'Indians demand authenticity'

The Yellow Chilli restaurant chain by Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor represents Indian cuisine in all its authentic culinary journey across the country and abroad. The brand offers high-quality family dining experience at economical prices, with the menu having a range of meals from exotic picks from Punjab and ancient Mughal era. 

As always, conversing with the smiling, super-talented chef-entrepreneur provides meaningful insights into the ever-changing, dynamic world of food services. Chef Sanjeev reiterates that he sees immense potential in the Indian food industry, both domestically and internationally. Highlighting the inefficiency in the food supply chain, the chef pointed out that "we still continue to waste 40 percent of what we grow”! Reducing this waste could unlock even greater opportunities for growth and innovation.

Evolving Food Trends

Reflecting on the evolution of the food industry, Chef Kapoor noted a significant shift in dining culture over the past few decades. "Food is traveling more, and people are traveling more for food. Whether it's dosa in Noida or chole bhature in Chennai, regional specialties are now accessible across the country," he observed. The convenience of food delivery and improved logistics has made it possible for people to enjoy a variety of regional cuisines regardless of their location. 

Dishes of Innovations

One of the highlights of The Yellow Chilli sector 90's new menu is the famous Lalla Moosa Dal, a dish that has become a favorite among diners. This dal, along with other signature dishes like Shamsavera and Gulab-e-Gulkand, has been a staple on the menu and a hit with patrons. However, the restaurant is not just about time-tested recipes. The Yellow Chilli is continuously innovating, incorporating local specialties to cater to the tastes of the neighborhood it serves.

“Our all-time favorite, Lalla moosa dal, shamsavera and gulab-e-gulkand. But these are all-time, time-tested dishes. But we are continuously creating and innovating which become part of the menu. And we try to see how we become relevant in our neighborhood,” said the Chef.

Expansion Plans

The Yellow Chilli sector 90 has ambitious plans for expansion, with new outlets planned across India, North America, and the Middle East. As a neighborhood restaurant concept, the culinary restaurant chain aims to bring its unique brand of Indian cuisine to a global audience while maintaining its core identity and emphasizing the restaurant's commitment to serving authentic Indian food.

“So Yellow Chilli is a concept where we serve relevant Indian food from different parts of India with a skew towards North India. We are present in Dubai, the Middle East, the US, and North America. So we'll definitely, as a brand, open more outlets. In Uttar Pradesh we are coming up with three-four projects, as well as in other parts of the country,” added Kapoor.

Embracing Health-Conscious Trends

In response to the growing demand for healthier dining options, The Yellow Chilli sector 90 has always prioritized responsible eating. This approach reflects a longstanding commitment to providing healthier alternatives without compromising on taste or quality. Kapoor added, “Since we understand food, we understand it's a responsibility so it's never been a challenge for us. We deliver what our consumers demand.”

In today's dining culture, the emphasis is increasingly on experiential dining. Chef Kapoor notes that diners were looking for unique experiences that go beyond just the food. The Yellow Chilli therefore delivers on this expectation with a dining experience that is both exclusive and simple, complemented with the highest standards of service. As it continues to expand its footprint, the company and the Chef remain committed to the mission of bringing the diverse flavors of India to diners around the world. 

Authored By 

Ria Duneja & Saptopriya Ghosal

Tappa, the new bistro in Delhi, is the latest addition to the Lite Bite Foods family. Strategically located in Aerocity, Tappa’s vision makes it the perfect place for anything that is passionately Indian with a contemporary twist. Tappa is ready to take you on an inventive and contemporary epicurean journey. Everything about the venue is ‘Passionately Delhi’ and is perfectly projected in the Tappa experience that absorbs you from the moment you enter. The layout and design are inviting, intimate and familiar.

The ambience and decor are cues to triggering feelings of nostalgia and memories thus establishing an instant sense of belonging and connection. Think Campa Cola bottles, the sound of the bell on your childhood bicycle, hopscotch, gully cricket and everything that strikes a chord with you. Tappa thrives on a promise to be as good as all the other brands the country has seen by Amit Burman and Rohit Aggarwal.

Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods said, “We are proud to launch a brand new property in Delhi that will elevate the existing F&B industry in the city into the future but playing upon nostalgia. We feel that in the restaurant business, it is vital to offer distinctness to a restaurant in order to retain patrons in addition to an excellent food or beverage menu, skilled staff and an alluring ambience. Being consistent with the quality is integral to any F&B business and we at Tappa have brought this very ethos in every element of the concept.”

Why the name Tappa?

In a candid conversation with Restaurant India, Kushagra Nagrath, Vice President – Operations at Lite Bite Foods Pvt. Ltd., told, in Punjab, in olden times, Tappe were the songs sung to invoke a lot of emotions among people. “Tappa also means bounce, in the step when you walk in the certain memory. With Tappa, we intend to do the same. If you try, let’s say sev puri, it will remind you that you had it somewhere and suddenly it will trigger a memory,” Kushagra said.

“We are very strongly Indian in our flavours but progressive in our approach towards food. If you look at the menu, there is a kulcha, which is inspired from Amritsar but the filling is Kashmiri. We are creating a new but familiar taste. It will remind you that you have had the food somewhere,” Kushagra added.

The Menu

Tappa is defined by a great kitchen menu, something that Lite Bite Foods is synonymous for and an even better bar menu, coupled with its striking interiors making it the perfect place to be at from day to night. Serving contemporary global cuisine with a hint of local flavours the menu includes dishes that stand out such as Rum-soaked Raisin and Palak, Crumbled Naan, Duck Gassi and Red Wine Prunes Kulcha.

The menu has inventive small plates such as Sloppy Joe, Badal Jaam, Spiced Baked Aubergine Slider, Jim Beam Pork Ribs with Grilled Orange and more while their large plates include dishes like Haleem Khow Suey, Pork Short Rib Nihari, Pickled Pearl Onion, Salli and Taftan.

Chef Sareen brings a different insight into food served at Tappa. He had put different styles of cooking without compromising on the original flavours of the dishes. He has ‘married two different flavours’ and presented on the menu. Chef Sareen is much particular about the food served at Tappa. Speaking about Coconut Cream with Sous vide chicken, he said the chicken is cooked in sous vide machine for 2-3 hours at 68-degree temperature.

The Bar Menu

Apart from the classics with the Tappa twist, since they make their own bitters, the bar menu includes signature cocktails like Intermission, a smacking mix of Dark Rum, Coke and Salted Caramel popcorn, Talli Botanist, a delicious spin of Gin, Jamun and Black Salt or even Malgudi, a 90s throwback if ever in a glass, a heady cocktail of Tequila, Mango and Chili Spice and lots more.

Layout and Design

The layout and design of the concept are intimate, inviting, warm and familiar. The murals are inspired by the 90’s retro style but with a modern touch and are designed keeping in mind the diverse set of styles and trends that can be seen when one goes around the nation’s capital. Vibrant hues of neon yellow interplaying with purple highlights and installations that spell out the colloquial tongue are the defining aesthetic.

Post 10 pm, Tappa will be a high-energy area. DJ plays six nights a week. It is a vibrant young place which embraces everything. “We take everything seriously from food to the service, but it is not the serious place. It is for merriment and will make you feel light. Our focus is when the diners leave Tappa, they leave with a smile,” said Kushagra Nagrath.

Besides, the jali work at the entrance will remind you of wooden chairs with the zig-zag designs, prominently used in the olden times. One can notice three different patterns of the jali work at the entrance itself of Tappa bistro in Aerocity, Delhi.

Tappa’s broad brand character gives it the liberty to transition from a relaxed daytime bistro to a fun night-time bar, thus, making it a place for all occasions! At the heart of the concept of Tappa lie progressive and passionate Indian ideas while retaining a truly global outlook. Tappa explores Indian cuisine built on innovation.

The new tea boutique, The Red Kettle celebrates the best by giving in to life's grand passion - tea drinking.

India is the potboiler being the second largest producer of tea in the world after China and the largest consumer of the beverage using nearly 30 per cent of the world's tea output.  India's love for chai is unparalleled, yet we have lost it to the mushrooming coffee culture. The Red Kettle is one-of-its-kind boutiques that aim to bring back the warmth and love that only tea promises. It is located at Saiyad Ul Ajaib Extension, Sainik Farms, in Delhi.

The ambience of The Red Kettle tea café is a mix of elegance, quirkiness, and is complemented with bright colours. Though the furniture and decorative items are minimal but placed in such a way that it gives a cosy look.

Also Read: How This Tea Cafe Is Brewing The Success Story

With over a wide array of more than 50 teas on its menu, The Red Kettle ensures that every cup of tea is 'a good cup'. Its Olive Leaf tea, for example, helps reduce cardiovascular risk by lowering the blood pressure, controlling type-2 Diabetes, supporting weight loss and eliminating free radicals. Tulsi Rhodendron blend, for another, is simply the best refreshing green tea in the market.

The consumers could select from the range of tea on the menu - angrezi chai, hari chai, sehatmand chai or fruity chai. For the health-conscious, there is power-slimming tea. Apart from the tea, there are Italian delicacies to gorge on.

The Red Kettle is the restaurant venture of Nida Khanam. She is a certified coach and IIM-C alumni. While speaking to Restaurant India, she says her 17-year experience as human resource professional is helping her understand the diverse cultures, mindsets and challenges faced by the consumers in the industry. It was a course of natural progression for an ardent tea lover like her. She aims to run The Red Kettle with as much passion as her earlier roles with a promise to make it easy and amazing for all the tea connoisseurs every sip up the way.

Click to Read: Char Bar Sets Foot In Delhi’s South Campus

Speaking on the tea pairing Nida says, “I could have tea with every meal throughout the day! Besides, my personal choice with desi chai would be vada pao and sandwiches. At The Red Kettle, the most preferred tea is masala chai paired with all-time meals and bread.” “At The Red Kettle we have more than 50 teas; the herbal tea lovers prefer having it with pancakes, tea cakes and wraps,” she adds.

“We want to keep aroma and taste fresh so that our visitors can feel the authentic taste,” says Nida.

Nida plans to expand her restaurant business through the franchise model in the coming years. Yet, in the first few years, she will focus on Delhi NCR as the location for The Red Kettle.

Speaking about the tea trends in the restaurant industry, Nida told, “From online ventures to tea lounges - We are witnessing many new entrants in the market. This would, further, increase in the coming years. There are so many experiments happening around us which are interesting into this market with teas and flavours.”

Ambuja Neotia group’s hospitality vertical is bringing the legendary, globally recognized American casual dining chain Uno Chicago Bar and Grill to India; the first outlet being in Gardens Galleria, Sector 38, Noida. Uno Chicago Bar and Grill’s entry in India also coincides with its 75 years of successful operations across the globe.

