to create something more diverse in terms of both food and service and hence I decided to launch a Multi Cuisine Cafe and Bar under the brand Filmy Cafe & Bar by DeeZ.    

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

This is the first store and it’s in 2000Sq.ft.

What’s so filmy about your new restaurant?

The theme, the interiors, the experience the music and everything else is Filmy! We have different walls showcasing different film trivia like Famous dialogues, major blockbusters from 50’s to 2010’s, a James Bond corner etc. the props are also very filmy like the PK radio of Amir Khan, film clapper from Universal studios, Helmet from 300 etc.

What are the initial challenges and how have you met these challenges?

The initial expansion (two more restaurants) will be done as company owned restaurants and not franchised restaurants. During this period we will develop our expertise in replicating the successful model that we have. We have already started working of creating Standard Operating Procedures and Manual which will help our future restaurant management teams to maintain the same standards of food, quality, service and customer experience. 

Can you tell us more about your Business operations from the standpoint of Loyalty Program, technology (Hardware & software), raw material sourcing and talent recruitment & training?

Being a Unit of DeeZ, a lot these things have been a part of our operations from day one. We have complete recipe management solution borrowed from the central kitchens of DeeZ and we also have CRM systems which maintain a database of customer details as well as previous orders and likes/dislikes (if any). The material sourcing is done at DeeZ Central kItchen thereby enabling us to get great price and quality through our suppliers who have been working with us for many years.

What is the average duration spent by the customers’ at you cafe and the average price break up?

We have two categories of Customers who visit us. The first being the cinema goers, who usually visit us before the movie show or during intervals, these customers have little time and usually order for quick snacks and shots. They typically spend anywhere between 15-30 minutes and we ensure that the service they receive is very quick with average price cost of Rs 400-500. The other are the regular diners who take out time and enjoy our food, beverages, shesha and music. They typically spend 2-3 hours with around Rs 800-1000 total spend.

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

We are looking at expanding both DeeZ and Filmy Cafe & Bar brands across Delhi NCR. The targets are 5 DeeZ and 2 Filmy Cafe and bar before December 2016. All these will be company owned outlets. We will be franchising both the brands outside Delhi NCR.

How are you building on quality at a time when restaurants are much more focusing on the concept and theme?

We believe that our restaurants should please each of the five senses but taste should be the foremost. DeeZ has been famous for its taste and quality of its food products and we have enjoyed this reputation for almost three decades. We wish to attain the same status for Filmy as well. We have strict quality control measures as we believe that repeat clientele will always endorse you if you have good taste and quality of food products. We are selling food as the primary product the concept and theme are an additional secondary support.

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

We would like to take things one step at a time and hence we only make projections and targets for the next year which I have already shared with you.

While the world of food start-ups seems to be crashing down in India, shouldn’t this be a cause for deterring new ones sprouting in different corners? Definitely not! Learning from the mistakes of contemporaries and fitting in proper systems revenue and cost effectiveness, the next module of food start-ups will be through food trucks! Yes, understanding the need to be mobile, cost effective and time saving for the consumer, Rocketchefs - the world’s first food trucks on call, sets up its first service in Gurgaon.

The model is based on India’s legendary street food scene, and Rocketchefs expands the variety of food available as “street foods”, taking it to the next level by providing them completely on demand. Led by industry experts, Rocketchefs aims to use its food knowledge, hospitality expertise, backend support and a strong technological backbone to offer a cutting edge experience to its customers. Ramnidhi Wasan (CEO – Rocketchefs) would be able to take you through his journey.

How does Rocketchefs work?

Rocketchefs is the new food truck on call around Gurgaon which works on a model same as Ola. The solution which starts with a mobile app; shows the location, where you can enter the food you want to order and it will help in getting it delivered to you from the vehicles around your location. The moving restaurant is a new take on customers’ choice. You chose what you want and it is sent to you.

Are all the vehicles owned by you or have you partnered with any aggregator?

All the vehicles are our private vehicles. We haven’t partnered with any vehicle to sell our food.

What is your take in building a technology led business?

Our focus is entirely around building technology. We are investing a huge amount in technology, its scalability focusing on the social entrepreneurship of the business.

How new is this concept for a market like India?

No food truck is mobile till now. They all park at certain locations, but we are a bit different from them. We work on call, as soon as the customer orders something from us, the vehicle located in that area delivers the food. It is call-on demand vehicle.

How many vehicles are presently with you and how does the target look like?

We have 6 vehicles and 5 are under production.

What all types of cuisines are there at Rocketchefs?

We are offering Korma kebab, pizzas at present and will soon launch korma sandwich, Korma coffee.

How the supply chain works?

We have a daily supply chain process - we go to the local markets and handpick the freshest ingredient on our own.

How about expansion?

We want to saturate Gurgaon first and then come to Delhi. In 90 days we are trying to have 25 vehicles with us to expand our reach in other parts of Gurgaon.

Is there any delivery time to process the order?

We don’t have any delivery commitment yet. Commitment is towards the quality of food.

Do you see this model as business?

At present, there are 14 members in our team. We want to be a social start-up by entering into a franchise model. We will provide the brand, customer acquisition, supply of food, the backend, to the partner franchisee with focus on regional franchisees.

What is your plan targeting the residential areas around Gurgaon?

We are poised to enter about 25 per cent of the residential areas in next three months.

Goli VadaPav, was one of the first franchisee brand in the Indian market, which started its journey way back in 2003 from a single outlet in Nagpur. Started by a corporate professional, the company was initially funded by his friend and family. And, today, the brand operates more than350 stores in around 88 cities and 19 states in India, with two rounds of funding already in its bouquet.

How the journey of Goli Vadapav got started?

It was during 1995-96 that I was thinking of doing something of my. Having worked with the MNCs, I have seen that the daily consumption of these foods was very high and the QSR was more of a concern that time. And, hence I got into this business by starting first Goli Vadapav outlet in 2003 and from a corporate sector I entered into restaurant industry.

Why Vadapav as the offering?

Vada Pav is very famous in Mumbai and Pune. It is a fast, mobile food and people like it very much. We developed the technology, wherein we are focusing on delivering the best quality vadapav to the customers.

Who do you see as your major competitors today, is it the local vendors or players like JumboKing?

I do not see any player as a competitor; rather, believe that it’s a good opportunity that many brands are spreading the awareness about vadapav. And, my competition comes from the local ethnic products not from vada pao players.

As you have a wide franchisee presence. Which is the top franchisee according to you?

Our key business is from franchise. We have an average footfall of 40,000-80,000 people at our outlets. However, all our outlets are doing well in terms of giving the numbers.

And some of the top selling franchisees are Maharashtra, Karnataka and north every store.

What is Goli’s online presence?

Online is an evolution. And, we are basically offline store. It will take time in online like 20-25 per cent revenue can come from online. We recently tied up with delivery and app service providers to focus on the delivery business starting with Bengaluru which will move to Pune, Gurgaon, Mumbai etc.

What is your expansion plans in taking the number count forward?

We are coming up in North and East as we have completed in South- Karnataka, Maharashtra. In next two years time we are targeting around 700 stores in north India alone.

How do you make sure that the franchisees do not compromise on the quality of food?

We buy each and every things, make vada for them and also do bulk marketing for them. Their involvement should match our support system and that’s how we give our franchisee.

How about taking a global entry?

At this point of time our focus is India, but very soon, we may enter the UK and Dubai market.

Tell us about Parag Milk Foods collaboration with Europe’s leading cheese maker Hochland?

Almette is made in Germany in Hochland plant and we are only marketing it in India. So it’s a more of sale and marketing initiative that we have initiated. It’s a learning curve for us. This partnership is not with the investment per say so there is no any capacity investment.

We are looking to synergize the expertise of both the companies while we have a strong distribution network in the country and a strong brand namely Go. We will be fully importing the Hochland products and distributing them here. With the launch of Go Almette in the country, we are broadening our portfolio of consumer health and nutrition based products. With this co-branding, we are also embarking upon a new relationship with Hochland Group.

What are the features of Go Almette cream cheese?

