Chandigarh based Super Donuts to open more outlets

Wendy's, the world's third largest burger chain, is opening its latest restaurant at Cyber Hub, Gurgaon and enhancing its customer offer across all locations.

Wendy's at Cyber Hub, and all restaurants, provides customers with the highest quality experience in the QSR market.

With a world class restaurant design, the restaurant has a comfortable seating in different zones, music by Coke Studio and digital plasma and projection screens for the sports games.

“We are delighted to be opening Cyber Hub and taking the chance to expand our offer everywhere. The story is pretty simple: Wendy's offers great quality at the most affordable prices. We think this is something new in the QSR market and are excited to get feedback from customers,” shared Jasper Reid, CEO, Wendy's India.

Not only this, the customers get usual Wendy's hospitality- orders brought to the table, crockery (not cardboard) and all served by Wendy's great team, trained to Go Beyond.

The Wendy's menu has also been expanded to include new burgers, wraps, snacks and delicious, cooling shakes.

Wendy's in India now has the widest range in the QSR market offering ever-popular burgers like the Aloo Crunch, Baconator and Chicken Chipotle as well as salads, Baked Potatoes, French Fries with sea-salt, great desserts and much more. The drinks menu includes 100% Arabica coffee, Wendy's Fruitails and all the usual favourite sodas.

On top of this great quality, Wendy's has expanded its range with even more affordable items. The menu starts at 39 Rupees and has a range of great vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals for customers under 99 Rupees. For example, customers can enjoy a Railway Cutlet Meal for only 69 Rupees! For 79 Rupees, we offer Barista-blend Cappuccino and Chilli Cheese Melt for when the snacking urge strikes. In fact, Wendy's has great deals all day long.

"We believe Wendy's offers much more for much less. For example our 69 Rupee meal is not only the best price in the market but customers get a whole lot on top: bigger patty, fresh toppings like cilantro and onion, food made-to-order, a 300ml drink, fries with sea-salt, table service, real crockery, restaurants with free Wi-Fi and great music or video. At 69 Rupees we think this is a superb value,” added Reid.

Wendy's launched in India in May 2015 and has 4 restaurants in NCR. The business plans to open 40-50 restaurants in the next 4 to 5 years in multiple regions across the country.

Fast food chain Burger King is planning to add 35-40 outlets in India by end of 2016.

The US based burger chain which entered India in November 2014, is targeting to position itself as a leading quick service restaurant brand in the fast evolving Indian food market.

"Burger King is a mass brand and the idea is to get into every city including tier 1, 2 and 3. The plan is to build a huge portfolio of restaurants in India and lead in India as a restaurant brand in QSR (quick service restaurants)," shared Rajeev Varman, CEO, Burger King India to PTI.

The company, which operates 48 stores in India, indicated that it is likely to expand at the same pace as last year- opening 35-40 stores in 2016.

"Last year, we had entered about 13 cities, with major cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Punjab and Pune. We are continuing to build at a similar pace like last year. We are making sure that we cover all markets," Varman added.

When asked if the Burger King will open stores in existing cities or tap new markets as its expands in the country, Varman said: "We will continue to build in cities that we have entered and will also continue to build in newer cities. The aim is to effectively reach our customers."

As a part of its focus menu innovation, Burger King has brought in India recent global launch 'Angry Whopper' made of red buns and spices.

"We are committed to giving our guests in India a whole new experience in burgers,” Varman pointed.

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

Chai Break was incepted in 2010 with a small outlet of 40 sq ft in a kiosk model and then we developed a small café model in early 2011. After success of this experiment, we launched our flagship store in November 2011. The idea behind this establishment was a thought that there is no good place to have a cup of tea, which tasted like home or as prepared by expert dhabas. After a long time, while meeting school friend Aditya Ladsaria, now my partner, the thought of creating this place with a difference came to our mind.

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

We have seven stores with an average size of 2000 sq ft.

What are the different types cuisines served at your restaurant?

Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Mexican food and many more are served at our restaurant.

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

We started from a very small level, so we have seen ourselves evolve with all sorts of problems such as customer complains, food complains etc. After facing these issues we exactly know what our customers look for. As we usually have high man power and turnover,   one of the biggest problems we face is to train them.

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 programme, which has been designed by our marketing team to retain our customer base and have been using capillary solutions for it. Customers will also have some free points from every last purchase which motivates them to drive to the café.

Our raw material sourcing is mainly done from Kolkata, but there are certain items like cheese, kesar and few more which are sourced from Delhi. We believe in creating opportunities inside organisation for employees to showcase their talent and work that assist them to grow. .