Ambuja Neotia is one of the most prominent and respected corporate houses headquartered in Kolkata with its forte in real estate, hospitality and healthcare among others under the vision and leadership of Harshavardhan Neotia, the Chairman of the Ambuja Neotia Group. Harshavardhan Neotia is responsible for landmark projects and concepts across Eastern India. The group has been a passionate and committed hospitality player owning and operating eight restaurant brands, boutique hotels and premium clubs with an established track record.

Harshavardhan Neotia speaks to Restaurant India about creating a smart dining experience with Uno.

From real estate to hospitality and healthcare, and now paving a way into food franchise. Could you share your journey till now?

From the very beginning, my family has been living in Kolkata; it’s been 120 years. We moved from Shekhawati, Ramgarh district in Rajasthan, to Kolkata in the late 1800s. My family was in trading business back then. In the mid-80s, we, the Sekhsaria family too which is related to us, together set up Ambuja Cement - a big flagship business of the Group. In 2006, we divested our stake to Holcim. Meanwhile, I had already started a company that dealt into healthcare, hospitality and real estate; it was a kind of a side business. After the Group sold out the cement business, healthcare, hospitality and real estate became my focus since past ten to twelve years.

In the meantime, we had built a resort on the lines of the Ganges, clubs, banquets and restaurants in Kolkata.

Earlier we were centric to Bengal, especially Kolkata. The opportunity to work with Uno came a year back. The concept and product excited us; they have an excellent product. In the meantime, my son, too, flew back to India after completing his education. I took this as an opportunity to work with Uno Chicago Bar and Grill and open its first outlet in Noida.

Ambuja Neotia Hospitality is a West Bengal-based group. And you are setting up the UNO Chicago Bar and Grill in Noida. How would you define your focus area in terms of geography?

When we signed up with Uno Chicago Bar and Grill, the plan was to build Uno brand across India. Therefore, in course of six weeks, we plan to open the Uno outlets in Noida, Kolkata and Bengaluru. We will be opening more Uno outlets in other cities as well. In the next five years, we are hopeful of heading towards most of tier 1 and tier 2 cities.

The Uno’s office is already headquartered in Delhi.

How do you see the food industry in the next few years?

The food industry has been growing very fast in India even when many food businesses are closing down for some reason or other. It could be possible that their products were not accepted by the people or they might have faced other unknown challenges. There are families who seek a space for entertainment and food and, thus, they tend to go out. Among them, there are working people too, who, in order to avoid bigger arrangement for feasts take their guests to the restaurants for lunches or dinners. Going out with friends is also popular among youths. And, therefore, the culture to visit restaurants is rising more.

The Bar and grill concept is gaining popularity in the country. What is your business strategy to stay ahead of the competitors?

Clearly, we believe, our biggest hero has to be the food. Mr Frederick (the vice president of franchise operations for Uno Global) and his entire team has worked really hard to create an outstanding menu. On the other hand, of course, we are looking at creating an amazing experience when someone visits the Uno Chicago Bar and Grill outlet.

It’s not only the food but also the ambience, the drinks and the music that matter. All together we think and we hope that it will be a great fun party place to be. People can always make plans for the party or come in smaller groups or even as couples, they will feel that they are enjoying a party because of the atmosphere and the music.

Our team has very meticulously curated music to be played at Uno as per the atmosphere. It gets peppier later into the night, while soft when we move from noon to evening. Altogether the experience at Uno is expected to be special.

Will you be adding a local twist to the menu?

The menu is very flexible and adaptable and at Uno Chicago Bar and Grill we have a fairly large section for vegetarian cuisines. We have certainly added spices wherever needed, and there are vegetarian items too. So, I would say the local twist has been adapted, yet we have kept the original flavours intact. Uno in itself has a great variety of products.

Will you be introducing the latest restaurant technologies to sustain the rising competition?

We have to be relevant. We are introducing internet music at Uno Chicago Bar and Grill in India. We will be having Facebook live for the events happening at all our restaurants so that people could enjoy together. In the US, there is a table set-up gaming, we will be introducing that as well. In future, we will be setting up a self-audit kiosk.

We believe in making the experience better. We will serve people with fresh and a variety of flavours at Uno. We have a seasonal menu too. We continue trying different things.

What kind of challenges do you see that lies ahead with UNO Chicago Bar and Grill?

How many people walk through our doors!

What are the food trends to look forward to in future?

Healthy food, if possible all organic. People are also weight-conscious. They want tasty foods which aren’t heavy on calorie. We have enough items on our Uno menu for vegetarians and weight watchers as well. More and more people prefer casual dining over fine-dining. They like to be at an informal place where they could hang out with family and friends.

While making juices at home Anuj Rakyan thought of establishing a healthier option than homemade juices as well as tetra packed juices. Talking about his brand Anuj said,” Using his learnings about food and nutrition, Rakyan created Raw Pressery, a company which has grown 120% in FY18. 

In conversation with Restaurant India at TIE Food Summit 2018, Anuj Rakyan, Raw Pressery talks about the unorganized beverage industry and how emerging brands should bring in major changes in comparison to the older ones.

Tell us about your Journey.

We have created a category of fresh beverages which was very important because consumers were in search for it. In terms of my professional journey, creating a market and giving consumers what they want has been very fulfilling. Raw Pressery Juices are made with a unique cold pressed technology that avoids oxidation and preserves the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables.

With such a refreshing concept, how do you plan to scale this business?

Fresh juices have always existed in India except the fact that they were always made at home or brought on the streets or juice centers. We are planning to organise the unorganized market for fresh beverages. In many ways, we are doing something new. In many ways we are doing something that was already there. We have already made our mark in 12 cities with a presence in more than hundred’s of stores. The next few years will be focused on enhancing the brand, quality and increasing the distribution.

How do you plan to bring advancements in the beverage industry?

We want to continue giving people which will be convenient for them to consume, but convenience without compromise by remaining functional, nutritious and healthy.

Where are we missing out in the F&B industry today?

The FMCG companies and retailers in the past were only focusing on low quality products that they can make at a very low price and distribute as much as they could. Time has changed and more retailers are focusing on having products by increasing the refrigerated areas within their stores, young emerging companies are now challenging the big companies to make healthier products, well packaged and nicely branded.

India has a supply chain for chilled and fresh beverages which is quite expensive. In terms of challenge, the supply chains need to develop and completely change the ongoing scenario.

People have now understood the scope they have for sustaining their business in the food industry. But they usually undermine the level of competitions and various details that they have to perfect in order to mark their presence in the food industry.

Most of the people have thought of coming up with their own venture at least once in their life. But as we know it’s easier said than done. Running one’s own restaurant is a tough business with several challenges tagging along. With the customer’s expectation changing and the introduction of new technologies, things have become more difficult for the restaurateurs in order to survive in the market while promoting their brand.

But by understanding the following challenges, things can work in their favor marking their brands' presence in the market.

The Menu

One of the common problems that a restaurant faces is the menu. Menu designing is said to be a balancing act. Having too many dishes on the menu or overpricing your dishes can act against your brand. The owner should keep the menu size in check. They should consider offering quality over quantity. “A menu is something which I consider as a soul of a restaurant. We gave a lot of time while designing our menu which would be easy to read and understand so that our customer can order their preferred dishes without getting confused,” says Sandeep Tandon, owner of Shikhara Fine Dining Restaurant.

Customer Service

Customer service is yet another challenge which the restaurateur faces. It is said that your food may be outstanding and delicious, but if your service is bad then you are sure to lose your customers. With growing digitalisation, people prefer to read reviews of your restraint prior to their visit. “We train and educate our staffs before they are present in front of our customers. They should be serving happiness along with the cuisines which a customer demands.  In our absence, the venue is known by the staff and food served. We provide a family environment to our staffs so that they love what they are doing,” shares Rohan Saraf, Owner, Roadhouse Café.

Management

Management can be referred as one of the most crucial aspect of a business. Analyzing your business is one important thing for running your venture. Most of the startups lack in this area.  In spite of having great ideas, the restaurants fail due to the absence of a strong management team.

Hiring and Staff Management

It is really very important to hire and train the suitable candidates for your restaurant. Being the face of your brand, your staff can make or break your brand reputation. Training and educating them right followed by keeping them enthusiastic and motivated can certainly help a restaurant overcome this hurdle.    

Capital

This is a segment where many restaurateurs run into a big problem. Capital can be referred as the foundation of a restaurant without which several problems and challenges can creep up. Restaurant owners need a good capital and financial support to run their venture smoothly. Once again, proper and efficient financial management plays a crucial role in running a restaurant.        

Keeping all these points in mind can certainly help restaurateurs build and sustain their brand in the market.

Music has played an important role in life but have you ever wondered how music can change the way we see it!

For a restaurant business, music is considered more than the décor and slightly less important than the food it serves. When it comes to making business successful, music has been proved to be a boon, especially in restaurant business.

One might not even notice the tune or wordings of the music played in the background while in a restaurant, but it surely makes a difference.

India’s food and beverages (F&B) industry is growing at a rapid pace of 10% from USD 48 billion in 2016 to reach USD 77 billion by 2021, says NRAI Food Service report.

Today, the industry is going through an exciting phase where country’s private final consumption expenditure accounts for 60% of the total GDP and is predicted to reach USD 2.4 trillion by 2021.

It works as an appetizer:                                  

Listening to the noise of cutleries, while your order is yet to come, develops a sense of irritation which leads to disinterest in the food, so when music is played, it suppresses the noise of plates and spoons from the ambience, it keeps the interest of the customer intact.

Music also helps in holding the curiosity for the food ordered by the customer; more or less it works as an appetizer.

Makes the customer chew faster:

Studies have shown that slow tempo music has resulted in patrons spending more time during their restaurant visits. However when patrons are exposed to upbeat restaurant music, the number of bites and sips per minute increases, which makes the customer order more food and drinks, while enjoying the music.

Drinks cost a lot more than food items and people order more of drinks when they are in an aura, of loud music. Even posh crowd love to have their favorite expensive glass of wines, while swaying with softer notes.

Keeps the employee energized to work happily:

Studies have also shown that when music is playing in the background, the brain secretes dopamine, which triggers the adrenaline hormone and lets people work more. So music also helps in making the staff work more that too happily.

Staff which are constantly serving, cleaning tables, taking orders need to be active and happy, music helps in driving them active and happy.

Happy staff, happy customer, what more can a business ask for being successful. Thus music is considered more than just a décor.

Keeps the customer engaged:

The chef or whosoever is preparing the food, ordered by the customer needs certain time span to prepare it and place it on the table for the customer. If the restaurant happens to be crowded, there are high chances of making the customer leave and look for other options, which is where role of live music comes into play.