Go Almette is a mild, creamy and fluffy cream cheese produced in Germany made with pasteurized cow milk and is all natural with no preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial colours or flavours. It is light and natural, providing consumers an option to use it as an all-day snack, either as direct consumption applied on breads, crackers or even roti or paratha. This is a kind of homemade ‘Makhkhan’. It is like vanilla ice cream but without Sugar. The product is competitively priced at Rs 150 for per unit or 150 gms.

What is a shelf life of this cheese?

The shelf life is of four to five months. It comes at a normal cheese temperature. It has to be preserved at a constant 40 c in the fridge, not the freezer.

How this German cheese will appeal the obese feared Indian consumers?

This is a very low calorie cheese. Compared to 98 percent fats in butter, cheese only contain 30 percent fats. Cheese is protein rich food. 25 gram of cheese consumption is equal to one glass of milk which is good for health.

What are your plans promoting Go Almette in India?

We have significant plans for marketing Go Almette and will be leveraging ATL activities in association with lifestyle and sports channels, OOH and digital media. We also plan to tie-up with major e-commerce portals wherein consumers will be able to place an order online as well. With regard to the on-ground activities, we will be conducting in-store promotions through sampling our products.  Simultaneously we are endeavoring to educate the consumer about the recipes to be attached with this cheese. Recently we have tied-up with celebrity chef Ranveer Brar to promote our cheese products with western palettes. With him we have already launched 100 recipes combining with Indian cheese.

What will be the market presence?

The products will be available primarily in 6 to 7 metros namely Banglore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Even within the metros we will be very careful and selective with the distribution of outlets. We will be targeting the premium outlets like Natures basket. First we are starting with Mumbai and in six to eight months we will also go to tier I, II and III cities. Overall in seven metros it will go to 1200 outlets.

In Mumbai we estimate to reach out to 400-500 retail outlets, out of these 150 will be modern outlets and 350 will be the large stand alone general stores which deal in these kinds of products. Certainly it will be available at premium outlet that offers right kind of visibility to the brand. For online presence we are in discussion with all the e-commerce players but with e-commerce we will be only supplying to Mumbai and Bangalore initially.

What is the volume that you are looking for in terms of imports?

Initially, we are importing around Rs 800cr of Almette cheese for sizeable distribution in big cities and smaller towns. The plans are to grow the volume supply in the market.

Will there be any competition with your co-branding partner in India for the market share? And will you be introducing more such products?

No. we will not be competing with our co-brand. This is basically a trial partnership with Hoshland. This category will grow fast in India. We have 26 percent market share and are aiming to make it upto 31 percent.

We may or may not produce these products in the near future. We are focusing on Almette right now and the future action will depend upon the response coming in for Almette. It’s not easy to establish the brand, it will take six to seven months to take this brand to the cities and only after that we will be able to realize how does brand move. 

Don’t you think the cheese is higher priced and might not be affordable for small town consumers?

It’s Rs 150 per 150 gm pack which is value for money for those premium discerning consumers who are willing to pay for the quality cheese. The cheese will be available in tub, which resembles wooden keg, used originally to make cheese. This cheese is quite different from the regular Indian cheese.

How are you competing with Amul cheese products?

We are competing in the space of cheese which is made of cow milk. We make best cheese made of cow milk but finally consumer is the king who decides what to consume. Challenges are always there with competition.

What is your current turnover?

Our last year turnover was Rs 1440 cr and we are growing by 25 percent YOY.

In 1923, like a few other Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran, Rashid Kohinoor opened his restaurant in the then Bombay. And today, the most famous and loved restaurant is in the able hands of the third generation, serving up the best Parsi and Iranian food to the city. Talking to Restaurant India, 93 years old, Boman Kohinoor, who remembers the restaurant as a child started by his father, proudly shares that how his restaurant has catered to the celebrities’ not in India but also globally. Here are the excerpts from the interview:

What is the history of Kohinoor Restaurant in India?

My great grandfather was a farmer and had come to India from Iran and was not educated. In India, Parsi’s helped them to start Chai, bakery business. Then, my father who came was also from the region was three year old, he grew up here. British people developed Mumbai and my grandfather was in restaurant business so my father too started with the business and launched this restaurant in the office area of Ballard Estate.

My father started this restaurant in 1923 when I was born, so I am as old as this restaurant. After my father died in road accident in 1939 my uncle started running this restaurant as a substitute. I joined the legacy in 1943 after finishing my education. And completely took over the business.

How has been the journey over the years?

During 1944-1946, Second World War the restaurant was acquired by Britishers which they returned to us after Independence. The restaurant was completely smashed; the building was completely licking and spoiling my ceiling. In the British time we use to serve continental food but when British left we started with Mughalai food along with continental food. Then, in 1982 my wife Ms Bachchan Kohinoor, being a Parsi lady, introduced Parsi dishes and sali boti chicken dishes. We are now serving popular Parsi dishes specialized as Indo-Iranian beri Pulav, beri booti, beri chicken and beri fish. Since, beginning we have been specialized in chicken, mutton, fish and vegetable. The price of our food starts from Rs 500 and goes up to Rs 2000.

How was the response for Parsi food initially?

When my wife was posted in Tehran, she learnt this food there and she modified it for the Indian taste. There in Persia people don’t eat spicy food. So, my wife started with non-spicy food, which became Indo-Iranian food.

What was your interest before joining the family business?

After doing my inter-science, I wanted to go for medical, but we were nine brothers and sisters and I had to look after them as my father died when they were all minor. There was financial crunch so, instead of going for medical, I had to join this family business. We grew up at carter road, Fort area.

My life was quite diplomatic. My wife was a lawyer I was helping her in the office. My brother was working here during that time I was partner in Mastani restaurant at Metro Cinema. After few years I decided to join or own restaurant as my brother and cousin brother was helping me.

The name Kohinoor is attached with which prominent guests visiting?

We have the pleasure of receiving prominent personalities like Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Vidya Balan, Ranbir Kapoor, former cricketer Azharuddin, and American ambassador Peter Berlin. Bollywood movie Tezab was shot in this hotel, the Hollywood movie Such A Long Journey was also shot in this hotel. The actor of the Hollywood movie had come from London and the director had come from Canada to taste our food.

Over the years, how have you preserved the uniqueness while maintaining your health?

This is not the question of being unique the question is of sustaining in the industry. In 50’s there were around 400 Iranian restaurants in Mumbai. And today, there are hardly 30 to 40. The most important thing is that I have been careful about my health. My grandfather advised me about how to maintain the health properly. He died at the age of 114. He advised me five thing no smoking, no drugs, no liquor, no gabling, start walking and jogging. I did jogging for nine years. I have participated in 800, 1500 and 2000 meter running events and high jump events and I came first in all these events at the age of 24.

Why Iranian chai- bun maska restaurants are vanishing with the going time?

The Iranian restaurants will disappear after 20-30 years. They are all converted into bear bar. Now, there is no more chai and bun maska being served. The concept of chai and bun maska will go out. There few Iranian Parsi restaurants like Kayani at Dhobi Talav, Sashani, Merwan at Grant Road are still serving chai and bun maska.

What are the difficulties that you have come across over the years?

During World War II there were difficulties we couldn’t serve double dishes to the consumers. But now we are facing difficulties with fire brigade, huge BMC interference, lot of regulations and licenses. Despite I have obtained 8 to 10 licenses, BMC is forcing us for multiple NOCs for every small reason like gowdon, garbage, placing cylinder, adulteration and police.

As this was built by my father 94 years ago the BMC asks for paper proof which I cannot give.

Maiyas Beverages and Foods was launched in 2008, and today they have more than 150 hybrid food products. With a focus on packaged food division, the group is targeting at revenue of Rs 150 crore, for this fiscal. Meanwhile, it has built a strong foothold in restaurant segment by getting a footfall of about 4000 in a day at its six outlets in Bengaluru.

When did you decided to sell MTR to Orkla?

We had two different set of investors in MTR earlier, and it was in 2006 that we decided to exit them and as a process to exit them, we had to sell MTR to Orkla for Rs 364 crore.