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

Yes, we plan to open a minimum of four outlets in 2016 – 17. The strategy is to double our turn over.

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

In next five year, I would like the brand to be spread Pan India, serving good food and beverage across all classes, major cities and B towns.

Future Consumer Enterprise Limited (FCEL) that focuses on food and fast moving consumer goods sector in India and has the product range from foods and spice, snacks and beverages to quality flour and instant mixes has recently launched more than 26 in-house brands in 60 plus categories from frozen to fresh value added products to non-food.

What are the products you have launched under FCEL?

We have launched more than 26 brands in 60 plus categories from frozen to fresh value added products. We have launched bakery range, personal care, personal hygiene and home care. Our whole thinking is all about understanding India where the gaps are and where we can convince.

Presently we have over 30 brands across food and non-food categories with about 350 SKUs and we will introduce about 1000 SKUs by the end of the current fiscal.

Which is the fastest growing category among the wide range of categories?

Desi Atta brand which was launched last year has got very good success along with Tasty Treat. Our Sangi’s Kitchen brand which has six flavors like chutney kind of sauces, deeps condiments has also worked very well so we will launch around 40 to 50 flavors in it. Finally the Golden Harvest and Carnet brands are also doing well.

Please tell us about your tie-up with rice brand?

We have tied-up with rice brand, they are more into basmati rice but they understand the rice as a category, they believe in manufacturing so we agreed to do the joint venture. There are a lot of people who understand the process, manufacturing, system and we would love to align with them.           

While rural part is more or less lagging what is the kind of market share you are looking further?

Around 60 percent of Indian depended upon agri income and once its goes up then it will come into consumption in a big way. We are present into 244 towns in rural India and we have tied up Rajasthan government on converting the public distribution system into kind of modern store. We have already converted close to 1000 stores and by June 2016 we should be converting close to 5000 stores.

Adhar is another business wherein we are opening stores in Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan which is also catering to the rural market. We expect some of our SKUs which we have built will be getting into that market. We are excited about the rural economy and if it shakes up we will take the advantage of that. Thus, we are strategizing to reach to rural India with Adhar stores and Public private partnership. 

Food industry in general is growing about 6 to 7 percent what is the kind of volume share that you are targeting?

Once we get into our store we are looking at 60 to 70 percent in-house brands volume share in the next four to five years. Currently we are at 30 to 35 percent of volume share. By 2021 we are expecting Rs 20,000cr in sales from in-house brands. We are looking at more than 25 percent volume growth YOY. I believe the food industry growth is much higher than 6 to 7 percent.

This year we are expecting 100 percent growth. We have started in a small way but the ambitions are high. Our interest is in multiple products.

Why do you think that the MNCs are lacking in creating Indian taste?

We believe food is equal to culture of any society. Food is community led and society led so people understand the food better. MNCs have their limitations they are good in many things but in terms of creating a unique product are very difficult for them. They are normally introducing the products which are doing well elsewhere. In this scenario Indian companies have very good chance to do much better than MNCs. It takes five to six months to develop the product, fix the taste, bring in stability and approve.

How you observe the decreasing margin and stable volume demand in the market?

It depends on product to product. In bakery products like biscuits margin always shrinks and volume grows. Currently there is deflation in pulses. In India $300bn of food market is getting generate in every three years.

What will be future launches?

Our next move will be taking dairy products all over India. In the next 45 to 60 days we will be launching oats brand called Kosh. We are launching another personal care brand in partnership with Swiss firm Mibelle.

We have already launched Nilgiri convenience store in Delhi and North part of the country and we are going to take it pan India. Further we are looking to open 360 hypermarkets and hundreds of small stores. With this development our retail side alone will be close to Rs 45,000cr and our brands can be part of this growth.

We have expanded our FCEL brands reach through Nilgiris, KB’s Fair Price, KB’s Conveniently Yours, Big Apple, Adhar and Easy Day stores.

What led to inception of your brand?

5 Spice Wok was started around 15 years ago with the idea of providing flavorsome Chinese food in Mumbai. Initially, we began with one outlet, but over the time we have expanded to various locations. Our food is our USP; and at the same time we don’t believe in compromising with the quantity of food. We offer food at great price. I also believe that our main goal is to provide good food and service to our customers which will help us to build our brand.

What all is required in designing menu?

Designing a menu takes around 2-3 months as there is a lot of trial and error involved. Our chef formulates the dishes according to the cuisine followed by tasting sessions conducted by our team. Many a times, we put certain dishes on the menu and then check the frequency of order and accordingly the menu is designed. We try to keep a balance of 50 per cent vegetarian and 50 per cent non-vegetarian dishes in most of our outlets.