Live music, where the artists are playing or simply an artist playing an instrument adds a lot to the colors of the restaurant, moreover it will keep the customer engaged till a level that he/she won’t even realize their waiting time. Even the customer won’t mind paying extra tip for the pleasant experience.

Sets the mood right:

Food is a therapy for four sensory organs and music adds to the left one. So a combination of good food and good music releases happy hormones in people; a happy customer is the key to successful food business.

“With growing number of workforce in corporate and IT sector, demand for eating out has also risen up. Restaurants are coming up with diverse options from exotic dining options to healthy options. Customers are also more aware about various cuisines and want mix of both home food options to street food options,” says Pariekshit Madishetty, MD, Grid Logic Hotels and Resorts.

केवेंटर्स, एडवर्ड केवेंटर्स द्वारा 1922 में शुरू की गई थी और उसकी दिल्ली, कोलकाता, अलीगढ़ और दार्जीलिंग में चार फैक्ट्रियां थीं। 1940 में उन्होंने सारी फैक्ट्रियां तीन मालिकों को बेच दीं। दिल्ली और अलीगढ की फैक्ट्रियां राम कृष्ण दालमिया को बेचीं। वे मेरे भागीदार के दादाजी थे।  1940-80 तक हम मूलतः दूध, दूध पाउडर, बिस्किट्स और आइसक्रीम्स के उत्पादक थे। फैक्ट्री मालचा मार्ग, चाणक्यपुरी में स्थित थी। दुर्भाग्य से 80 के दशक में मालचा मार्ग राजनयिक क्षेत्र में परिवर्तित होने के कारण फैक्ट्री बंद हो गई। पिछले 10-15 वर्ष हम बिलकुल ही परिचालन नहीं कर रहे थे और व्यवसाय वितरकों और फ्रैंचाइजिस के द्वारा ही चल रहा था। 

मई 2015 में ब्रांड फिर से लॉन्च करने के बाद व्यवसाय कैसा रहा है ?

तगड़ा रिस्पांस मिला है। हमने अब तक 6 आउटलेट शुरू किए हैं। हम मॉल ऑफ इंडिया - नोएडा, पेसिफिक मॉल - सुभाष पैलेस, एपिक्युरिआ जैसे सबसे अच्छे लोकेशन्स को टारगेट कर रहे हैं। 

ब्रांड के विस्तार के बारे में क्या योजनाएं हैं?

हम दिल्ली मार्केट के बाहर आक्रामक रूप से विस्तार करने के लिए देख रहे हैं। हम जल्द ही जयपुर में प्रवेश करेंगे और महाराष्ट्र और हैदराबाद जैसे बाजारों में विस्तार करेंगे। हम अपना व्यवसाय बढ़ाने के लिए फ्रैंचाइजिस पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर रहे हैं। हमने पहले ही 5 फ्रैंचाइजी अनुबंध कर लिए हैं और इस वर्ष के अंत तक 30 से भी ज्यादा करने की योजना है। 

एक फ्रैंचाइजी भागीदार के लिए आपकी कसौटियां क्या हैं ?

हम ऐसे लोगों को देख रहे हैं, जिनमें जूनून हो और जो हमारे व्यवसाय के साथ बढ़ने के लिए तैयार हैं। वे अतिथि सेवा में अनुभवहीन हों, तो भी कोई बात नहीं है, क्योंकि हम उन्हें व्यवसाय चलाने के लिए आवश्यक सारे प्रशिक्षण और उपकरण देने वाले हैं। हमें अपने भागीदार से मूलभूत रूप में जो चाहिए, वो है 100-250 स्क्वे. फी. की उचित व्यावसायिक जगह। 

आपने ताजे बनाए गए मिल्कशेक्स के लिए दूध कहां से लिया ?

अब तक हम सिर्फ दिल्ली - एनसीआर में हैं। इसीलिए हमने दूध और दूध उत्पादों के लिए मदर डेरी से भागीदारी की है, लेकिन चूंकि हमारे उत्पाद ताजे और रोज बनाए जाते हैं। हम हर जिस क्षेत्र में जाएंगे, वहां के स्थानिक दूध प्रदायकों से भागीदारी करेंगे। 

प्रति आउटलेट निवेश पर प्रतिफल (ROI)  क्या है ?

हम बहुत अच्छा व्यवसाय कर रहे हैं। हमारी कंपनी के स्वामित्व वाले आउटलेट्स पर हम 14-15 लाख प्रति आउटलेट का व्यवसाय कर रहे हैं, जबकि फ्रैंचाइज्ड आउटलेट्स हर महीने 12-13 लाख का व्यवसाय कर रहे हैं।   

Keventers was started in 1922 by Edward Keventer, which had four factories in Delhi, Calcutta, Aligarh and Darjeeling. In 1940, he sold all his factories to three owners. Delhi and Aligarh factory was sold to Ram Krishna Dalmiya who is the grandfather of my partner. From 1940-1980s, we were basically the manufacturers of milk, milk powders, biscuits, ice creams etc. The factory was in Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri. Unfortunately, the factory got shut down in 80s as Malcha Marg got converted into a diplomatic zone. For the last 10-15 years, we weren’t operating at all and the business was run by distributors and franchisees only.

How has been the business after launching the brand again in May 2015?

The response has been great. We have opened six outlets so far. We are targeting the best locations around the city including Mall of India Noida, Pacific Mall Subhash Palace, Epicuria.

What about expansion of the brand?

We are aggressively looking at expanding the brand outside the Delhi market.  We will soon enter Jaipur and then expand to markets like Maharashtra and Hyderabad. We are focusing on franchisee to grow our business. We have already signed 5 franchisees and planning to sign over 30 by end of the year.

Why franchisee as a medium?

We believe that in order to expand and grow fast, franchising is the best and quickest medium.

What are the criteria you are looking for, in a franchisee partner?

We are looking for passionate people who are ready to grow the business. He may not be from hospitality background as we will provide all the trainings and equipments to run the business. The basic thing which we require from the partner is the commercial site selection of around 100-250 sqft.

From where did you source the milk for the freshly made milkshakes?

So far, we are present in Delhi-NCR. Hence, we have partnered with Mother Dairy for milk and milk products. But, as our products are fresh and are made daily, we will partner with local milk suppliers in each region we enter.

What is the ROI per outlet?

We are doing very good business. At our company owned outlets we are doing business of around 14-15 lakh per outlet per month. Whereas, the franchised outlet are doing 12-13 lakh per outlet per month.

विकास के मामले में डंपलिंग मॉमो आज किस स्थान पर है?

वर्तमान में हमारे पास तीन आउटलेट हैं। हमारा पहला आउटलेट कोलकाता में डायमंड प्लाजा मॉल के अंदर है और फिर हम अपना पहला आउटलेट खोलने के तीन महीने में दूसरे आउटलेट के साथ आए। उसके बाद हमने नमक झील के पास शहर के सेंटर मॉल में तीसरा आउटलेट लॉन्च किया।

आपकी उत्पाद श्रृंखला क्या है?

हम केवल डंपलिंग बेस के साथ मोमो में डील करते हैं। हमारे पास मोमोस की 48 विभिन्न किस्में हैं। उदाहरण के लिए स्टीम्ड मोमो, फ्राइड मोमो, पैन फ्राइड मोमो, चॉकलेट मोमो, वेज. हराभरा मोमो (जो शुद्ध वेज फॉर्म में हैं और किसी भी एडिटीव्स के बिना, हरे रंग का) और बहुत से। हम तंदूरी मोमो भी लॉन्च कर रहे हैं, जो बाजार में एकदम नया होगा।

हमारी विशेषताएं वेज. हराभरा मोमो (एक हरे रंग का मोमो), डिमशोम मोमो (इसमें एक चिकन स्वाद के साथ एक अंडा मोमो) और डंपलिंग कॉटेज पनीर मोमो (सफेद सॉस बेस में मोमो, जो मूल रूप से तिबेटीएन और इटालियन कूजिन है), खो-सूई (तिब्बती सूपी नूडल "थुपका" के साथ गर्म बर्मी सूपी नूडल्स)। ये सभी उत्पाद हमें मौजूदा बाजार से अलग करते हैं।

आपके लक्षित ग्राहक कौन हैं? आपके आउटलेट पर औसत कितने लोग आते है?

हमारे लक्षित ग्राहक मुख्य रूप से कार्यालय जाने वाले, कॉलेज जाने वाले, गृहिणी हैं, जो फिंगर फ़ूड पसंद करते हैं। वर्तमान आउटलेट में फुटफॉल शानदार रहा है। हमें लगभग 8000-9000 रुपये की दैनिक बिक्री मिलती है।

क्या आप अपने प्रतिस्पर्धियों से कोई खतरा देखते हैं?

हां, हमारे सामने बाजार में विशेष रूप से वॉव मोमो है, लेकिन हमारे पास वॉव से ज्यादा विविधता है। यहां तक ​​कि लोग हमें रिव्यु भी देते हैं कि वे हमारे उत्पाद को पसंद करते हैं और यह वॉव मोमो से बेहतर है।

आप मूल्य निर्धारण कैसे करते हैं?

यह बाजार में मिलता है वही है, यह 50 से 110 रुपये तक है।

आपका वर्तमान राजस्व और लक्ष्य राजस्व क्या है?

हमारा वर्तमान राजस्व 3.5 लाख है और लक्ष्य राजस्व एक महीने में 4.5 लाख होगा।

आपकी विस्तार की योजनाएं क्या हैं?

वर्तमान में, हम केवल कोलकाता में काम कर रहे हैं, लेकिन अब हम दिल्ली और उत्तर भारतीय बाजार जैसे अन्य शहरों पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर रहे हैं।

किसी को फ्रैंचाइज़ी मार्ग से कोई अवसर मिल सकता है?

फ़्रैंचाइजिंग हमें अन्य शहरों में विस्तार करने का मौका देता है, उदाहरण के लिए हम गुवाहाटी, पटना, दिल्ली, जयपुर, हैदराबाद, बैंगलोर आदि जैसे शहरों में विस्तार करने की योजना बना रहे हैं और बदले में हम समर्थन, स्टाफ प्रशिक्षण, कच्चे माल की खरीद, अतिथि, उपकरणों की सेवा प्रदान कर सकते हैं, फ़्रैंचाइज़र को आउटलेट का फर्निशिंग और मार्केटिंग करना होगा।

Where does Dumpling Momo sits today in terms of growth?

Presently we have three outlets. Our first outlet is inside the Diamond plaza mall at Kolkata and then we came up with our second outlet within three months of opening our first outlet. After that we launch the third outlet at city centre mall near salt lake.

What is your product range?

We deal only with Momo as the dumpling base. We have 48 different varieties of Momos. For instance Steamed Momo, fried Momo, Pan fried Momo, Chocolate Momo, Veg Hara Bhara Momo(which are in pure veg form & green in colour without using any additives) and many more. We are also launching Tandori Momo which will be in a different format from the market .