How has Maiyas Beverages & Foods grown over the years?

Today, our main focus is on packaged food division, and we are targeting revenue of Rs 150 crore by the end of 2015.  Meanwhile, we are running six restaurants in Bengaluru, and are targeting revenue of Rs 40-45 crore from the restaurant segment.

How focused are you in growing your presence as a restaurant brand and as a packaged food manufacturer?

When it comes to restaurant, we will be only local for next two years. But, in terms of packaged food, we are today strong in Karnataka. The plan is to expand it aggressively in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh for the next one year. Beyond that we will also start expanding into Western market including Gujarat and Mumbai and north in NCR region and Kashmir.

Who is your biggest competitor in the market?

MTR is our biggest competitor today. And, if you look at individual categories, Namkeen category Haldiram is the biggest player in this space. But, South India has no big organised player, so we are very lucky to cater to the region.

When did you join your company after a stint with an IT- Comapny?

I am a software engineer by background. I joined an IT company and quit the job in first four months. And, then I came back and joined MTR in 2005. I went for a six month training in kitchen, learning the cooking skills as MTR used to have a retail concept Namma MTR, wherein MTR showcase its cold storage product under that portfolio. And, I was allowed to work and managed that business more seriously and extend what the end consumers’ required. I got product training as well as the consumer insight. So, one and half years in MTR, I was handling all these things.

How much your technology skills are adopted at Maiyas?

After doing software engineering, I did management training from IIM-Bengaluru. And today, I have very smartly adopted those skills into Miayas Beverages & Foods by making it a completely automated food company. We have the ERP running which actually started running even before the company was started.

You recently launched a consumer website. How much presences do you have online and offline?

In India, 90 per cent of our business is offline today and it works on a Kirana shop model. But, the online model is for a different product portfolio all together. We give a 360 degree experience to our customers’ via this website which is a complete consumer website. 

What is your expansion in terms of growing your portfolio?

Today, our entire focus is expanding the distribution channel. We are in about 9000 outlet in Bengaluru and are planning to reach 15000 outlets in next six months. And will be adding another 5-6 outlets of restaurants in next two years time.

What is your share in the packaged food industry?

We sit at a very niche state today, and our share is approximately 15-20 per cent.

After almost seven years of running restaurant franchisee for Pind Balluchi restaurant in South Extension in Delhi, Dinesh Arora decided to open his own kingdom of restaurants. He worked on some of the interesting and different concepts opening Elf Cafe & Bar in Hauz Khas Village – A destination for all young people by heart who love to eat and love music. And today, he is running restaurants like Hadippa – North Indian Cuisine Restaurant, Lights Camera Action Air bar, Rajouri Garden – A Bollywood Airbar, The Common Room – A Singer’s Destination, where a musical gig happens every day.  Here are the excerpts from the interview.

What were the initial challenges that you faced in opening your first few restaurants?

It is very easy to open a restaurant, launch it and make it run successfully and maintain it throughout is a bog challenge. It’s been more than four years now that my first babies Elf Cafe & Bar and Hadippa are doing great in terms of business and still accepted by a guest today as well as it was four years before. We give our guest what they want and we keep on updating ourselves with the food trends.  And, keeping up to a guest’s expectation over the years is the biggest challenge. How do you differentiate your restaurant from others in the same forte?

We are doing Indian Fusion food with an Al-forno Oven and launching Brai Grills from South Africa for the first time in Delhi with an open courtyard with a Neem tree in centre. And, hence no one can replace us in terms of heritage or location.

Who do you see as your competitors in the market and why?

There are a lot of entrepreneurs like me that have given F&B scene in Delhi a Push but in past year Farzi Cafe, Social, Olive Bistro and many more have inspired me to get my creative juice flowing and come up with a splendid concept like unplugged courtyard.

Tell us about your bollywood themed restaurant - Lights Camera Action - Airbar, Rajouri Garden.

LCA is doing very well, we have catered to more than 40,000 people in last six months and West Delhi needed a Bollywood only venue with a unique dining experience because people used to travel to South or Central Delhi before LCA to have such experience.   

As you are eyeing great expansions, is there any plan to raise funds as well? If yes, when can we see the same happening?

Raising funds has been on cards for some time now and you will get to hear a good news very soon but not in current financial year.

Your restaurants are a mix of global cuisine and rustic designs. What are the design elements that you keep in mind while designing each of the outlet?

If you see all my venues, all are different from each other. Elf Cafe & Bar is woody interior with half yearly menu as per the customer in Hauz khas Village , Hadippa is a true Punjabi restaurant with shades of phulkari and village with North Indian menu, The common room is a retro cafe with modern ambience and serves Indian and Asian Meals with Street Food favourites, LCA is a Bollywood venue with Molecular elements with Indian and Continental menu and now Unplugged Courtyard is going to be the game changer as we are doing Modern Indian Fusion food, Brai Grills and Al Forno Pizzas in a neem courtyard and a huge terrace so we usually try and create a new concept every time.   

Tell us something about your expansion plan?

We have expansion plans for Hadippa & The common Room for now and we will be opening five more outlets amongst Hadippa and TCR by next year in Agra, HKV, CP, Jaipur and Mumbai/Pune.

Umang Tewari hails from a family of real estate. After doing his MBA from UK, it was food and music scene that inspired him to venture into the restaurant business.  Tewari has also worked with cafes in the UK for Experience and Exposure of the restaurant trends giving birth to a dream that inspired him to open his own restaurants. 

How the inspiration has come?

I believe that if you are passionate about building your dream, there is no stopping. Hence, I got this into field with all my hard work and dreams, with the family support; I have been able to create Mark.  I opened Oxygen in 2002 that helped Delhi embraced Lively Nightlife culture. Oxygen changed the way of Nightlife in Delhi. It was the most successful club of that time.

What were the initial challenges that you faced in bringing some of the good concepts in India?

I had lot of expectations from myself, and we never compromised on design concepts. We spend good initial months making sure that we crack good design concept and location. I was particular about the location preference and concept. The only challenge was perfect execution which we make sure to attain.

How do you differentiate your restaurant from others in the same forte?

Our Existing brands are plethora of different unique concepts. While OTB is a place that derives an inspiration from Street food across the Globe, Vault Café derives its inspiration from Colonial world. Vault café is a vintage industrial ambiance visualised as a storehouse of British East India Company. The transformative café par lounge bar has been visualised with rustic interiors architecture with colonial influences to bring in the theme of the Colonial era. Vault is hyper thematic with expressive décor, state of art sound and light and a mouth watering F&B overlay to complement that. On the other hand, My New Venture Garam Dharam is surely first of its kind in Delhi. Fun, Quirky, Lively, Innovative & Foodies Paradise inspired from Veteran Actor Dharmendra.

Who do you see as your competitors in the market and why?

We don’t compete with anyone. I have many brands in my own kitty. We keep competing within ourselves. Whole energy goes in making sure that each of our outlets is performing well and is different from each other.

You recently joined hand with actor Dharmendra to open ‘Garam Dharam’. Tell us about the partnership.

I am foodie and I love Indian food. I thought that there is derth of place in Delhi to have good Dhaba food. At the same time contemporary outlets with Moder interiors is what gets accepted widely. I thought to blend both these needs and that was the origin of Garam Dharam. We Met Dharmendra Ji theough one of the friend, and we told them about Dhaba food outlet which we want to open. Dharam Ji being foodie was also inetersted, and showed interest. Then came the idea of Bollywood Dharmendra themed bar. He gave us the inputs in interiors by letting us know his favorite movies, dialogues and more. Dharam Garam, Dhaba Te Theka is place for all those who enjoy simpler elements of Life- Good Food and Good Music.

What is the contribution of Dharmendra in the restaurant? Is he given only his name to operate or does he hold some stake in the company?

Dharmendra Ji was involved in letting us know about his likings which we contributed in decor of the restaurant. He also gave us his pictures to decorate the wall. He has both his personal and profesisonal shares in Garam Dharam.

Tell us about the funding scenario at your end?