What are the different types of cuisines served at your restaurant?

At 5 Spice Wok, we serve Chinese and Thai cuisine apart from our desserts which is our specialty.

What are the challenges faced by you in your initial stages?

Initially, we had only one outlet at Fort in Mumbai. We used to have excellent footfalls during the day due to offices around. But the biggest challenge we faced was that our dinner sales were extremely low. However, over the time the scenario has changed and all our outlets are doing very well.

Who are your target customers?

I believe and anyone who likes wholesome Chinese food at an affordable cost is our target customer.

How do you see social media as a marketing medium?

I think social media is a great platform for branding especially with food industry. It makes very easy to put our brand and promote the various services and dishes that we want to offer. It also helps us receive feedback from customers.

What are your growth targets for next few years and can you reveal any strategy for how you intend to achieve this?

Our growth targets would be to open as many outlets possible in this year.

What is your expansion plans? Are you working on any new concept or model to expand your business?

Currently, we have 10 outlets in Mumbai and have recently opened our first outlet in Pune. We plan on expanding to Bengaluru and Surat in coming months. Also, we are looking to cater to our customers depending upon their requirements. Some of our outlets would serve only vegetarian food while some would serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian with alcohol.

Britannia is planning to invest around Rs 900 cr on the manufacturing, technology and R&D while venturing into dairy segment with launching wider range of products. On the other side with slowing revenue growth in FMCG industry the company is facing the slack of downward revenue shift for its core biscuit category while missing the vibrancy in 7.5 economy growth of the country.

What is an average margin on FMCG products?

Growth for overall FMCG products is fairly slow at this point of time. Margin is low. Volume growth is not there but it is better than last year. Prices have decreased and people are eating products but it’s just that revenue is not there. The country is ready for a double digit growth once again. I think there is a little bit reason of slowing rural economy, agriculture economy is in trouble, monsoon is in deficit, minimum support prices haven’t gone up as much as they were in the previous year and the world commodity prices are so low. It’s a very complicated scenario and that probably is the reason for the overall downward growth for FMCG. I am hoping that with the budget initiatives the industry should start to move in the right direction and the rural market should start picking up.

Is there other category like chips eating into your biscuit market or other players are dragging down the market while you are growing much ahead of the industry?

That hypothesis doesn’t work, because even the companies whose products are competing with us are not declaring very encouraging results. Though, biscuit is the largest revenue generator at Rs 25,000cr category in FMCG it should be growing. Despite every company is launching premium products but the growth is just not happening. 

Has the pace of consumers accepting premium products gone down or the consumers have started down trading?

Actually the premium segment is growing faster. What’s really growing slower is the mass and bottom of the pyramid segment. The mass segment isn’t affecting us much and that is one of the reasons that we have been growing faster than the market. The mass segment is 80 percent Parle’s portfolio, 46 percent of ITCs portfolio and 15 percent of our portfolio. We don’t want that to become 30 percent because we are getting into the Hindi belt that is becoming part of our pipe which helps us to push the premium products. Mass is been declining versus the other premium part growing.

What is your take on Patanjali’s aim of taking over all the FMCG brands?

I do think it’s a good company. We are going to watch out how they go forward. We are tracking them and certainly we will watch out for their next steps. They haven’t been much involved into the biscuits market as they have in some of their traditional products, but we will keep our eye on it. I wish them luck and hope they fulfill their dream.

What is your take on 100 percent FDI allowed in food processing? What would be the impact and how do you see the competition ahead?

I do think it’s very good move and it is going to help companies like us. I don’t think there is a gap between implementation and the ground realities. The intent seems to be very clear, government want to go at it and that’s why they have brought it into the budget as well.

What are your investment plans ahead?

We are going to make Rs 900cr investment, 70 percent of it is going to be for manufacturing facility, 15 percent for new technology, 15 percent for R&D centre and other IT initiatives.

What are your future plans of venturing into new segment?

This year we are planning to venture into dairy segment with larger product portfolio and the backend of dairy. It would be a big investment for us. We will have to figure out whether these dairy products will be in the premium or value segment. The measure will be that if there are certain SKUs which is disproportionately priced or lower priced than other parts of that same brand then we will touch that first. I will be able to answer the same in the next three months.

Is it right that you are looking at making considerable revenue from dairy products going ahead?

We haven’t taken a decision on that. We are still in the stage of due diligence and we are working on it.