Our specialaties are like veg HaraBhara momo (a green colour momo), Dimshom momo (an egg momo with a bit of chicken flavour in it and Dumpling Cottage cheese momo (momos in mix & white sauce base which is basically a fusion of tibetan & italian cuisine), Khow-Suey (hot burmese soupy noodles along with the tibetan soupy noodle "thukpa"). All these products makes us different from the current market.

Who are your target customers? What is the average footfall at your outlets?

Our target customers are mainly office goers, college goers, housewife everyone who like the finger foods. Footfall has been great at the current outlet. We receive a daily sale of approximately Rs 8000-9000.

Do you see any threat from your competitors?

Yes, we have competitions in the market especially Wow Momo. But we have a great variety than Wow. Even people are giving us reviews that they like our product and it is better than Wow Momo.

How do you do pricing?

It is same as you get in market, it range from Rs 50 -110.

What is your present revenue and target revenue?

Our present revenue is 3.5 Lakh and the target revenue will be 4.5 lakh in a month.

What are your expansion plans?

Currently, we are working at Kolkata only. But now we are focusing on other cities like Delhi and North Indian market.

What are the opportunities one can get from the franchise route?

Franchising gives us opportunities to expand in other cities for instance with the help of franchising, we are planning to expand in cities like Guwahati, Patna, Delhi, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bangalore etc. And in return we can provide support, staff training, procuring raw materials, serving to guest, equipments, furnishing the outlets and marketing the outlets to the franchisor.

एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार भारत में रेस्टोरेंट उद्योग 7 प्रतिशत के दर से बढ़ रहा है, जिसमें से संगठित क्षेत्र, असंगठित क्षेत्र के मुकाबले अधिक तेजी से 16 प्रतिशत से बढ़ रहा है। 15 लाख खान-पान बिक्री केंद्रों में से केवल एक छोटा हिस्सा ही संगठित क्षेत्र का भाग है। संगठित क्षेत्र 2017 तक रु. 22,000 करोड़ तक पहुंचना अनुमानित है। त्वरित सेवा रेस्टोरेंट अधिकतम विकास प्रदर्शित करेंगे और कैजुअल डाइनिंग, कैफेस तथा फाइन डाइनिंग उनसे कदम मिलाएंगे। ज्यादातर भारतीय महीने में सिर्फ दो ही बार बाहर खाते हैं। वो यदि और थोड़ा भी ज्यादा बाहर खाने लगते हैं, तो बाजार के अवसर बेहतरीन ढंग से बढ़ जाएंगे।  

अकेले दिल्ली - एनसीआर में ही लगभग 2,200 लाइसेंस्ड आउटलेट्स हैं, जबकि मुंबई में 1,500 और बंगलुरु में लगभग 300-400 लाइसेंस हैं। खर्च करने लायक आय, एकल परिवार और कामकाजी जनसंख्या में वृद्धि के कारण रेस्टोरेंट व्यवसाय नई ऊंचाईयां छूने जा रहा है। रेस्टोरेंट व्यवसाय के लिए एक और अनुकूल बात ये है कि ये व्यवसाय फायदेमंद होने के कारण इस क्षेत्र में निजी निवेश बढ़ रहा है। 

अगर आप रेस्टोरेंट व्यवसाय में कदम रखने की सोच रहे हैं, तो कानूनी उलझनों से बचने के लिए आपको सारी आवश्यकताओं की पूरी जानकारी होनी चाहिए। नियामक मानकों का पालन करने के लिए विभिन्न निकायों से जारी किए जाने वाले लाइसेंस/अनापत्ति प्रमाण-पत्रों की जानकारी यहां दी गई है। 

1. अन्न सुरक्षा लाइसेंस : FSS (खाद्य व्यवसायों के लिए लाइसेंसिंग और पंजीयन) नियामक 2011 के अंतर्गत लाइसेंस पाना प्राथमिक आवश्यकता है। हर रेस्टोरेंट मालिक ने अपना व्यवसाय FSSAI के साथ पंजीकृत करना अनिवार्य है, क्योंकि वह सर्वोच्च खाद्य नियामक संस्था है। इतना ही नहीं लाइसेंस के बिना रेस्टोरेंट व्यवसाय करना कानूनन जुर्म है और इसके लिए दंड भी हो सकता है। पंजीयन, राज्य लाइसेंसिंग और केंद्रीय लाइसेंसिंग के लिए पात्रता मानदंडों को देख लें। केंद्रीय लाइसेंसिंग प्रक्रिया के लिए इस लिंक का आधार लें - http://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/UserLogin/Login...
2. स्वास्थ्य/व्यापार लाइसेंस : एक और महत्वपूर्ण लाइसेंस, जो रेस्टोरेंट मालिक के पास होना जरूरी है, वह है स्वास्थ्य/व्यापार लाइसेंस। ये नगर परिषद या राज्य के स्वास्थ्य विभाग द्वारा प्राप्त किया जा सकता है।
3. भोजनगृह लाइसेंस : भोजनगृह लाइसेंस अनिवार्य है और ये शहर/राज्य के पुलिस मुख्यालय या पुलिस आयुक्त द्वारा जारी किया जाता है। इस लाइसेंस के लिए ऑनलाइन निवेदन का भी प्रावधान है। उदहारण के लिए यदि आप दिल्ली में रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करना चाहते हैं, तो आप http://delhipolicelicensing.gov.in/eating/eating-h... पर जाकर आवेदन दे सकते हैं।
4. अग्नि-सुरक्षा प्रमाणपत्र : सभी रेस्टोरेंट्स को आग से बचने के उपाय करने पड़ते हैं और इसके लिए उन्हें शहर के अग्निशामक विभाग से अनापत्ति प्रमाणपत्र (NOC) लेना पड़ता है। आवेदन के बाद, निरिक्षण प्रक्रिया पूरी की जाती है और सभी मानदंडों को पूरा करने पर अग्निशामक दल के अधिकारी NOC जारी करते हैं या अगर आपके रेस्टोरेंट की अग्नि-सुरक्षा में कोई कमी हो, तो आपको जानकारी देते हैं।
5. मद्य परवाना : अगर आप अपने रेस्टोरेंट में शराब परोसने जा रहे हैं, तो उसके लिए लिकर लाइसेंस L-4 (नए आबकारी नियमों के अनुसार L-17) होना जरूरी है। ये शहर/राज्य के आबकारी आयुक्त से लिया जा सकता है। http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_excise/Ex...
6. रेस्टोरेंट्स की संमति/पुनः संमति - यदि आप L-4 के लिए आवेदन देना चाहते हैं, तो उसके लिए भारत सरकार के पर्यटन विभाग के राज्य कार्यालय से पूर्व संमती आवश्यक है।
7. उद्वाहक अनुमति : बहुमंजिला इमारतों में स्थित रेस्टोरेंट्स को सुनिश्चित करना पड़ता है कि लिफ्ट सुरक्षा मानकों के अनुरूप है। इसके लिए उन्हें विद्युत् विभाग के निरीक्षक तथा शहर के श्रम आयुक्त से भी अनुमति प्राप्त करनी होगी।
8. म्यूजिक लाइसेंस : जब तक आपके पास कॉपीरिथ एक्ट, 1957 का अनुपालन करने वाला लाइसेंस नहीं है, आप अपने रेस्टोरेंट में रिकार्डेड संगीत या वीडियो चला नहीं सकते हैं। ये लाइसेंस फोनोग्राफिक परफॉरमेंस लि. (PPL) या इंडियन परफोर्मिन राइट सोसाइटी (IPRS) से प्राप्त किया जा सकता है। http://www.pplindia.org/licctg.aspx या http://www.iprs.org/cms/ पर जाकर प्रक्रिया पूरी करें।
9. पर्यावरणीय मंजूरी का प्रमाणपत्र (CEC) : रेस्टोरेंट्स पर्यावरण मानकों का भंग नहीं कर रहे हैं, ये सुनिश्चित करने के लिए शहर/राज्य के पर्यावरण मंडल से NOC आवश्यक है।
10. बीमा : रेस्टोरेंट्स के पास सार्वजनिक जिम्मेदारी, उत्पाद की जिम्मेदारी, अग्निसुरक्षा- नीति तथा इमारत और मालमत्ता नीति - इनके लिए बीमा होना आवश्यक है। ये किसी भी मान्यता प्राप्त बीमा कंपनी से पाए जा सकते हैं।
11. साइनेज (संकेतक) लाइसेंस : संकेतकों के सार्वजनिक प्रदर्शन के लिए आवश्यक इस लाइसेंस को आप नगरपालिका समिति या नगर निगम जैसे स्थानीय नागरिक प्राधिकरण से प्राप्त कर सकते हैं।
12. शॉप्स एंड एस्टैब्लिशमेंट एक्ट : आपने शॉप्स एंड एस्टैब्लिशमेंट एक्ट के तहत आपके रेस्टोरेंट का पंजीयन करना आवश्यक है। ये क़ानून कर्मचारियों के अधिकारों की रक्षा करने और उन्हें काम करने की अनुकूल स्थितियां दिलाने के लिए है।
13. नापतौल विभाग की स्वीकृति : लीगल मैट्रोलोजी एक्ट 2009 के अनुसार, आपको नापतौल विभाग से आपके रेस्टोरेंट्स में इस्तेमाल हो रहे नापतौल के उपकरणों के लिए स्वीकृति लेना आवश्यक है।

अगर आप रेस्टोरेंट व्यवसाय में कदम रखना चाहते हैं, तो व्यवसाय की योजना और आर्थिक सुरक्षा के साथ-साथ आपके पास अनिवार्य नियामक आवश्यकताओं की सूची भी होनी चाहिए। लाइसेंस पा लेने के बाद आप शांति से अपने व्यवसाय पर ध्यान केंद्रित कर सकते हैं और हाँ, अपने लाइसेंसेज का समय पर नूतनीकरण करना ना भूलें।

लेखक के बारे में:

डॉ. सौरभ अरोरा, संस्थापक - फूडसेफ्टी हेल्पलाइन

जामिआ हमदर्द विश्वविद्यालय से औषधीय में डॉक्टरेट और NEPR से उसी विषय में स्नातकोत्तर डॉ. सौरभ अरोरा एक युवा एवं ऊर्जस्वी व्यवसायी हैं। उन्होंने हल्दी का एक सक्रिय घातक घटक कर्कुमिन की नैनो टेक्नोलॉजी आधारित डिलीवरी के लिए पेटेंट अविष्कार किया है।  उनके नाम पर कई राष्ट्रीय तथा अंतर्राष्ट्रीय प्रकाशन तथा पेटेंट्स हैं। 

लगभग 10 वर्ष तक अर्ब्रो और ऑरिगा में टेस्टिंग लेबोरेटरी और रिसर्च बिजनेस के प्रमुख रह चुके डॉ. अरोरा ने नई दिल्ली, बद्दी और बंगलुरु में 4 अद्यतन प्रयोगशालाओं का आरेखन और रचना की है। डॉ. सौरभ अरोरा 4 प्रयोगशालाओं में 250 से अधिक वैज्ञानिक और विशेषज्ञों का नेतृत्व करते हैं। उनकी ये टीम हर वर्ष खाद्य, खुदरा, अतिथि सेवा, न्युट्रास्युटिकल, औषधि, सौंदर्य, कृषि, चिकित्सीय उपकरण, अनुसन्धान, शैक्षणिक और रियल-एस्टेट उद्योग के 10,000 से भी अधिक ग्राहकों की सेवा करती है।

According to a report, the restaurant industry in India is growing at the rate of 7 per cent of which the organised sector is growing more rapidly at 16 per cent as compared to the unorganised sector. Out of the 1.5 million eating outlets, only a very small fraction of outlets are part of the organised sector. The organised segment is slated to reach Rs.22,000 crore by 2017. Quick service restaurant will show maximum growth followed by casual dining, cafes and fine dining. Most Indians eat out only twice a month and if they eat out just a little more often, the market opportunity will increase tremendously.