We under our company Big fish ventures are raising around 200 crore rupees through venture capital funding. The start-up venture which caters to café dining and hangout segment of the market and runs premium dining lounges like Vault Café, Garam Dharam is mulling to launch new brands like Public connection, Oh My god (OMG), Junkyard, Three Peg Down over next three months. With a host of brands in operation and new launches in the pipeline, Big Fish ventures clock sales of over 50 crore in FY 15-16 and 150 crore in FY 16-17 respectively. Our team will create, build and operate over 40 outlets by FY 17-18 under brands created by us. Each outlet will be known for its prime location, unique concept, world class food quality and unforgettable service experience. Additionally, we plan invest over 200 crores in building our outlets and hope to register a gross sales of over 500 crore by FY 18-19.

Your restaurants are a mix of global cuisine and rustic designs. What are the design elements that you keep in mind while designing each of the outlet?

As a Restaurateur I make sure that each restaurant of mine is different from the other. I feel food and interiors are the only two things that brings customer back, and hence they need innovation. I play on the concepts and that’s how we make sure each outlet has different interiors. Also because our outlets have high re call value, we make sure that there is no repeated design element in either of our outlets.

It was in news that you are also planning to open around 6-7 restaurants in 2015. How many of them are actually operational now?

Yes, the plan was to open around 6-7 restaurants in 2014-2015, and I feel we have been successful in achieving the target. I opened Vault in 2014 end, then Garam Dharam followed by Junkyard and Public connection. So, four are operational already, and the other 4-5 is due for this December.

Tell us something about your expansion plan?

We have OMG, 3 Pegs down, Courtyard and Bandstand. OMG is located in CP as well, Spread over 8000 sq ft, this place is designed around the concept of hell and heaven. 3 pegs down is Microbrewery coming up in Saket. I am also coming up with two more outlets in Aurbindo Marg, Bandstand and The Courtyard, Bandstand is Spread over 4000 sq ft, Its been designed in retro way and will take Music events of the Capital on Next level.  Courtyard with the space of 15000 sq ft is again unique food, drink and Music place. Not only this, we are expanding to West Delhi with 2 coming in Rajouri Garden and 1 in Punjabi Bagh. Then, we have eyes set on International market where we plan to start one in Dubai, Canada, China and more. There are plans to open Garam Dharam in Rajouri Garden. Biggest Vault is soon to hit Punjabi Bagh, and then we have plans to open Junkyard in Saket as well. I have already signed two properties in Mumbai as well. I think 2016 will see atleast 10 restaurants coming from my side.

What is your revenue as you hold some of the good restaurants in your bouquet?

We invest 3-4 crores in setting per outlet and our return on investment is atleast 30% per anuual year.

Over the years, Indian restaurants are eyeing global markets as the next potential market to grow their brand presence. Restaurateurs like Sanjeev Kapoor, Amit Burman, Zorawar Kalra nad Priyank Sukhija are eyeing markets like Dubai, Singapore, the UK and The US as their next location to be. In an exclusive conversation with Restaurant India, Kalra, who is all set to launch his modern Indian bistro- Farzi Café in Dubai shares an insight on the same.

What are the reasons that Indian brands are very keen on sharing opportunities in global markets?

There has been an explosion in the dining out culture, globally, due to numerous reasons – ease and affordability of international travel. The impact of Indian cuisine on the world can be seen with the presence of innumerable restaurants and dhaba’s serving varieties and versions of the cuisine in all the key culinary districts of the World, having unquestionable loyalty amongst its audience, some domestic to the market of operation and many of Indian origin who travels for business or leisure. In recent years, largely owing to globalization and a conducive international business environment, it has become easier for small business enterprises such as the F&B retail sector to set eyes on overseas expansion with us witnessing many indigenous concepts entering markets such as Middle and Far East, Europe and the American continent. Expanding to international shores, with business presence across locations not only gives connoisseurs of good food a true taste of India’s culinary legacy without having to wait for their travel to the country, but also enable restaurant business to operate in a more competitive environment, having to innovate while having instant access to international trends.

What are the legal hurdles faced in expansion?

The biggest challenge that we face is of finding the right partner who shares our vision and is in line with it.

How is the expansion look like at Massive Restaurants?

As you are aware, we are almost ready with the launch of the first international location for our multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Bistro – Farzi Café in Dubai. Alongside, we are working towards the domestic expansion of all our concepts within India with almost eight restaurants in the process of being launched across the geographic landscape of the country in the next 7 – 8 months time. We are also in advanced talks, exploring our expansion into the European and American markets for some of our brands, however it will be too premature for me to share anything on that till things aren’t more formalized.

How much is franchising helping in global expansion?

Most of our global expansion is planned through the partnership route, where we are exploring collaboration with companies who not just have extensive experience in the market of operation, but also share our vision. We work on a model of inclusive growth, where the partner owns the business, with Massive Restaurants (India) having complete management rights for each of the restaurants that we launch in the market.

Green Beans Coffee Company was founded in 1996, by Jason and Jon Araghi, two Americans living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who saw the opportunity to introduce gourmet coffee in the country and fill the void in an underserved market. The first Green Beans Coffee Cafe on a US Army base opened the following year in Eskan Village, in Al-Kharj Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And, today the brand is present in about 10 countries, eyeing Indian market as their next market for unlocking the business opportunities.

Why India so late?

We see that there is greater opportunity in India today with large middle class and higher disposable income. And, I believe it would be a great time for us to enter the Indian market and create a footprint in the country as the customers today are much more evolved than few years back.

Why are global coffee chains so hungry about Indian market?

Globally, the coffee culture has grown in a tremendous way. Today, people have money to spend out, they want to spend time with their family, go out with their friends and as we are seeing that the cafes are growing in the US, the Europe and the Arabs. So, we want to create the same environment for people to enjoy their day in a country like India

When can we see you entering into the Indian market?

Initially, our plan is to identify a master franchisee in the country, and from there we will expand. We are looking for a franchisee that are more aggressive to grow a brand, have enough money to spend and drives a passion that can invent a new brand into a country and then grow it.

How long has been the Green Beans Coffee in the business?

Green Beans Coffee has been in the business for almost 20 years spread in around 10 countries and today, as we are very much friendly with the international business and are familiar with the supply chain, our next area for growth would be India.

What is the differentiated experience that you are planning to bring to India?

Every brand has to create a differentiate experience which makes it different from its competitors. We do not want to be as strive for the leadership amalgamation of a coffee company as like Costa Coffee, Starbucks or CCD, but it has to be different. The product are different, it is fresh baked and wide selection of food offerings that we do, the super premium quality and most importantly the correct prepositions for the country. Our key is the quality product along with the experience that the customers get in our cafes in other country.

By when can we expect the brand to enter India?

If everything goes well, we may brought the brand to India by next year targeting at cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Punjab which is emerging as a high disposable income market.  And, we believe that each region could have 100-120 stores.

When and how did you planned to bring Mr. Sub to India?

I came across this brand around a year and half back, and then I talk to MTY group which owns the franchisee of the brand, who were looking to expand globally at that point. And as Indian consumers can relate to the name Sub with the brand and the product it offers. I thought of bringing it to India.

What is your expansion plan for the brand into the Indian market?

We are looking at close to 25 stores by March in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. All stores will be company owned expanding to around 250 stores in next two and half years.

You opened your first outlet at SDA market. Why IIT as location?

I want to try giving my product with the target customers who are students and IIT is a hub. And hence this market catches the crowd. I want to generalise and then take this product forward.

What is the average footfall received and where can we see the other outlet coming up?

At SDA market around 350-400 people walk every day. We recently opened our second outlet at West Patel Nagar. What are your target locations for next phase of expansion?

We are looking at locations like CP, Defence Colony and GK-1, Vasant Kunj, Gurgaon, Model Town, Rk Puram, Kamala Nagar, Gurgaon- Sector 29 amongst others.

Tell us something about Mr. Sub and its offerings?

Mr. Sub has a concept of making one’s own sub. We are close to 12-15 Veg and Non Veg sub. Customers can also convert any sub into wraps.

What competition do you see from Subway as they are also running in the same segment?