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

A very successful as a European corporate, opening a restaurant in Bangalore is a dream come true for me. It’s been an amazing journey, we had opened our first Aioli five years back and when the concept received note of recognition from all over.  Aioli was associated with standard of hospitality and now it has become the new Aioli.

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

We have one store and the size is 5000 sq ft.

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

Doing basic things right and allowing mistakes to be corrected is the quickest formula in this business. The list of challenges are endless, we have to gain experience to tackle all this.

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

At Aioli, we only concentrate on individual tables/guest, standard of service and quality of food served. If all this goes right, we don’t need any operation to support our business, which is opened with passion and passion need to reflect in what you do.

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

Yes, for sure. We have two major projects which are coming up in Pune and Delhi.

What are the design elements you kept in mind while designing this theme restaurant?

As I said that we are theme-based cafe and you must be aware that our theme was not an easy one. As the name suggests The Bollywood cafe" you can judge what Mumbai Matinee is all about. While designing, we only considered our childhood times where we grew up watching movie actors, bollywood songs etc. The technology used for entertainment in our cafe was selectively picked to display at our restaurant. People are welcome anytime to relive the Bollywood era of 50s-90s.

Do you serve cuisines with filmy names?

There is no such filmy cuisine but yes with the name Mumbai Matinee come the patent dish from Maharashtra which is Vada Pao and Missal Pao.

What are the challenges you face to manage a restaurant?

Well, managing a restaurant is one of the most courteous jobs for today. In F&B industry, quality is the biggest parameter for the restaurateurs to live up to.

Do you have any planning to go online like other restaurants?

If we would like to go online like other restaurants, then it won't be for home delivery. But I would love to go online for different reasons.

What was the reason behind choosing ‘Bollywood theme’ for your restaurants?

Picking Bollywood theme for restaurant is not an easy job. I have seen various cafes and restaurants on this theme. But I believe just by printing few legendary films and framing them on walls doesn't make it a Bollywood cafe. Before launching Mumbai matinee we actually researched for six to seven months. It was like a complete thesis which we have done. From the start of the cinematic experience which was "Alam Are” to "hum Apke hai Kaun”.

And we can only attract people around us by serving good food. An ambience may give you a lot of customers but good food, brings along repeat value for your restaurant. I have one and only principle to run this industry that is “if your food tastes great" there is no one who can pull you back.

What is your average footfall?

It is good enough to run a restaurant successfully.

What is your expansion plan?

Expansion is indeed a very important factor. But we are waiting for the right time.

Are you planning to launch anything for this New Year?

For us every festival is as important as others. We decorate and beautify our cafe for every celebration.

Mother's Day is the perfect occasion to show your mom how much you appreciate and value her. It is one such day when you get to say a 'Big Thank You' to your moms for all that they have done for you. It is a day when you want them to feel absolutely pampered and blessed. So this Mother's Day, restaurants have come up with various options to spend priceless moments with your mom and shower her with a delightful bouquet of offerings.

‘Dil’ ki deal

Restaurants like The Westin Gurgaon, The Imperial, Fresco, Yautacha and Zamozza amongst others are bombarding customers with exciting offers to take their mother out on a food treat this special day.

Guppy by Ai located at Lodhi Colony, Delhi, is offering a special summer menu, with gift vouchers and welcome cocktails to celebrate the day.  FresCo at Janpath, CP and Ambience Mall, Delhi, has something to make your mother feel more special. FrescCo will be serving complementary assorted cupcakes (Strawberry/Lemon/ Chocolate/ Kiwi) with ‘Mom’ written over it.  The Mother’s Day buffet menu is priced at Rs 1,500 plus taxes. The customers can also rejoice motherhood over a delightful gastronomic extravaganza at Rodeo, CP, Delhi, as Rodeo brings a delightful array of food, fun-filled ambience and excellent services to host a special lunch and dinner.

Not only this, five-star hotels, are also not far away in welcoming the parent-sibling duo with luxurious offers. 1911, the all-day dining restaurant at The Imperial is offering a Brunch Buffet priced at Rs 3,200 plus taxes featuring Roasted vegetable lasagna with ricotta and olive quenelles, Marinated sole with grain mustard and chilli flakes and Zucchini and artichoke roulade with pesto rosso while you feel satiated that you are at the right place to make her feel spoilt for choice and the list goes on. The buffet would be thematically designed by the team of chefs with lots of candles for a feminine touch to celebrate the occasion and make all the mothers present, feel special.