Delhi-NCR alone has around 2,200 licensed outlets, Mumbai has 1,500 and Bengaluru about 300-400 licenses. The restaurant business is all set to reach new heights with the rise in disposal incomes, nuclear families and increase in working population.  Another trend that favours the restaurant business is the increase in private equity as the restaurant business is lucrative.

If you are planning to get into the restaurant business then you must be thoroughly conversant with the prerequisites to avoid legal complications. Check list the following licenses/NOCs that you need to from different bodies in order to comply with the regulatory norms.

Related: How to start a restaurant business?

Food License: The primary requirement is to obtain a license under FSS (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations 2011. Every restaurant owner must register their business with FSSAI as that is the apex food regulatory body. Moreover running a restaurant business without a license is considered a legal offence that can invite penalties. Check the eligibility criteria for Registration, State Licensing & Central Licensing. Please refer to the following link for Central Licensing Procedure. http://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/UserLogin/Login....

Health Trade License: Another important license that a restaurant owner must have is the health / trade license. This is issued by the Municipal Corporation or the Health Department of the state where you wish to open a restaurant.

License for Eating House: Eating House License is necessary and is authorised by the city/state police headquarters and the police commissioner – Licensing. There is provision for online application for this License. For Example in Delhi, one can apply through http://delhipolicelicensing.gov.in/eating/eating-h...

Fire Security Certificate: All restaurants need to be secure against fire hence they need an NOC from the fire department of the city. On application, an inspection is carried out and on fulfilling all criteria the officials of the Fire Department will grant the NOC or let you know where there is shortfall in fire safety on your restaurant.

Liquor/Bar license: Liquor license L-4 (L-17 as per new excise rule) is required if Liquor is served in a restaurant. The Liquor license can be obtained from the Excise Commissioner of the city/region of the state. http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_excise/Ex...

Approval/Re-Approval of Restaurants: Prior approval is required from the Department of Tourism of the Govt. of India in the concerned state if you wish to apply for the L-4 license.

Lift clearance: Restaurants in multi-story building premises need to ensure that the lift operations comply with safety norms. For this they need a clearance certificate from the Electrical inspector in the office of the Labour Commissioner.

License for playing music/video: You cannot play recorded music or video in your restaurant unless you have a licence which is in compliance with the Copyright Act of 1957. This licence is obtained from Phonographic Performance Limited or Indian Performing Right Society. http://www.pplindia.org/licctg.aspx or obtain one from http://www.iprs.org/cms/

Environmental Clearance: An NOC from the Pollution Board of the city/state is required to ensure the restaurants activities do not violate pollution norms.

Insurances required: The restaurants need to have insurance for Public liability, Product liability,fire policy and policy for building and assets. Get these insurance policies from any recognised insurance company.

Signage license: Restaurants can obtain this license from the local civic bodies like Municipal Committee or City Corporation which is required for public display of signs.

Shop & Establishment Act: A restaurant has to be registered under this Act as is applicable in the concerned state. This Act safeguards employee’s rights and working conditions.

Approval from Weights & Measures Department: According to the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, you require approval for the weighing and measuring instruments you use in the restaurant from the Weights & Measures Department.

If you plan to venture into the restaurant business, besides a business plan and financial security you also need to make a comprehensive list of compulsory regulatory requirements. Once you have the licences you can concentrate on running your business. However, make sure you don’t forget to renew your licences on due date.

About the author: 

Dr Saurabh Arora, Founder, FoodSafety Helpline

A young and dynamic professional with doctorate in pharmaceutics from Jamia Hamdard University and post graduate in the same field from NIPER, Arora has invented a patented nano technology based delivery system for curcumin, the active constituent of Haldi. He has a number of national and international research publications and patents to his credits.

Heading the testing laboratory and research business at Arbro and Auriga for close to 10 years, he has designed and setup 4 state of the art testing laboratories in New Delhi, Baddi and Bangalore. Dr. Saurabh Arora leads a team of over 250 scientists and professionals in 4 laboratories which serve more than 10,000 customers each year from the food, retail, hospitality, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agri, medical device, research, academics and real-estate industries.  

अपना रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने से पहले आपको शुरुआती लागत को सीमित रखने के लिए अच्छी तरह से सोच विचार करना चाहिए। ऐसा करने से आपका लॉन्च एक आरामदायक और सफल अनुभव रहेगा, फिर चाहे आप बिलकुल नए सिरे से शुरू कर रहे हो या फिर किसी चल रहे रेस्टोरेंट को खरीद रहे हो। 

रेस्टोरेंट का प्रकार : खर्चे तय करने से पहले आप किस तरह का रेस्टोरेंट बनाना चाहते हैं, ये तय करना चाहिए। ऐसा इसलिए, क्योंकि अलग-अलग प्रकार के रेस्टोरेंट्स के लिए अलग किस्म के खर्चे आते हैं। 

निर्माण मूल्य : ये आपकी योजना का सबसे खर्चीला भाग है। आप बिलकुल नए सिरे से शुरू कर रहे हो या फिर किसी पहले से चल रहा रेस्टोरेंट खरीद रहे हो। आपको कई कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ेगा। नया रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने में रेस्टोरेंट खरीदने से ज्यादा खर्च होगा। दोनों से मिलने वाले लाभों की तुलना की जाए, तो कोई सक्रीय रेस्टोरेंट खरीदने से आपका कैश फ्लो तुरंत शुरू हो सकता है। अन्य विकल्प भी उपलब्ध हैं। जैसे आप अपना रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने के लिए बनी बनाई जगह चुन सकते हैं, लेकिन इससे आपका किराए का खर्च बढेगा।     

लाइसेंसेज और परमिट्स : नया रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने से पहले आपको व्यवसाय के लिए आवश्यक लाइसेंसेज लेना जरूरी है। आपको खाद्य सुरक्षा लाइसेंस, स्वास्थ्य/उद्योग लाइसेंस, भोजनगृह लाइसेंस, लिकर लाइसेंस (अगर आप शराब परोसने वाले हो, तो) जैसे लाइसेंस भी लेने होंगे।

बीमा : नया रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने के लिए खरीदी हुई जायदाद के नुकसान से बचने के लिए  उसका बीमा करवाना जरूरी है।  

मार्केटिंग : रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करने से पहले आपको अपने मार्केटिंग अभियानों पर एक चौकस नजर फेरना चाहिए। इनमें भी काफी पैसा खर्चा हो सकता है। इसीलिए आपको अपनी मार्केटिंग का माध्यम सावधानी से चुनना चाहिए।

कर्मचारी वेतन : आप चाहे नया रेस्टोरेंट बाँध रहे हैं या फिर कोई चलता हुआ रेस्टोरेंट खरीद रहे हैं। आपको लोगों को नौकरी पर रखते हुए अच्छी तरह सोचना चाहिए। कम लोगों से शुरू करते हुए, जैसे-जैसे नकदी की आवक बढ़ती है, वैसे कर्मचारियों की संख्या बढ़ाने में समझदारी है। 

किचन के उपकरण खरीदना : ये बात समझना जरूरी है कि सभी किचन उपकरण खरीदना आपके कुल व्यय को बहुत ज्यादा प्रभावित कर सकता है। इसीलिए अच्छा ये रहेगा कि आप पहले मेन्यू निश्चित कर लें, ताकि आप जरूरत की हिसाब से ही साजो-सामान खरीदेंगे। ये हो जाने के बाद, उस सामान की आपूर्ति के लिए किसी विक्रेता को निश्चित कर लें। नए कर्मचारी चुनते हुए जितनी एहतियात बरती जाती हैं, वही रवैया विक्रेता निश्चित करते समय भी अपनाएं। आपको विक्रेता कीमतों से नहीं, बल्कि उसके लिए लोगों के अनुमोदन पर निश्चित करना चाहिए। उनका काम, समयबद्धता और आपके साथ अच्छे कामकाजी सम्बन्ध - इन सब बातों को मद्देनजर रखते हुए आपको ये निर्णय लेना चाहिए। ये भी जरूरी है कि आप जरूरत से ज्यादा विक्रेताओं की सेवाएं ना लें, क्योंकि इससे आपके खर्च पर परिणाम हो सकता है। 

फर्नीचर मूल्य : यदि आप नए सिरे से रेस्टोरेंट शुरू कर रहे हैं, तो आपको बेसिक फर्नीचर के खर्च के लिए तैयार रहना चाहिए। अगर आप मौजूदा रेस्टोरेंट खरीद रहे हैं, तो फिक्सचर को भी उसी खर्चे में जोड़ सकते हैं। 

सक्रिय पूँजी : जब आप रेस्टोरेंट शुरू करेंगे, तब आपको स्टार्ट-अप काल के लिए कुछ कैश की जरूरत पड़ेगी। इस समय में नकदी की आवक की बजाय खर्च के रूप में जावक ही होती है। 

प्रौद्योगिकी : आपको कम से कम एक पर्सनल कंप्यूटर की, जिसमें एकाउंटिंग सॉफ्टवेयर इनस्टॉल किया हो और एक फोन, LAN कनेक्शन की भी आवश्यकता होगी। 

स्टार्ट-अप समय के दौरान आपको किसी-भी चीज को नजरअंदाज नहीं करना चाहिए। इसीलिए स्टार्टअप की लागत-योजना बनाते वक्त सब चीजों पर अच्छी तरह सोच-विचार कर लेना चाहिए।

Before starting your restaurant, you need to take the time to thoroughly think through and budget your initial expenses. This can help you to experience a smooth and successful launch whether you are starting from scratch or buying an existing restaurant.