There is huge competition in the market today, but I believe in my product. However, Subway is one of the largest consumer brands today in the world and in India they are predominant. They have made the Indian consumer understand what sub is.  Meanwhile, I want to offer the right sub to the customers which they are actually looking for.

How much is western flavours there in your menu?

We do have western flavours in our menu but majorly it is customised for the Indian market. We have 100 per cent local suppliers. We have top meat supplier, vegetarian supplier and bread is also done in house only.

Who are your target customers?

Our target customer is generally between 14-30 years.  

When and how did you planned to start a restaurant?

I started my first restaurant during my college days with the name Arab Street. Then I opened a sheesha lounge, and a Lebanese corner. And it was two and half yeras back that I started Mia Bella at Hauz Khas Village, expanding to Malcha Marg. And now, I want to make it a brand with good concept, interior with pan India expansion. 

Tell us about your new restaurant Schengen and its expansion plan?

Schengen is one and half year old restaurant with European Cuisine on the menu which is operational at Malcha Marg. But we are also planning to relocate the restaurant in some other parts of Delhi due to some issues that we are facing at the current location.

What is the main reason for relocating the outlet?

We were facing issues from NDMC and licensing authority. But now the problem is resolved and we want to work in a very calm atmosphere. We want to focus on the restaurants rather than going to NDMC offices. There are big hassles here in terms of licensing. We are looking at a 45 seater restaurants at some happening locations like Lodi Garden, Mool Chand market amongst others. 

How will single window help restaurant business grow?

There are 8-9 licenses and you have to run here and there for licensing. And if it would be single window it would be very helpful for everyone. We will be more focused on our restaurants rather than on licensing. We can grab more concepts, opportunities.

I think in 6-8 moths everything will be sorted. Both state and central govt have to work together for this.

What was the design inspiration for your restaurant?

I travel so much and love to explore the world, walk inside a new restaurant and see what kind of interiors they are doing. I get pictures from the restaurants and even try to bring that feel into my restaurant. Most of my interior is inspired from Europe.

What is your expansion plan?

We are planning to open 4-5 restaurants by 2016 in cities like Gurgaon, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. I am also planning to launch a Sports bar which is not here in Delhi. We will also tie up with Delhi Daredevils in the future. And we are also in the way to launch a Mughlai restaurant by next year.

Burger Singh was started by Kabir Jeet Singh and two of his childhood friends to serve India made burger which was missing in the country. In a short span of time, the burger outlet has received Best Burgers award by Zomato in Gurgaon expanding to over four outlets in less than one year.

How did the idea of starting an Indian burger chain popped up?

I used to work at a burger shop in UK when I was studying there and that’s when I started experimenting with burger cuisine and spices used in it. I came back to India in December 2011, and joined Pint Room looking after their operation, expansion across the country. I kept experimenting with the recipes around burgers which were very successful between my friends and family. Then in Nov 2014 we launched this brand as a pilot project in Golf Course road. We started with one outlet and that was successful and now we expanded to four outlets in Gurgaon.

What made you name the burger chain as ‘Burger Singh’?

Burger Singh name came with two reasons one the product and second my name. It is an Indian brand with more of a Punjabi taste and so it is called Burger Singh.

Can we see something familiar with global burger chain ‘Burger King’ at your stores?

Our brand is very different, logo is different and there is no similarity with burger king at all. As far as competition is concerned we are too small to compete with the brands like Burger King. 

What was the initial investment done to start Burger Singh?

We started off with the initial investment of 1 crore between me and my family.

What is the responsibility look like between three of you?

I manage the business as the chief executive officer, Nitin Rana takes care of operation and expansion and Rahul Seth looks after the marketing, PR, recruitment and every other things related to the brand.

Where can we see the recently raised Rs 2.2 crore being used?

This small funding is been used just to expand in Delhi NCR and built a new team. Presently, we have 40 employees in team which we are planning to double over the few years.

Which are the places where we can see Burger singh setting its outlet?

We want to go to places where India lives, hence we are targeting West Delhi, Noida in the first phase and later we might enter South and Central Delhi.

What made you tweak the global burgers giving it an Indianised avatar?

We are not reinventing anything, burger is a stable product. We found that all the burgers in India are predominated by International burger chains. They are selling the burgers to Indians but are not according to our taste our palate. And that’s where we played hard; we worked with recipes from different regions, we brought chefs from various parts of India who can help us with recipes like Punjabi recopies and Bihari recipes.

What are the different types of burgers on your menu? How is the pricing done?

We have got many types of burger like Paneer burger, Chinese favour burger, Rajma burger, Kala Chana burger etc on our menu. The burger generally starts from Rs 80 and goes up to Rs 250.

Where does you stand today in terms of revenue? What is your target for the next fiscal?

We can’t share the current revenue as it is something which is very confidential. However, we are expecting revenue of 8-10 crore by next financial year.

It was also in news that you may raise another round of funding. When can we see the next round happening?

Yes, we are in talks with different institutional investors and we may raise about $3 million in next 8-9 months (June-July) to expand our restaurant in entire North India and open about 6-7 outlets in next six months. And open around 75 outlets by 2019.

You have both brick and mortar presence and online delivery options. Which is most revenue generating and gets more traffic?

We don’t have two separate models, customer has a choice to call or come to the outlets to place the order. So, we are not an online company. We want to open multiple outlets at small locations and adapt the model Domino’s is working upon.  We have midnight delivery options as well wherein we receives over 30-70 orders on weekdays which goes up to 70-75 on weekends.

Vineet Wadhwa has worked closely with chains like Wimpy which started the burger revolution in India in 1980. A hotel management graduate with specialisation in the field from the US, Wadhwa never thought of starting his own restaurant due to the higher risk of failure in the business, until 2009, when he bought a lush green space at the Graden of Five Senses, where he started the first FIO Country Kitchen.

What is your take on franchising your restaurant as FIO as Country Kitchen and Cookhouse has got great footfalls in the last few years?

Way back in 1980 when Wimpy came to India, I was involved in franchising the company which took the sole franchisee and then wanted to further sub-franchise. So, I know, franchising is very in-depth and keeping that in mind, we have now started developing our core strengths. The business plan is very clear, we have worked on the strategy, we are very clear on our terms and conditions and we are actually going to roll out our franchising.

What are the criteria that you are looking for your franchisee partners?

Our expectations out of a franchisee would be that he should be a hands-on person and owner of the property. And in case he doesn’t own the property then he must have the lease which should be long enough and the property should be secured for a longer period because our brand is sustainable for longer period, as we are not fly-by-night brand. We will train the franchisee by giving our main chef and our main manager. We will give them complete operating procedures, training to the staff, we will centralise all essential commodities from Delhi, but as far as local food and produce is concerned that can be localised. There will be centralisation of purchase, we have a commissaries and a central purchase cell in Delhi and that will become the backbone for everything.

Which are the target cities for your brands?

We will try and give Cookhouse to every city because its potential is there for every city. But initially, we are looking at Chandigarh and Pune. Our first priority would be to hit the main cities, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and in the B-cities, we are looking at Chandigarh, Jaipur and Pune.  Meanwhile, we have got interests from cities like Dehradun, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Shimla and Srinagar.

What makes Srinagar so tempting to you?

Besides the political ups and downs, there is everything positive about that place and there is so much that you can do there and that’s one location that can have a year round tourist business. Our menu is already suitable – positing Italian and Indian under one roof.

You are offering a mix of Italian and Indian cuisine under one roof. How do you manage to do that?

We are on the lines of modern and contemporary cuisine.  Our recipes are very organic, we grow our own herbs; our recipes are very light, our cooking mediums are very simplified. And the way we have paired our Indian cuisine with Italian is very interesting- two restaurants under one. We have two different teams working in the kitchen together- one for Indian and the other for Italian.

How important is location for you because your restaurants are a fine-dine contemporary restaurant?