On the other hand, Westin Gurgaon has something more than the buffet, the special Sunday brunch with gourmet cuisines and unlimited champagne along with a 50 per cent discount on any one treatment of their choice at The Heavenly Spa by The Westin Gurgaon. Customers can also make their mother’s day special with everlasting memories with Le Meridien Delhi consisting of an elaborate brunch, a marvelous live band, an enthralling cooking competition and a sketch artist to engrave her on paper. And one can also indulge in the exquisite cuisine offered at Zamozza, World Kitchen & Bar by getting 50 per cent discount to make the day special for all the moms. 

It’s all about MOTHERS this Sunday at Le Meridien Gurgaon. As a tribute to mothers and in a bid to make the day unforgettable for them, Le Meridien Gurgaon has announced a fabulous Sunday Brunch dedicated to them.

The sumptuous brunch will include a wide variety of cuisines, 200 dishes to be specific, along with beverages that will appeal to varied taste buds of mothers. The Sunday Brunch is priced at INR 2450 plus taxes but complimentary for all mothers.

Apart from delectable Sunday Brunch, Le Meridien Gurgaon is also offering 20% discount on any spa or salon treatment at the Le Meridien Spa for mothers - making it the perfect way to get all mothers to relax and rejuvenate. The Spa offers a variety of therapies for de-stressing  and pampering all senses from Swedish Massage, Balinese Massage, Sea Salt body scrubs and Facials to choose from.

And to celebrate this special day, Brewbot located at Andheri, Mumbai, is serving a classic brunch with pop ups of baked goodies. Yauatcha Mumbai on Mother's Day Special is themed- actions speak louder than words- by serving their signature Yauatcha dishes such as a Chilean seabass dumpling, Baked Chilean seabass, Baked chicken puff, stir fry udon noodles, and raise a toast to the most amazing woman you know with cocktails such as Lalu, Lam peak Martini or Baron Vert. The restaurant will also make the occasion memorable with a special complementary box of Yauatcha’s handmade chocolates for every mom dining with us.

This Mothers Day, Café Mangii gives its customer a chance to say Thank you to their mom in a very special way! Give her a break from the kitchen this Sunday and head to Café Mangii for a delicious family meal. This specially created 4 course set meal priced at Rs 699 plus taxes per person with Fresh Lime / Ice Tea and Rs 799 plus taxes per person with Sangria. That’s not all! For Moms accompanied with their family, Café Mangii entirely forgoes her meal cost. 

Likewise, food tech start-ups like TinyOwl is celebrating Mother’s Day with a twist- TinyOwl HomeMade. Whether you are living alone or simply want to give your mother a break from daily cooking, use TinyOwl HomeMade app to order home-cooked meals freshly cooked. iTraveller.com is celebrating Mother’s day by gifting a Holiday package by completely customising every aspect of their holidays, encourages the idea of doing something special for the lovely mothers. The customers can also get a cash back of Rs 1000, in addition  up to 25 per cent discount on screen price for all the bookings done up to Mother's day.

Thus, we can see that to celebrate this beautiful day, food and hotel industry has come up with lots of offers to cherish the everlasting memory with the love of your mother.

Suresh Prabhu,Minister of Railways, has said that to provide freedom to passengers to select their meals from an array of choices including local cuisine, e-catering has been introduced in 108 trains on an experimental basis from January this year.

Food can be ordered through the IRCTC website at the time of booking of tickets. He said, the Railways is working to integrate the best food chains of the country into this project.

Depending on the response from the customers, the facility will be extended to cover more trains. It is also intended to set up Base Kitchens in specified Divisions to be run by highly credible agencies for serving quality food.

IRCTC has recently joined hands with with Jubilant Food Works, the parent company of Domino’s Pizza, on a trial basis, to deliver pizza across 12 stations.

The passengers can also send an SMS (“MEAL <PNR>” at 139). List of E-catering trains is available at website. The scheme is being extended to more and more trains.

Initially the services will be offered by Domino’s Pizza at twelve stations including, Agra Cantt. (AGC),Alwar, Jaipur, Ambala, Jalandhar Cantt, Mathura Junction, Muzzafar Nagar, New Delhi, Pathankot Cantt, VAPI, Bharuch and Vadodara.

IRCTC has already started e-catering services on a specific section (Delhi – Amritsar), on a trial basis, from 25th September 2014, in non-pantry car trains.

E-catering facility has been extended to 120 trains, and more number of trains is being added to the list every few days.
Presenting his first railway budget, Prabhu, brought a cheer to the common man by not announcing any increase in passenger fares.

He said in the parliament that Railways is introducing ‘Operation Five Minutes’ to ensure that a passenger travelling unreserved can purchase a ticket within five minutes.