Restaurant type: Before planning your expenses, you should first identify the type of restaurant that you wish build. This is because expenses vary for each type.

Related: How to start a restaurant business?

Building expenses: This is the most expensive part of your project. Whether you want to start your restaurant from scratch or buy an existing restaurant, you will face many hurdles. Starting from scratch will require more expenses than buying an existing restaurant. Among the benefits of both, the immediate cash flow is possible if you buy an existing restaurant. There are other options as well such as you can buy an already constructed space to start your restaurant. That might involve rent expenses.

Licenses and Permits: For opening a new restaurant, you need to purchase a business license or permit. You also have to obtain food safety license, health/trade license, eating house license, liquor license (if you are going to serve liquor), to name a few.

Insurance expense: The property that you have bought for opening the new restaurant needs to have insurance to prevent property damage. So you need to buy insurance.

Marketing: Before opening your restaurant, you need to first launch your marketing campaigns. These campaigns also involve a lot of cost so you need to be careful on choosing your channel of marketing.

Wages for employees: Irrespective of whether you are building your restaurant or buying an existing one, you need to be think hard on the personnel employed. It is better to start with less staff and then increases their number gradually as cash flows in.

Buying Kitchen Equipment: It is important to understand that buying all kitchen equipments will have drastic affect on costs. So it is better to first decide on the menu so that you are very clear about the equipments you require. Once that is decided, involve a vendor or supplier to provide you with the equipments to start off. Choosing a vendor is much like choosing a new employee. You should not decide a vendor on the basis of his price but checking their references. You should decide vendors depending on their delivery, work and the kind of good working relationship with you. It is also important that you don't employ too many vendors as that can affect your cost.

Furniture cost: In case you are building a restaurant from scratch, you need to be ready with the expenses on basic furniture. In case you have bought an existing restaurant, the fixture may be included with the cost.

Working capital: When you will open your restaurant, you need to have some cash reserved for the start-up period – a crucial period. During this period, instead of incoming cash flow there is only outgoing expenses.

Related: 7 Ways to Start a Successful Casual Dining Chain

Technology: You need to have at least a personal computer with accounting software installed for duty managers, a phone and a LAN connection.

You should not take anything for granted during the start-up period. So everything needs to be taken into consideration when planning for startup costs.

Lately, lots of people are talking about going green. From restaurant owners using edible crockery’s to making sure there is less food wastage, everyone is focusing on ‘Going Green’ and recycling the used materials. Many restaurants are today using the old and junk products as a design element recycling at their restaurants and this trend is fast catching in the industry. And, to meet all these requirements restaurateurs are adopting several practices to become ‘Green’ or ‘Eco-Friendly’ restaurant.

Here are few pointers that can make you succeed in restaurant business:

Adopting eco-friendly products: Avoid chemical-based cleaners that have a damaging effect on water and wildlife. Also, using edible crockery’s can be the best method in these fast evolving and speedy life to remain eco-friendly. KFC India in yet another initiative has tested edible rice bowls in few parts of India.

Saving Energy and Water: Use renewable source of energy in your restaurant and ask your employees especially the kitchen people not to waste too much of water, ask them to close the taps after they have done with their work. Also, avoid using plastics at our restaurant.

Using Recyclable materials: Use paper and napkins which can be recycled. And, also use recyclable toilet paper in your restaurant’s washroom. Try avoiding use of plastic straws and boxes for foods in your restaurant. Today, most of the restaurants are using recyclable materials to meet the demand of the eco-policy.

Organic is the ‘New Green’: In last two years people are focusing on organic and gluten free foods. With more exposure and knowledge about food, people are avoiding restaurants that are still serving pesticides and chemical fertilizers grown produce. Today, restaurants are using organic products and local ingredients which are easily degradable to follow the concept of going green.

Getting local supplies: Try getting all your raw materials from a local supplier. Using ingredients that have traveled a long way will add to your carbon footprint. Buying raw materials from local suppliers will cut the amount of energy used to import the food from a distant place to your restaurant.

Using Eco- friendly equipment: Try using equipment which is eco-friendly, computer- controlled fryers, ovens and refrigerators. Electrolux has come up with a wide range of professional ovens in Indian market which are very cost effective. The Electrolux touchline ovens suits all types of restaurant whether a small or a QSR, where you need quick and dynamic service of quality meals for customer with little time and different taste.

If you are good food and liquor lover, you probably know what Social Offline is. Started by Restaurateur and Entrepreneur Riyaaz Amlani, it’s a new take on business of food.

With presence in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi, Social is catching heights in attracting the customers at these locations.

The new outlet which is launched at Nehru Place Delhi’s first tech boom, decades before the days of ridiculously easy access. The newest Social represents everything Nehru Place does – a thriving energy, a space for innovators to discover, disrupt and challenge, and an unstoppable pulse.

“We are excited to launch the fourth Social in Delhi in Nehru Place, with a renewed commitment to creating a hotbed of creativity and a space that thrives on synergy for young entrepreneurs and inspired minds. As always, we will continue to challenge norms across the board, which will extend to food and drinks as well. The energy here is palpable and we hope our space is steeped in the same dynamism that has come to be synonymous with Nehru Place,” shared Amlani who owns Impresario Handmade Restaurants.

Nehru Place Social, like its Hauz Khas and Def. Col. Predecessors, is a curation of the same design philosophy of minimal intervention and maximum up cycling. The anti-design theme runs through the entire space with underlying brickwork peaking through distressed walls and much more. The area has been maximised in terms of usage and dynamic elements have been added to make Social that much more functional.

If you walk into a Social during the day, you will most likely find a swarm of sleep deprived millennial hunched over their laptops – bootstrapping, young idealists willing to rough it out on their way to the top. At Nehru Place Social, such individuals will have the comfort of an exclusive space, cordoned off by a glass door that is dedicated to coworking – the music will be a gentle hum and patrons that are there for a meal or a few drinks won’t cause any disturbance.

Strongly believed, Social has left an indelible mark on Delhi’s food landscape with its Mile High Club Sandwiches, DIY Bruschetta, Baida Rotis, Oreo Mud Pot Shake and The Chocolate Blood Bath. The city’s favourite food has another deadly destination to devour with Nehru Place Social! Start your day with a Breakfast Tray or call it a night with the Big Bad Burgers. Go solo with a Salad or eat with a team with Social’s Substantials and Sharing Plates. Keeping its date with curiosity, the food & drinks menu more than tickles your fancy with new additions like Butter Salt & Peperoncino Wings, the Killer Kebab Platter, and the Bhoona Sausage Pao.

Social seamlessly fits into the fast-paced rush of Nehru Place. Whether you’ve been wandering around to get the best deal on the gadget you’ve been crushing for or up for a meal after a long productive day, Social is your one stop shop. 

Switzerland based pickles and gherkins maker Reitzel which launched the brand Hugo Reitzel for trial and experimentation in 2013 in India for studying the market have launched its pickles, jalapenos, baby corn and gherkins. After sourcing the gherkins from the Indian market for 20 years the company has decided to venture into the Indian markets aggressively while strategizing to come up with the more premium yet innovative products like mustard sauce, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, salad dressings and chutneys for the experimenting Indian consumers. 

What inspired Reitzel to launch European pickles, jalapenos, baby corn and gherkins in India? 

When we launched the brand Hugo Reitzel in April 2013, which was more of trials and experimentation, we studied in detail about the market in India and observed that the growth of modern trade, growing number of expat population and growing exposure to the foreign cuisines by the Indians travelling abroad has led to the acceptance of European food (pickles) among Indians. Also, with growing modern trade in India we have seen that lot of foreign food brands coming to India following this we decided to get into the Indian market aggressively.

In addition to this which new products you are planning to launch?

In addition to this we will be launching mustard sauce, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, salad dressings imported from our group of companies based in Switzerland and France in the next one and half year. We will also get into some of the innovative products tasting like chutneys but it will have the base of gherkins and jalapenos.

While desi pickles dominate the Indian market how do you see the acceptance for European pickles and gherkins?

Indian consumers always feel that the imported are the alien products but when they taste and try it then they realize that it also suits their taste. We make everything pasteurized and pasteurized is the healthiest food option for the consumer because of the low microbial activity, low salt, low oil, low spices, low acidity everything is mild and that’s a healthier option.

What it the total investment you have done to build the brand in India?

In addition to Rs 100+cr investment allocated for the manufacturing in Kunigal, Karnataka we are planning to add more Rs 30cr - 40cr in the Indian market. Out of this Rs 30cr will go into the enhancing the capacity of our manufacturing setup and another 8 - 10cr will go into the new product development, advertising, marketing, consumer awareness, POP (point of purchase) communication and visual material activity, and  consumer connect programme.

What is your retail presence in India?

Presently we are available in 500+ retail outlets, onboard with Subway and 1000 outlets of Domino’s. Also we are in talks with McDonald’s, Burger King, Johny Rockets, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s among other QSRs and will struck deal with them by the end of this year. Further we are targeting to reach 3000 outlets, almost top 50 percent key food service accounts (QSR) and 100 percent of the premium outlets like Natures Basket, Spencer’s and Hypercity with the price range of our products starting from Rs 100 to Rs 300.

We are also available at Big Basket and Amazon. Therefore, we are looking at Snapdeal and other leading etailers. Our products wouldn’t be available at discounted price online. Initially we are not targeting huge revenue from e-Commerce instead just 2-3 percent of revenue.

Which is your top revenue generating region?

Metros like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolakta and Delhi contribute 70 percent of the demand followed by mini metros like Pune, Madurai, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, Gurgaon, Noida accounts for the rest 30 percent. Primarily the demand is driven by the expats population in metros and mini metros and SSC A++ population of India.

Further we would supply to tier II and III towns while targeting SSC A++ population and expats between 25 to 35 age group exposed to global cuisines and residing in metros, tier I and II cities and.

How do you promote and marketise your products?

Point of purchase visibility, consumer awareness interaction activity, sampling, and chef promotion are the activities we will follow.

What is the total size of the pickles and gherkins category in India?

The category is close to Rs 250– Rs 300 cr in India and is growing by 20-25 percent CAGR. By 2020 it should be at least double. We are determined to take about 50+ percent share of the category in the coming three to five years.

What is your current revenue?

As far as the group is concerned our revenue is close to Rs 1500cr annually and India operation which has just started contributes mere close to Rs 1cr of share. 

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 led to the birth of Café Jade restaurant?

We have been a family of food lovers. We appreciate the art of beautifully made and well cooked food. Also, my daughter-in-law who is gluten intolerant turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us. She found it hard to choose from a limited number of choices at marriages, parties and family outings, which gave birth to the idea of setting up various allergens free foods.