For us, the most important thing is location because within the concept, we seamlessly inclined the alfresco and the interior. It is very important for us that the locations which we choose in any of the city has to be lush, blends well and is suitable to our ingredients and exteriors is fairy big in size. We are looking at around 2,000-3,000 sq ft outlet. That’s our requirement of the outlet for FIO Cookhouse but if somebody has larger than this space also, then we can follow the model of FIO Country Kitchen. And if somebody has smaller model than this, then we have a smaller model called FIO Cafes. And the prototype for FIO Cafes will be ready only by 2016 August.  For FIO Cafes, the area is between 1,800-2,200 sq ft.

Which according to you is your top performing restaurant in terms of footfall and revenue?

Cookhouse is my urban take to the country concept. Cookhouse has a larger appeal because Country Kitchen locations are hard to find but am looking at Country Kitchen in Chandigarh in the outskirts. But in terms of location, Cookhouse has higher footfall, likewise, Country Kitchen is a destination restaurant.

We follow the thumb rule of investment v/s return. Between both the restaurants, we are getting a revenue somewhere between 13-14 crores and we are targeting at revenue of 15 crores for next financial year. 

Are you looking for investment opportunity for your restaurants?

We are definitely looking at an Angel Investor, we are in talks with a few people. We are not interested to partner with one-timer rather a player whose interest is more financial. We are looking for investors who can invest in about 4-5 outlets through Delhi-NCR and may be out of Delhi.

What are some of the design elements which you have kept in your restaurants?

Our mood palate is very different. We have retained a lot of natural texture and also our floor design is not stiff at all. The ladies at my home; my wife and two daughters have provided the thought and ideology for this restaurant. They are my designers.

What are your expansion plans in terms of opening outlets?

We are looking at 4-5 locations within Delhi-NCR with priority to get into Lutyens, Gurgaon, and Central Delhi. We have already signed up at Aerocity near the airport.  The next location we want should be high-end and minimum 10-15 kms away from other FIO restaurants because our product is based around catering to the top five per cent segment of the society.

How do you zero upon the ideal location for FIO?

We don’t want to be in the heart of a busy place. We also don’t want to be so distant that people find it difficult to come. We want to be at the edge of greens and at an interesting location like on the hill, or by the river, or under the bridge, on the side of a park etc. and food hubs which is the new concept that kick started in Delhi will be the new thing happening everywhere. In food hubs also, we will be looking for ‘breathing locations’ looking to greens.

NRAI is also working with the government to bring food hubs wherein they can promote restaurants. How will it promote restaurant business?

Food hubs are absolutely the future of hospitality. Hotels have already started to take a back seat on F&B. The malls go dull post 9 PM, the food hub is the place where they are doing well during the day and night both, good parking facilities, infrastructure etc is what every restaurant want and besides that, as a concept it is absolutely fabulous and FIO would love to be part of it.

You also have your catering business. Tell us about that.

It has been for the longest time but as a brand it never got very popular. Probably, the passions were not so high. I would say that now with so many infrastructures around, catering to another level is inevitable. Taking a restaurant to your home for an evening would be probably the next thing in catering business. We are being invited to do wedding catering of another level post FIO period. Our infrastructure goes as we are sitting on 10,000 sq ft central kitchen holding on to 100 chefs and service staff and doing business without advt. But this year onwards, we have 2 new things- we partnered with designer Varun Bahal to launch our catering services along with his launch. Another partnership is with Baka in Dubai for destination wedding and we are their preferred catering partners for weddings in UAE and Turkey.

How much do you believe in promoting your brand online?

I think that is the present and future. We have a PR company which does everything for us. Our social media presence is quite a bit. Our TG is the younger lot. We are there on Facebook, Instagram and our websites are being upgraded now. We have been talked about quite a bit. I feel that it does raise a lot of interest and my two girls are keeping me updated.

Are you planning any licensing agreements? Can any other brand carry the look and feel of FIO or vice versa under an agreement?

Elle, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Harper, they are all on board with us in the sense that they are doing their events here. But as licensing agreement is considered, we can give a thought to it. FIO can relate to anything which is feminine and we can think about some pacts with H&M.

How did the idea of starting a stock market pub initiate?

The idea first germinated on my visit to New York last year. I came across a brewery trading in beer like a stock exchange trades in stocks, and I was fascinated by the innovation of the concept. It was there and then, that I planned to open one in Mumbai with more categories of spirits, beers and wines. We’ve been in the bar business for over a decade now, and our desire to try something out of the box led to planning such a concept in India – which we are sure will be a phenomenon to behold not only in Mumbai, but in all the other cities that we plan to expand to.

How did you decide on the pricing of the drinks served at your pub?

TBSE will trade in alcohol whilst making sure you have a great exchange (of conversation, of course). Starting with all prices (30 ml / 60 ml / full bottle) at MRP, prices of your favourite drink rise in direct proportion to its consumption over a period of time at the bar.

We have invested greatly in the development of this software and in creating adequate back-end support. Hence, there is no need to do any calculations as everything is managed by software, and the staff can concentrate on enhancing the experience with great service. The algorithm is fairly simple– all spirits starts at MRP and is governed by the basic laws of demand and supply. Based on frequency of order and the time periods within which different customers’ place orders, the demand of a particular spirit, wine or beer grows or declines and the prices accordingly go up or down.

In recent years, we have seen Mumbai turning into a restro-pub zone. Why so?

Mumbai has seen a great growth of the employment aged personnel who love to work hard and party harder. Yet, it has been starved for a good nightlife.

You have been touted as one of the most technology advanced bars in India. What are some of the technologies that make you different from others in the same race?

We are the first pub chain in India to own a proprietary bar stock exchange software using a comprehensive algorithm to determine and change the price of the drink for the next customer based on demand. Being touted as the most technologically advanced bar in India, customers can also place an order via a specially developed app (Android and iOS) that lets you monitor prices and order in real time. Customers can compete with each other and the system to score the best prices on their choice of drinks.

We also have unique Stock exchange elements like LED screens and a back-end software that mans all our MIS and POS. The BKC outlet is swanked with a private 30-seater state-of-the-art mini theater for private screenings, movie launches and match showcases for a greater viewing experience.

You are serving a mix of global and regional cuisine. How is the response so far? Which cuisine contributes to your revenue the most?

The response has been great! We have just appointed Chef Kshama Prabhu as our Executive Chef for the Group. With respect to biggest contributors, Chinese and Indian is crown favourites, our starters really fly off the shelves as well. Continental is also really popular.

What are the elements you have kept in mind while designing your pub?

We have ensured we are people-friendly, and we have elements of stock exchanges and a huge alfresco section across our outlets. These days we also see many cafes and retro-pubs turning out to be a social and corporate café. Do you offer such things at your outlet?

All TBSE’s are in corporate areas where we get a lot of such crowd. We believe in offering value for money options for our guests. In fact, we have special Express Lunches now at all the outlets of The Bar Stock Exchange, Monday to Friday, starting 12 noon onwards till 4PM at Rs 300 only. You can devour two platefuls of Starters of the day as well as a stately Main Course and alongside enjoy a Beer or Sangria. Further, we top it up with a heavenly Mini Dessert – perfect for a Queen’s plate!

What was the idea behind naming your restaurant as ‘Tawak’? How is the response so far?

Tawak means Cinnamon in Sanskrit. Being chefs, for our first venture we wanted to achieve a harmony between various Asian cuisines in an aesthetically pleasing and fun dining space. We wanted to take our patrons on a gastronomical journey through the Asian continent without having to leave the city. Tawak (Cinnamon) was one of the most revered and traded spices in Asia during the ancient times and hence, we chose it to depict our thoughts behind the venture.

The response has been phenomenal. People here love our food and we have constantly been a top rated restaurant. We have managed to inculcate a loyal customer base. Our guests travel from various parts of Delhi-NCR especially for our Galouti Kebabs and Dim Sums.

As you are offering a complete pan-Asian fare under a fine dining atmosphere. What are some of the elements that you have kept in mind while designing the menu?

The first thing we decided upon was that we wanted to give our clientele authentic flavours and to stay away from the Indianised version of Asian food such as the Manchurian. We used the choicest ingredients available in the market to curate a menu that has something for everyone. We avoid using artificial flavours and colouring in the food. Another element that we have focused on is the vegetarian part of the menu. Mostly restaurants do not lay enough emphasis on it and we have ensured our patrons have a great Vegetarian selection to choose from.