Provision of modified ‘hot-buttons’, coin vending machines and ‘single destination teller’ windows will drastically reduce the transaction time.

For the differently-abled travellers, a special initiative is being launched whereby they can purchase concessional e-tickets after one-time registration. The Minister said, it is also proposed to work towards developing a multi-lingual e-ticketing portal. He said, the Railways will move towards crediting all refunds through the banking system.

Prabhu said, in Central Railway, Western Railway and Southern Railway suburban sections, a pilot project of issuing unreserved tickets on smart phones has already started. The Minister expressed hope that this facility will be extended progressively to all stations.

Automatic ticket vending machines with smart cards and currency options have also been installed at many stations.
It is proposed to proliferate this further and also to introduce debit card operated machines.

Introduction of integrated ticketing system on the lines of rail-cum-road tickets on Jammu – Srinagar route will be expanded.

In order to make travel on Indian Railways a happy experience, the Budget has given thrust on Cleanliness and proposes a new department for keeping stations and trains clean under Swachh Rail Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

New toilets will be built at 650 additional stations; online booking of disposable bed rolls will be made available.

24X7 helpline number 138;toll-free number 182 for security related complaints have also been proposed in the budget.

Now, 200 more stations to come under Adarsh Station scheme; Wi - Fi to be provided at B category stations; facility of self-operated lockers will be available at stations.

The concept of pop-up restaurant is being introduced in India lately only in specific cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Pop-ups are generally micro-events that are put up at temporary venues, setting up a moving kitchen and a different food experience for customers. A pop-up restaurant offers the same benefits as compared to any other restaurant excluding the investment of opening a standalone restaurant. Many chefs use pop ups as a way to expand their culinary careers, while others use pop ups as a way to level the dining field, offering gourmet food at affordable prices.

The concept

Pop-up restaurants bring a fresh experience to a new market for a short span of time. In this type of formats, guests sample the cuisines, setting, service, etc. Pop-up restaurants are also a new way for restaurateurs to test out a product on a new market with a very low investment.

Recently in January, famous restaurant brand Diva by Chef Ritu Dalmia has organised a pop-up restaurant in Mumbai at an offbeat location that was first of its kind initiative for the city. AD Singh promoted Olive Bar & Kitchen has also organised such pop-up restaurants first in Delhi and then in Mumbai. Their Thalassa pop-up restaurant was very different from the product offered at the traditional restaurant.

A pop-up restaurant can be organised anywhere, at an existing restaurant location or can be presented like an event at shop or vacant place.

Kitchen designing

The heart of any restaurant is the kitchen, and the kitchen at a pop-up restaurant is mobile depending on the space available at the current setup. Much like catering, a pop-up restaurant offers you a chance to learn the skills of knowing when and where to prepare and serve the food. It is a great way to see if you truly enjoy the hospitality industry enough to take the leap of opening your own restaurant. Sachin Dhoka, Owner, Firangi Tadka, Pune, says, “A pop-up restaurant is the new trend in the Indian F&B industry. I think the pop-up restaurant is a way to promote your existing restaurant that lasts for two-three days.”

Target customers

The target customers vary from place to place depending on the demography and the types of food served at the pop-up restaurant.

For the Thalassa pop-up restaurant, the target market was much broader and different from the market targeted via their standalone restaurant. The original outpost of Thalassa in Goa caters to a wide variety of demographics from families and honeymooners to rich teenagers from all over India. Being based in Goa, Thalassa has this entire spectrum of people throughout the week-end regardless of the season.

Ramesh Gupta, F&B Manager, Meluha The Fern Group of Hotels, says, “Today, people want to experiment, a single concept doesn’t work for longer time, and that’s why, restaurants have started the pop-up shows or the micro events that are put up at temporary venues, for a few hours or few weeks where people collect as many experiences as possible.

Operational strategy

Pop-up restaurant is mostly marketed through Facebook, Twitter, blogs and various other mediums of communication. Chaayos also organised pop-up restaurant concepts at various corporates including Cairn Energy, American Express and Accenture. From the cafe's point of view, a pop-up restaurant gives a chance to get relevant feedback and represents the brand in a different setting. Most such concepts also have samplers and discounts, which keep the customer coming back for more.

Pricing

For a pop-up restaurant, the pricing is similar to the original outpost of the restaurant as well as the restaurant the pop up is taking place in. The restaurateurs and the chef consider the current prices of ingredients and labour cost involved in the setup.

Raghav Verma, Co-owner, Chaayos, a cafe serving chai, explains, “For the Chaayos setup, we ensure everything is very modular, so that we can easily setup and dismantle it. In our experience, these turn out to be easy to execute with significant potential for a high visitor turnout.”