So, with passion for cooking and diversifying like none other, we decided to set up an authentic Thai and Chinese restaurant which marked its difference by catering for all sort of allergies and food conscious eaters. We have specialized with gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and low-calorie food items.

Leaving behind your job at the newspaper what made you start a restaurant?

Having a restaurant has always been on my mind. I quit my job as Director-Marketing in 1999 and went on to start QuikRelations – A leading public relations company servicing clients’ pan-India. When I thought that I could diverge from my existing business, I ventured out to pursue something that has been my dream since long time and Café Jade came into being.

How was the funding done?

We haven’t looked out in terms of funding as this has been a self initiated venture. We have successfully completed our first year operations and have remained bootstrapped by choice until now. Our sincerity paid off when we became profitable in our sixth month of operations. Once we expand into establishing our own line of products to be used while cooking Gluten-free food we will look forward to get funding to fulfil our growth plans.

Why did you choose Chandigarh as a location? 

Since, my family has been living in Chandigarh; this has been my choice by default. Apart from that the city is vibrant and full of young energy. The city is developing at a fast pace and people are open to trying various cuisines and that’s what we love to bring to them.

As you are serving Chinese & Thai food at Café Jade, how do you see the market in Chandigarh?

The tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali) are emerging business areas and that increases the number of job opportunities in the region. A lot of young professionals are moving to the city and have been our ideal target customers.   Also, the fact that we have ventured out into making various allergen-free food we have a different and special customer base for us.

What according to you is the reason behind Chandigarh becoming top location for food brands?

Chandigarh is the hub of youngsters from all regions who come here seeking professional and personal growth. Couples who have been occupied in their jobs and have less or no time to cook also prefer to eat at a hygienic and well priced place. They are open to trying different cuisines and also love to experiment. Our low-calorie options have gained tremendous popularity amongst weight watchers and we have a large community of people who have become our regular customers for gluten free foods.

What is the expansion plan?

After the successful operations of Café Jade, we have initiated many expansion plans. We plan to expand at various locations in the tricity. We have run Café Jade as a systems driven company that runs smoothly even without the promoter's physical presence at the Café. Our meticulously developed systems make the management free from day-to-day operations.

KFC surprised food lovers in Mumbai during lunch hour when Mumbai’s iconic dabbawalas arrived with KFC Meal Box in true Mumbaikar style.

Dabbawalas embody the spirit of lunch in Mumbai and are well acknowledged not just in India but also worldwide. Carrying KFC 5-in-1 Meal boxes for the first time ever, the dabbawalas made their way through the streets of the city to a wide section of influencers, food lovers and media.

“It has been our constant endeavour to offer customers crave able food at great value. The 5-in-1 Meal Box is a complete and delightful meal built on the principles of abundance, variety and value. The insight was simple – people want more in less! Our new offering is the ‘perfect lunch meal’ consumers can opt for and we are thrilled to launch it in association with Dabbawalas in Mumbai,” shared Lluis Ruiz Ribot, CMO, KFC India.

The dabbawalas also surprised their existing customers with complimentary 5-in-1 Meal Boxes along with their ordinary meal.

KFC’s 5-in-1 Meal box is the perfect choice for a complete, abundant meal with a variety of tastes and textures, made extremely affordable at just Rs.149.

The 5 KFC favourites - Rice n gravy, Hot & Crispy chicken, Hot wings, Pepsi and Chocopie– come together to give food lovers a finger lickin’ good experience. A Zinger burger variant of the meal box is also available in stores.

In the run-up to the launch of 5-in-1 Meal Box, KFC executed an interesting digital campaign. KFC created intrigue and curiosity among its consumers through an exclusive ‘KFC Crack The Code’ website.

Once logged into the system, consumers could unlock the mystery box and win VIP access to taste the 5-in-1 Meal Box ahead of the official launch, while also standing a chance to win exciting prizes including Bose Speakers, Kindle e-Reader, Coolpad Note 3 & more.

Within a period of 4 days (which included the weekend), the promotional campaign for the site saw over 12 million impressions; over 65,000 registrations and a million password entries were made to unlock the KFC mystery box. Starting March 28, the 5-in-1 Meal Boxwill be available across KFC stores in India.

It’s that time of the year again! This colorful festival brings with it an end to the winter chills, and heralds a new beginning with advent of spring. This is a time for merriment and spreading festive cheer and color among friends and family.

Holi also means mouth-watering treats like Gujiya, Thandai, Peda and Matthi. Who can imagine Holi without these sweet delights? These come part-and-parcel with the Holi festivities. Thandai is one of the most popular drinks during Holi and we will discuss the various ingredients, mode of adulteration etc. of this drink. Thandai: The cool refreshing Holi drink

Thandai, as the name suggests, means “coolant”. Why is it called so? Because the key ingredients like milk, nuts, herbs and spices helps tocool the body by balancing the heat in the body during hot summers. Thandai is a very popular summer drink, and especially during Holi, it is made with bhang, which is derived from Cannabis. This very intoxicating ingredient elevates the spirit of Holi to a new height. However, this ingredient is optional, and is not generally included in the recipe of Thandai, when it is consumed as a summer drink.

What goes into making Thandai?

Thandai is made-up of the following ingredients:

• Full-fat milk (boiled and cooled) • Water • Powdered sugar • Freshly ground black pepper (Kalimirch) • Saffron (Kesar) strands • Almonds (blanched and peeled) • Pistachios (blanched and peeled) • Cashew nuts • Cinnamon • Poppy seeds (Khus-Khus) • Fennel seeds (Saunf) • Cardamom (Elaichi) powder • Rose petals

How can Thandai be adulterated?

Thandai can be adulterated by essentially using inferior quality ingredients, some of which are highlighted below:

• Milk: The major and most essential ingredient is milk. Milk can be adulterated by adding starch, which gives it a thick, rich texture. The milk can be tested by boiling a diluted sample in a test tube, cooling, and adding a drop of iodine solution. Blue color indicates starch contamination. Importantly, adulteration of the milk will spoil the quality and rich taste, for which Thandai is famous. It is also very important that the milk is boiled and then cooled before use. This will get rid of all germs that may be present in the milk.

• Water:It is essential that the water used for preparing Thandai is pure, potable water. Any contamination of the water will lead to stomach upsets, and therefore ruin the festivities and fun associated with Holi. If in doubt, boil the water, then cool it before preparing Thandai.

• Sugar:You might be surprised to know that powdered sugar and be adulterated with chalk powder or white sand, which can cause severe stomach disorders.You can check by adding sugar to water and stirring. Pure sugar will dissolve, while any impurities will remain undissolved.

• Black pepper: Whole black pepper corns can be contaminated with papaya seeds. A simple way to check is to put the black pepper corns in alcohol. Mature black pepper corns will sink while papaya seeds, if present, will float.

• Artificial colors and flavors: Thandai can be adulterated with non-permitted colors/flavors by flouting the FSSAI guidelines. For example, Saffron (Kesar) is sometimes included and the declaration on the labelis often used by the Food Business Operators (FBO) to mislead the consumers, when actually artificial colors are used instead. Therefore, it is advisable to buy these ingredients from a reliable outlet.

What can you do to protect yourself?

• Buy from a reliable outlet only:If you intend to buy Thandai mix from the market, be sure to buy a reputed brand from a reliable retail outlet. This will save you trouble from buying a spurious product. It is important that you check the date of manufacture and expiry date.

• Be extra careful with ready-made Thandai: If you can’t resist having ready-made Thandai, you should be cautious. Buy from a sweet shop in your locality that you know is reliable and sells good quality sweets. Ensure that the sweet shop is clean and free from flies. Don’t go for brightly colored and exotically flavored Thandai, as these may contain non-permitted artificial colors and flavors.Preferably choose a regular one, but check that it’s fresh and doesn’t have an “off” odor.

• Prepare your Thandai at home: The best option would be to go for home-made Thandai. This will not only ensure quality and purity, but will definitely be healthier too. Here also, you should be careful that you buy the individual ingredients from a reliable shop so that these are of good quality.

What can the FBOs do?

The FBOs must do their utmost to ensure the following:

• The health of their consumers should not be compromised, so the Thandai should be prepared and served hygienically.

• The food preparation area should be clean, dust-free, cool and free from flies and other pests.

• After preparation, the Thandai should be covered immediately and refrigerated. The food handlers should remember that this food item is rich in nutrients and sugar, and so bacteria will grow rapidly. Therefore, Thandai should ideally be prepared fresh and served chilled to prevent bacterial spoilage.

Conclusion

Holi is a time for merriment and enjoyment. The last thing you would want is to fall ill. You should keep in mind that adulteration increases during festival-time due to increasing demand. Therefore, you must be more alert and vigilant during this time. In order to protect yourself and your family, be informed, and follow these simple instructions to have a safe and happy Holi.

By Invite

Dr. Saurabh Arora, founder of Food Safety Helpline

It’s time to reinvent, rejuvenate and re-tweak. Gone are the days when people in India were limited to eating a pizza or a burger. Today, there are trying out new things. And, sandwiches are the new fad amongst them.

Ever since global sandwich major Subway ahs made Indian customer more familiar with sandwiches, there seems a great opportunity for this business in India. From entry of other global players into the segment to locals experimenting their hands out in sandwiches, Indian market has welcomed them all.

Marinating the ‘Sub’ story

It was in 2001 that Subway opened its first store in the Indian market. Today, it has 500 plus restaurants in more than 70 Indian cities and expects to add 100 more restaurants by the end of this year. Likewise, Canadian sandwich chain Mr. Sub which is a new addition in the business entered India in 2015, opening first store at SDA market opposite IIT-Delhi. But, this doesn’t stop here and the competition continues to grow, inviting local players to join the race. The Big Fat Sandwich, a five months Delhi based brand is doing real good when it comes o serving fresh and gourmet sandwiches owing all the successes to Subway who is the pioneer in the 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 who they are actually looking for,” shared Arnav Saluja, Chairman, Beverly Foods which owns the master franchisee of brand Mr. Sub in India.

Growing franchisee business

All Subway restaurants are individually owned and operated by independent franchisees and there are no company-owned stores. The brand operates globally on a franchise-based business model. “The low start-up cost, simple operation and flexible floor plans make the chain appealing to potential franchisees. Besides traditional restaurant formats, franchisees can also opt for non-traditional restaurant locations like airport terminals, hospitals and universities.

The company provides training and support to franchisees through its world headquarters in Milford, Connecticut, USA; five regional offices and various country offices across the globe. This facilitates seamless integration of franchisees into Subway family. Franchisees are supported by dedicated locally based Development Agents and their staff that provide additional business expertise,” added Manpreet Gulri of Subway India.