How have you designed your restaurants? Who is the designer?

We wanted the restaurant design to be in sync with our theme of a culinary journey through Asia. Our designers- Zeppelin understood our ideas and transformed the place exquisitely. The walls are adorned with black and white canvasses of images from different Asian countries. You will see plains of India, peaks of Himalaya, desserts of Laddakh, markets of China and monasteries of Thailand. On the ceiling, we have laser-cut wooden reproduction of actual coins that were used for trading during the ancient times on the Asian spice route. The walls are done up very rustically and the chandeliers used are made of marine rope. The decor creates a warm, rustic and welcoming ambience.

You were from a restaurant background. How did it help while opening the restaurant of your own?

Being from IHM and having honed our skills working endlessly in kitchens of some of the best 5-star hotels, we were very tuned in with the daily workings of a restaurant and what it takes to operate a successful food business in today's highly competitive market.

Industry knowledge made it relatively easier for us to get all the blocks together to conceptualise Tawak. Training the staff and designing the menu to ensure both food and service exceed guests' expectations, was also less challenging as we both are from food background.

Which profession according to you is the most difficult, a duty of the chef managing the kitchen or a restaurateur?

If you had asked me this question 2 years ago, I would have definitely said chef. But today, after seeing both aspects, without a doubt, its the restaurateur. As a restaurateur, you not only have to make sure that the food coming out of your kitchen is excellent each time and within the stipulated cost, but also look into all other aspects of the restaurant such as service, maintenance, bills, vendors, ingredient cost and most important of all, justifying those expenses, revenue and profits to your investor (yourself or external investor).

As you are operating the restaurant in Noida presently, what is your expansion plan in terms of numbers of outlet and cities in your radar?

We are targeting two more restaurants by 2016. We have a lot of guests who travel from South and East Delhi and are currently scouting for locations in both Delhi and Gurgaon for our next venture. We're also looking at a different model of the current venture within Noida.

You have chosen Noida over other locations. Why so?

We did extensive research of Delhi-NCR market for almost a year before settling down on Noida. After Gurgaon and Delhi, Noida is the next upcoming location. The market showed huge potential in term of the MNCs and residential areas around. There was no good modern- dining restaurant serving the kind of food we had in mind. The decision was also influenced with the amount of funds available since we were bootstrapping this project on our own.

Bollywood veteran Dharmendra is everybody’s favourite and has been ruling heart since his young days, his movies, dialogues, songs are legendary, keeping this in mind Umang Tewari, Partner, Garam Dharam Te Dhaba thought of giving the city its first restaurants inspired by the actor. 

How and what made you to open a restaurant of yours?

I never thought of entering into restaurant business. I was very apprehensive before launching –Garam Dharam Dhaba Te Theka as I am an actor and I don’t know any other thing other than acting as I am unaware about the art of doing business but Mickey and Umang and their love for me made me enter into this business.

How the idea of naming it Garam Dharam was born?

We wanted to give it a name for which people have known me for ages and showered their love on me.  Hence, Garam Dharam was named to give recognition and recall to my celebrity stretcher, on this Mickey conceptualised the Dhaba look for the restaurant, while Umang came up with an innovative idea of clubbing  it with a ‘Theka’ or Bar to suffice the purpose.

What is your contribution in opening this restaurant?

I have asked them not to compromise on the quality of food being served.  I have given inputs on interiors, the menu, and the food.

Why did you choose to give it a ‘Dhaba’ look?

I get tired in etiquette and that’s why I wanted to give it a Dhaba look so that one can relax and eat their food in the manner they want to.

What is your favourite dish?

My favourite dish is Biryani, and anything cooked nicely and with love for ex: daal sabji etc.

What is the first thing that you want to eat when you are here in Delhi?

I look for milk from villages near to Delhi because I love the packet milk sold here. I never slept without drinking milk in my life.

What is one particular dish that you would like to recommend to your customers visiting the restaurant?

I would love everybody to taste the Shaljam Gosht being served here as this is a personal favourite.

What are the different types of expertise served at your bakery?

We are a chain of bakeries serving a very wide variety of bakery and patisserie items. Our main area of expertise is in international bakery and patisserie products.

What new product range you are offering for your customers? Which is the fastest growing product?

We constantly innovate and place new items on the menu, both from the bakery and patisserie sections. The latest product placed on the counter is a new pastry using banoffee base with cheesecake, which has been received very warmly by all customers. The fastest growing product is the relatively new Rainbow and Red Velvet pastries, which are sold out every single day.

What are the special cakes or deserts you would love to treat or recommend your customers?

From our product range, customers repeatedly ask for our special Belgian Chocolate Evasion, Walnut Fudge Brownies, Red Velvet Cake, Figure Friendly Fruit Cake, among a lot of other crowd pullers.

There are many bakery brands today. How much competition do you see with them?

We revel in competition and want more and more bakeries to open. The growth in the segment is of much more importance and the shift of customers from the traditional sweets segment is more valuable. One has to maintain quality and constantly innovate to ensure growth in the market. We have been operating in this area for 13 years now and we have grown as a company every single year.

What is your method of working, at the time when you get numerous online orders?

Our online orders are tracked very carefully, so that we avoid any chance of drop in service. We also do not try to garner too much online business now, as we are in the process of increasing our infrastructure to handle more business in this segment. It is very easy to make a promise online but very difficult to consistently fulfill them, especially keeping the short shelf life and temperature sensitivity of our products in mind.

Which section of market you love to focus?

The knowledgeable customer is our biggest asset. They appreciate our products and force us to continue innovating constantly. The corporate segment is also a focus area.

What is your expansion plan in terms of number of outlets or investment?

We currently have 10 outlets, which we plan to double within the next three years. All our expansion is internally funded.

What made you to re-launch ZIZO into fully stocked bar, live belly dance Sheesha lounge and new gastro menu? What is your expected growth from this?

It is the people very much, people dictate on how we go. At the beginning they were very stubborn, sticking to the authentic. Then we realised that we are gaining popularity but not at the base of what we want to because the people who are coming here are very culturist. Initially, we introduced Lebanese food in a very reasonable price for everyone. When we took the feedback that what is missing, we came to know that in India people are very social and they go in big group where choice differs. People like comfort food here.

The expected growth has already started. In last two months, we have seen 33-36 percent growth month after month.  People like businessman, lawyers, engineers, students and now even big family is coming. Things are picking up and the response is also getting good. In weekday’s 50-60 people come on an average and in weekends there are 150 plus.

What are the major challenges you are facing to operate your brand in India?

There are couples of things. First is the acceptance of cuisine, country like India which adopted Chinese, Mexican etc. Indian cuisine is the biggest challenge, it is so rich and people are so addicted to it. The start in Indian is slow for Lebanese food, a lot of talking, promotion and consistency is needed, it will take time.

Other problem are authentic Lebanese food, availability of honest and qualified brokers who helps us to expand, quality research, accurate data, and correct statistics is very difficult to find. Even getting good staff to believe in our brand, as it is a new brand and the positioning is a huge problem.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your food joint?

We are serving Lebanese cuisine. Now, we have added QSR products like burgers, juices, drinks and desserts. It is a multi faceted; some come for fine dining, some for drinks etc.

What is your view regarding the transformation in the taste of customers in India?

It is very slow going. I have never imagined, the whole world is going for healthy and organic food but here Indian wants to eat unhealthy food. People complain that it is simple, not fry, spicy etc.

I have done research but I am confident that eventually our place will be recognized. People will understand the essence of good quality food. This is a misconception that only spicy food will be tasty, even healthy food can be tasty.

Do you see any threat from your competitors?

Yes I do see threat from my competitors. I have seen successful lounge bar, in India if you want to succeed you should have exotic, loud music and cheap drinks.

What is your expansion plan in terms of no of outlets?

Four outlets are coming in Delhi NCR within three months. After that we will start with Mumbai then Bengaluru and Pune very soon. So, we will be opening 10 outlets in next six months.