Many people believe that opening a restaurant is as simple as putting on an apron and heading to the kitchen, but every successful restaurant owner knows the ground reality. A concrete business plan, good location, ambience, food served, quality parameter and the service play important role.

A D Singh, Owner, Olive Bar & Kitchen says, “I believe in sticking to the basics. It all comes down to great food, good wine and warm service. Until you have all these ingredients in the right proportions and working the right way, you will not enjoy success. I like to be involved in all the processes of the restaurant, so I do participate in the discussions and tastings.”

He also adds that “I feel people need a place to enjoy the cuisines and food their taste, so the external atmosphere has to be conducive for leisure. Outdoor spaces, with elements of nature, add to the feeling of creative freedom and serenity. If one location of an industry goes bad, it drags down the profits of 4-5 locations. So one has to be very careful while choosing a location.”

Tony Sturniolo, a business instructor at South University, Online Programs, USA says the first step towards opening a restaurant is creating a business plan.

According to Rahul Chowdhary, Director, Helion Ventures Advisors Pvt. Ltd “A food business takes time; you can’t build a large food business in five years. That is why one needs to be more patient since the investors are also not there in the beginning. I don’t think dining out as a habit is going to see any decline. If the economy is not growing, people will shift to more value-based food. So my advice to most of the food businesses is if they want to scale, keep on figuring out a suitable model.”

When one plans to open up a restaurant he needs to have a checklist on certain points, for example: what is the good time to indulge in food business, how to make the food exceptionally good in taste, what is the reason for the current growth rate of the restaurant in the country, localisation of the menu according to the need and demand of the target customers and above all the location which caters the customer.

Talking on the same, Murali Parna, COO, Sagar Ratna, elaborates, “Innovation of menu, good quality food at affordable price, heart warming hospitality to every guest and good location articulate the success of the restaurant in India.”

The consultant trains you how to act on your restaurant business model charging a certain profit stake or fees.

Experts say venturing into a restaurant business is easier than making money out of it. You need to be well educated about the equipments you will need in your new venture. You need to be versed in food-handling procedures and local health codes. Doing market research to find out the type of restaurant you are going to start in the localities will be well accepted. If you are going to start Italian, Seafood or something more exotic then too the risk meter scales up. Often restaurant entrepreneurs make mistakes in believing their instincts solely without taking any extensive market research for the same. Here, too restaurant business consultants can help a food service business.

Saurabh Sengupta - Country Head, Zomato explains, “A restaurant business consultant can be brought in at any stage depending on the requirements by the restaurant owner. While setting up the venture, the consultant works with the owners in developing the concept, operations of the business on a day to day basis, food / menu selection and designing the ambiance. Having been brought in during the expansion phase, the consultant provides insight with regards to changes to the menu, branding, concept, interior design, pricing structure, events, budgeting, food safety & hygiene and training of the management team. As a result it helps in improving the dining experience for many people! There is no disadvantage of hiring a restaurant consultant as such; they are, after all, experts in the food service industry. However, a lot of restaurant owners who avoid hiring consultants may do so in order to maintain the authenticity of their original idea and concept that went into conceptualising their restaurant. Further, a restaurant consultant cannot guarantee a particular result. The consultant may come on board to share his / her expertise, but at the end of the day it is up to the operator / owner to do the work on the business”.

A restaurant business consultant with good exposure to the industry helps to bring ‘differentiation’ in any restaurant. Most of the time, it’s the ‘differentiation’ element that works as the starting point when reviewing any restaurant business or restaurant concept, and it is the core component that may deliver success or failure. The most effective restaurant consulting is one that maximises the growth of your restaurant business. A restaurant business consultant can help you to work on the business model for the restaurant you have thought of. On the menu design, staff management, culinary and cutlery selection, interior design and to many other such matters his/her expertise will add value over others. Thus saving you from the confusing start-up phase, restaurant business consultant can help you make your progress well defined.

Hemang Bhatt, Director, HAS Juice Bar feels, “Starting/expanding a business revolving around food is extremely critical and time consuming. It is very similar to making a movie. You need an expert for each department and a director to give directions in order to create synchronisation. A consultant has an important role to play as well, as he has the experience, expertise and the knowledge of the local people. Food technicians make SOP in consultation with the chef to ensure that standardised food is delivered. Kitchen planning is done with an expert kitchen consultant to set up a comfortable and appropriate kitchen. The interior designer creates an ambience relevant to the theme of the food. The HR consultant recruits and train people according to the wish list set up by the chef and the unit head. The technical specialist sets up the close circuit camera, software which helps restaurants to monitor and control all activities and process the distances for delivery. Creating brand awareness is also an integral part of expansion. A brand guru is consulted for this he puts forward his innovative idea that can create a strong recall value”.