Any new launch is expected in near future?

Absolutely, in three to four months you will see us at cyber hub ground floor; it is not only about great food but also entertainment, authentic music and belly dancing. You will see a great exposure.

Now we are also planning other parts in India, even a Night club. We will make some big announcements in next month like Express model.

How did you plan to start a vegetarian Marathi restaurant in Bengaluru?

The answer is very simple but little emotional. I am here at Bengaluru after marriage and working in an IT sector. So I use to crave for my native food which is not available. I use to order my native food from my mother’s place but that vacuum was there from day one.

Similarly, people from across India migrate to Bengaluru and crave for the authentic Indian food. But nobody stand for vegetarian food. You will only find core Korean food, core Mexican food etc. As there is so much of diversity, so no core Indian food or Maharashtrian food can be get easily. I started small catering items like Diwali item in 2006 and use to give that food to my friends and this way this restaurant was started.

What does the crowd seems like, normal crowd, marathi’s or a combo of both?

Believe me, out of 200 thalis sold in a weekend, only 20 people are Marathi, rest are normal people. We have around 100 customers daily and for weekends it gets booked on Thursday only.

We serve finest cuisine from Maharashtra that tantalizes and satisfies everyone’s taste buds.

Who do you see as your major competitors?

I do not see anyone as our competitor in the region as we are the only one who is serving vegetarian Maharashtrian food in the region.

What Marathi twist you have added at Purnabramha? How is the response from the customers?

Puranpoli, Sabudana Khichadi, Koshimbir etc are some of the options everyday in our menu and especially on Sundays. Recently I have an order of 350 Puranpoli and 350 Vada Pav. I believe in classic. The basic is what we serve.

I receive feedback from Facebook reviews, Zomato reviews, Food Blogger, Book Blogger etc. Besides, that I also have a feedback form, where a mother wrote that I have never seen my kid to eat in such a good manner.

Purnabrahma's staff is known to be well-mannered and trained. How did you manage to maintain service like this?

It is easy. I told them that you are not only preparing the food and serving the food; you have to understand that the customer has come for some reason. There are three kinds of people who come; to enjoy, some come out of expectation or who has no one to share with.

When can we see you entering into the North Indian market?

We are planning for expansion. Many people have approached us from outside, so I am planning to open centre at Singapore, USA. These deals are happening in next month only as my team is ready and also education plans are also ready.

What are your future plans in terms of no of outlets?

This is a hub. It can serve nearby 10 small locations.

Do you have any plan to sign a franchisee deal?

Yes, we are looking for franchising. Ladies who are sitting at home due to personal home problem but have lot of potential. I do women power and believe in Women empowerment. We are looking for investors who can raise fund for us in India and also abroad. 

How and when did you decide to open a restaurant of yours? How was the investment managed?

We moved to Delhi from Goa after selling The Republic of Noodles to The Lemon Tree Resorts in 2010 and decided to open a Pizzeria, inspired from our travel to NYC that summer, specifically to Brooklyn and the family run pizzerias there, that have elevated pizza making to an art.

All the partners dipped into their savings to open the first couple of stores at Arjun Marg and Galleria Gurgaon.

What are the challenges faced to manage a restaurant?

A lot of infrastructure related issues especially the electricity, backup, the environment; the Internet etc is a major concern. The other challenges are related to training and performance and quality and consistency of supply and product.

Fat Lulu is known for Pizza or mainly Italian dishes. What inspired you to introduce something like this? Who do you see as your competitor in the market?

We used to have a regular poker game every Friday and invariably someone would order pizza, but we were never quite happy with the quality of the large delivery chains and craved the thin crust wood fired pizzas we had tried on our travels, and hence, decided to open the pizzeria.

There are a lot of exciting new players and anyone doing good quality product is our competition, but to name a couple, it would be Amici Café, Anna Perenna and NYC Pie.

What is your view on the FSSAI law? How much do you agree with the law?

The law caused a lot of supply disruptions and increased prices, we personally feel it’s a bit unnecessary, as in some cases, it’s not practical to list all the ingredients, the main ones should suffice and also the order sizes might not be large enough for the manufacturers to specify the “India Clause”, although well intended, a more practical implementation is required.

How do you decide on pricing keeping your target customers in the mind?

We do work back on our costs and a lot of the costs are not just with the food but the cost of infrastructure and staffing etc, and at the same time, we have to keep an eye on what’s on offer in the market and the value perception for our customer.

What is your view regarding the transformation in the taste of customers in India?

As people travel more and the markets open up, the aspirations and the taste of the customers definitely has undergone a transformation, now people are willing to pay for and appreciate quality products and expect a high standard of consistency and quality of the food. The willingness to experiment with different cuisines and ingredients and a high level of awareness with regards to any new foods or products e.g. Kale, Quinoa is there with the customers. It’s exciting to be able to introduce new ingredients and have customers understand and appreciate them.

What is your marketing approach to survive in this market? How do you see social media as a marketing medium?

We have always kept away from an aggressive marketing plan and have relied on listings and local area flyer drops especially for the delivery market and word of mouth and participating in events and festivals for awareness. Social media is very useful to get the message out real quick and also in receiving feedback from customers.

What are your expansion plans? Are you also planning to take franchisee route?

We are keen to grow on our own and all the outlets so far have been self funded and managed. We would like to retain control over the quality and experience and would rather grow at our own pace than rush into an expansion. For us, Franchise would happen only if the Franchisee is willing to buy into our vision and is on the same wavelength with regards to providing customers a unique experience.

What inspired India’s wonderchef to launch lifestyle houseware products?

In lifestyle houseware products, people’s engagement is very high, but still they don’t think of it much because it is not been showcased. Earlier, people used to be worried about things showcased outside. When our economy starts to do well, people’s internal needs are as important as the external needs. The need to satisfy themselves is equally high.

Once we started understanding that the home category is growing then we started building the brand and expertise. Also, cooking is our core but our major interface is in home, so we decided to focus upon houseware products.

What is the product range and its features?

Our product range includes mittens, pot holders, kitchen aprons, place mats, kitchen towels, napkins and table runners. These mid-premium quality products are need sensitive and not price sensitive.

These products are crafted in 18/10 stainless steel, which is food grade, hence, safe for usage. It has classic and contemporary styles that will complement any dinnerware pattern. The product range varies from modern contemporary patterns to plain and elegant styles, which makes it classic and timeless. Also, there is an exclusive high-end premium range of cutlery available under the SK Signature Brand, which is crafted with silver-plating and gold-plating.

What are your plans of promoting the brand?

In association with retail licensing with Tangerine, the designer brand in Home Solutions and part of the Indian Home Variations, initially we are reaching to 200 point of purchase and over a period of time, we are planning to reach 1,500 to 2,000 POPs. With the expansion of categories, these products will also be available in modern retail outlets.

Further, we are focusing on tableware cutlery products and few new innovative products. These categories will be like the combination of bread and butter and jam. When you are new in the market, you have to focus on sustainability of the business and the values so the new categories will be a mix of both. Therefore, some products will be predictable and some would be the cutting edge.

What is the current FMCG trend that is driving food and retail business?

Food business is of two types, one is in-house and the second is out of the house. Big value is coming from in house, and the excitement is in out of home consumption. Out of home consumption is value added and in house consumption is less value added. The cost of conversion is less in in-house consumption but the volume is high and in out of home food, volume is less but the conversion ratio is much higher.

A cup of tea costs Rs 2 in-house and the same tea costs Rs 10 at dhabawala. Because people are looking at consumption out of home more, the excitement is more and this emotion (need) is driving food in the FMCG category.

What is your investment in this venture? And what will be the ROI?

I have invested around Rs five crore and targeting to have Rs 100 crore sale by the end of 2016.

We are building through a licensing model so we have definitely kept an outlay. But we are working on our strengths of the brand to do smart alliances, smart associations and keep our cost low. We have a following of 30 lakh people on Facebook while connecting with 70 odd restaurants.

In marketing, we are not keeping aside any major outlay. We will have TV presence through our programmes like Wonderchef.