Moreover, a good consultant can bring those ideas and solutions that have been successful in other restaurants. Consultants who are worth their salt bring problem-solving, planning or implementation services depending on what the situation dictates. For example, when a restaurant faces a nagging problem or is about to enter a new stage of growth, it may be a time to consider a consultant. Today with the rise of different types of restaurants, getting success in restaurant business is not a cakewalk. However, a restaurant business consultant is not the only ingredient of success in your restaurant business. Being the owner of the brand, you should be clear of your business concept. A consultant can bring expertise but implementing all the expert suggestions is on you.

It's difficult to realise how important commercial kitchen design is until you work in a kitchen which is haphazardly designed and poor in functionality. Properly designed commercial kitchens can improve your production and staff efficiency. Everything starts with the layout and design of your commercial kitchen. Your kitchen setup affects everything – from staff efficiency to utility costs. So you should take ample amount of time to create an effective layout in order for things to operate as smoothly as possible.

When planning the layout for your commercial kitchen, there are several factors you need to consider while chalking out a perfect kitchen plan.

Space

First thing that one needs to keep in mind is the available space regardless of whether you are building from the ground up or placing your commercial kitchen in an existing building. Either way, you should make the most of your available space without sacrificing your work flow or speed.

Employee mobility

Most common scenario in the kitchen is employees bumping into each other which hamper the work efficiency. So a well-arranged commercial kitchen would allow employees to easily move around without bumping into one another. This is vital to maintaining a smooth-running kitchen, especially during rush periods.

Ergonomics

The theory behind ergonomics is that the fewer steps your employees take to complete a task, the better. An ergonomically designed commercial kitchen is one where employees can stand at one spot and do all their work with minimal bending, reaching, walking or turning. Ergonomics can also reduce the amount of injury, discomfort and fatigue in the kitchen.

Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency should be a primary consideration for any commercial kitchen layout, as it would save money on utility costs. In an energy-efficient setup, refrigeration and cooking equipment are kept as far apart as possible while still being practical. Also, the cooking equipments should be placed strategically to maximize the efficiency of the exhaust hood.

Sensory appeal

Beyond appetizing smells, the kitchen layout can appeal to customers’ other senses as well. Exhibiting kitchens, for example, allow customers to see everything that’s going on. Transparency creates an excitement amongst the customers and they would be attracted even more.

Flexibility

Regardless of the final layout, flexibility of design should be kept in mind as is important for any commercial kitchen. A change in management or food trends could completely change the menu, which can affect equipment usage and placement. Beyond that, one should make sure that the equipment can be easily moved for cleaning.

There is no definite rule on how to arrange your kitchen equipment but it all depends on the available space and your particular needs. However, there are four different arrangements that are common and can be sought before you plan your layout.

1.Ergonomic configuration

In an ergonomic configuration, the kitchen equipment is arranged according to comforts and not energy efficiency. Prime objective in this type of arrangement is comfort. For example, an ergonomically arranged kitchen might have a freezer located directly beside the deep fryer. Although this is not energy-efficient, it allows frozen French fries or chicken to be moved directly from the freezer to the fryer, without even taking a step.

2.Assembly-line configuration

This design serves ideal for a restaurant that mostly produces large quantities of the same foods, like pizzas or sandwiches. In an assembly-line configuration, the kitchen is structured according to the order of use, with the pieces of equipment generally in a line and sometimes linked together. For example, a pizza shop might start with the commercial refrigerator then move to the dough-shaping area, to the pizza prep table, to the pizza deck oven and finally to the warming and holding station or pizza box.

3.Zone-style configuration

As the name suggests, the kitchen is divided into different zones or blocks. Generally, there is a block for food preparation, a block for cooking, a block for refrigeration and ice machines, a block for sanitation and ware-washing and a block for the kitchen-to-server transition. There may even be multiple blocks. For example, a large kitchen may need two food preparation blocks – one near the refrigeration and one near the cooking equipment.

4.Island-style configuration

Island-style kitchens are popular in both the residential and commercial settings. It is similar to the zone-style configuration, but there is one main block in the middle. Typically, commercial kitchens with an island-style configuration place the cooking equipment in the middle with the food prep, storage and kitchen-to-server transition areas on the outer walls. The reverse is also common; with prep equipment in the centre and cooking equipment on the outer walls.