Similarly, the trend has pushed many global brands including Quiznoz, Costa Coffee, Starbucks adding an elaborated sandwich options in their menu. And, all these global chains are operating a franchisee model in Indian market.

“I came across this brand around two years 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,” added Saluja who has expanded the restaurant in Delhi-NCR.

Adding local flavours

This segment is totally dominated by global players, localisation and customisation is the need of the hour. And, sensing this childhood friends Anant and siddharth have opened The Big Fat Sandwich customising the menu according to the local palate.

“Indians were tired of the same old sandwich taste. So, we gave it a twist opening a gourmet sandwich place,” added the duo who are very happy at the response they are receiving and are soon to open an outlet at Select CityWalk Mall Delhi.

Playboy has created ripple yet again, but exclusive to India as it announces the launch of a Playboy Beer Garden in Pune.

This first-of-its-kind venture of the company in the world will be managed by PB Lifestyle — the master and exclusive licensee of Playboy in India.

“The beer garden is not just a beer café but will also have its own brewery. Our strategy globally has been focused on night clubs, but for India we came up with the idea of a beer garden,” shared Parag Sanghavi, chairman, PB Lifestyle.

As of now, the company has invested Rs 5 crore to setting up the beer garden (from the German Biergarten) and will further invest Rs 50 crore in the next three years to expand the business.

“India is a ‘young’ market. We are designing a fantastic fusion of fine dining, entertainment, music and some freshly brewed beer,” added Sanghavi.

The beer garden’s in-house brewery has the capacity to produce 8,000 litres of beer per month. Sanghavi said its global casino and pub format would not work in India. The company operates beer cafés, casinos and night clubs all over the world.

“We plan to open, four night clubs, six cafés and 11 beer gardens in tier-I and tier-II cities of India,” Sanghavi said.

This venture in Pune would be followed by a 12,000 sq ft beer garden in Bengaluru in the third quarter of 2016.  The company is eyeing business of Rs 45 lakh per month from Tier I cities and Rs 65 lakh from metros.

Restaurant Brands New Zealand Limited (“RBD”) has announced it has entered into a conditional agreement to purchase 100% of shares in QSR Pty Limited (“QSR”), an Australian company which owns and operates 42 KFC stores in New South Wales, Australia.

QSR is currently owned by interests associated with the Copulos Group. The transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including approval from the franchisor, Yum! Restaurants International and other conditions which are customary for a transaction of this nature.

RBD expects the transaction to settle by the end of April 2016, although the actual settlement date will depend on when the agreement becomes unconditional.

“The acquisition is an opportunity for Restaurant Brands to gain a scale position in the New South Wales quick service restaurant market, leveraging our strong relationship with Yum! Restaurants International and successful track record owning and operating KFC stores,” shared RBD Chairman Ted van Arkel in a statement.

QSR’s KFC stores are located in urban Sydney and New South Wales regional locations.

QSR has been a KFC franchisee for the past 17 years and is the largest KFC franchise in New South Wales (by number of stores).

“The acquisition comprises of a high quality portfolio of stores located in a number of strategic urban locations in Sydney and the wider New South Wales. We see the acquisition as an opportunity to expand RBD’s geographical footprint of KFC stores in a market with considerable further expansion opportunities,” added RBD Chief Executive Russel Creedy.

This year is going to be maroon. Yes, welcoming new resolutions, new times and new direction 2016 brings in the distinctive stylistics from the bouquet of interior designer’s trends addressing the importance of color,intensity, patterns and textures to create a sensory-rich space.

The 2016 trends is a combination of varying hues, centered on simplicity, serenity and seamlessness weaving classical designs and vintage elements together to construct a stimulating environment in the design space.

There is a conscious need of design detox from the past year and the focus is on being clutter free by simplifying the details enabling the designer to be creative and renewed.

Showcasing opulence with embellished interiors combined with the contemporary modern overtones is the shift happening in the customers’ mindset leading to a huge comeback of the classic revival style with its extravagance and a twist to its color palette.

Designers like ‘Sanjiv Malhan’ of OFIA consider the 2016 trends to be a blend of the old world and the contemporary.  Use of antiques, colour bursts of gold, brown, blue, statement mirrors , luxurious textures of wood, veneer, leather, symmetry through use of geometric pattern are highlights of this year’s design trends. “The emphasis on detailing will be contemporary-styled merged with structures of the bygone era. Take the case of Victorian chair for instance with its vastness of design the intricate carvings but with a firm minimalistic paneling exhibiting the blend of a vintage-cum-contemporary style,” shared Malhan.

This year Interior style will be inspired by hand-crafted collectables as furnishings are becoming tailored as per individualistic needs.

Revisiting the art and craft of making things by hand, instantly adds a distinct and personal touch to any interior space. Likewise, practice of using high quality leather with hand stitched detail has made a comeback infusing the space with a true sense of workmanship and artistry. As rightly said by Paulo Coelho - “What else is design but a method of alchemy …to transform the ordinary, the quotidian or the just plain unworkable into something beautiful, something rare, something usable.”

‘Sanjiv’ also emphasizes on the sensory experience of the design elements and there is a need of appreciation of creative elements by consumer hence, is drawn to the creative aspects of the home.

As for Restaurants, there would be more likely being trending simplified classical and luxurious designs in the coming year. The customers’ are looking for spectacular and elegant experiences alongside satisfying the culinary needs.

Diners seek experiences which will enhance their socializing and a feel of special event with the restaurants they choose to visit.Thus, restaurant interior designers who take customers down the memory lanes of bygone era are catching up with the frenzy and excitement of restaurant patrons.

The customer in today’s time displays greater appreciation for craft with a growing relationship of luxury. A blend of comfort, simplicity and experimentation with design brings in the much needed consumer engagement where modern reflections of the fundamentals of interior design can be witnessed.

And, this is where the industrial style would heavily influence the diners’ choice as another favored aesthetic element of the restaurant interior designing.

Acknowledging the fervor of new year as much as the ever-growing demand of newness in experiences of day-to-day interactive spaces, this year is going to be Maroon, where beauty and detail greets you every project resolved well.

By Invite; Sanjiv Malhan, Principal Designer, OFIA

Burger King, the American burger chain opened its first 24 hours operational restaurant at Terminal 2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai.

Lite Bite Travel Foods (A 100% subsidiary of Lite Bite Foods Pvt.Ltd) is responsible for the exclusive operation and management of this 178 square meter restaurant.

“We are delighted to open our first 24 x 7 airport restaurant at the T2 terminal of the Mumbai international airport. Airports are a big opportunity for us as most of our guests are frequent travelers,” shared Rajeev Varman, CEO, Burger King India.

The restaurant will possess 38 indoor and 35 outdoor seating arrangements and will be the first Burger King in the country to provide an al fresco dining experience. The structural glass façade is exclusive and provides an inviting dining experience.

Providing a positive guest experience in a comfortable and inviting dining environment, travelers will be able to enjoy Burger King’s menu round-the-clock.

Additionally, for consumers on the go, a 24x7 express Take Away counter will provide a quick grab and go meal.

The opening of a Burger King restaurant at the Mumbai airport is part of Lite Bite Food's development strategy which aims to expand its service offering inside airports. Mumbai air passengers will now have the option of feasting at Burger King!

"We are extremely proud to be able to bring this 24x7 Burger King Restaurant to Mumbai Terminal 2 airport. This opening will help to strengthen our leading position at the airport and is an important growth driver for the diversification of Lite Bite Travel Foods. It also reflects the quality of our expertise and strengthens Lite Bite Foods’ presence at the Mumbai airport,” added Rohit Aggarwal, Director, Lite Bite Foods group.

At a time when eating out is gaining ground in India, getting your favourite seat at your preferred restaurants is becoming tough. How would you feel, if somebody would give you the real time check about your positions on the waiting list of the restaurant??? And, to bridge this gap, Inrestro by DineOut has made dining trend more comfortable and engaging.

How beneficial it is for restaurants?

One of the major advantages of Inrestro is the CRM & Analytics module through which the restaurant is able to recognise the frequency and average spending power of a particular customer. The system captures the amount spent, favourite dishes and feedback for each visit in one single timeline, which can be used by the restaurant to give personalised experiences to guests. Additionally, the restaurant is able to target both inactive & loyal users with different sets of marketing campaigns (E-Mail, SMS, and Customized Offers) It has completely digitized the walk-ins, reservations, waiting list and feedback management making the restaurants more accessible.

• To recognise their customers when they walk-in and provide a more personalized experience to their repeat customers.

• Analyse trends to run targeted marketing campaigns (E-Mail, SMS) or loyalty programs to bring disengaged customers back.

• On an average a Restaurant has more than 95% customers who have visited them only once. inResto helps the Restaurant target these customers and increases the Repeat Visitor %.

• With intelligent Waiting List Management, busy restaurants are able to seat people more efficiently, which directly improves their revenue • Through the landing page, restaurants can advertise their events and also increase their social media presence with the Facebook and Twitter widgets. The analytics provided by this platform is to the point and helps restaurant owners make more informed business decisions.

What’s ‘trend-in’ for diners?

This app is all about real-time updates; hence, it let customers know about their position on the waiting list of the restaurant, alerts on events happening at the restaurant, and can also see the specials and the menu for the day – all this without having to download an app. Not, only this, they get recognized at restaurants, which helps them get a personalized experience as well as offers being regular/loyal customers.

Partnering restaurants

“We have around 350+ partner restaurants so far. These include chains like Impressario, Chili's, Little Italy and Mamagoto, as well as many stand-alone properties such as Toit, Vault Café, Setz etc which are spread across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad,” shared Vivek Kapoor, Co-Founder, DineOut, whose target for the year is make his brand accessible to more than 2000+ restaurants by December across 8 cities.

Making restaurants work more efficiently

Working as an “Open Platform” which integrates with various technology partners for a restaurant, it is the single technology platform that a restaurant needs to manage. It has also helped restaurants take table inventory decisions such as replacing their 6 seater tables with more 2 seater tables based on the average waiting time and group size.

Restaurants have cut down front desk staff by 33% and cut costs on feedback by upto 50%. They are now able to quantify each of their metrics properly and take decisions based on that.

“We seat more than a million diners a month i.e around 250,000 customers on a weekly basis at our partner Restaurants via inResto.We also generate an average of 600 feedback entries on a monthly basis for each of our partner restaurants,” added Kapoor.  

The 2015 floods were devastating, throwing life in disarray in Chennai and its surrounding region. Over 18 lakh people were displaced, more than 500 lost their lives and loss of property was in excess of INR 50,000 crores. Such a loss is colossal to cope with, even for a city as progressive as Chennai. Every form of help goes a long way in bringing relief to people who are still coping with the calamity. One of the biggest areas where work is needed is rehabilitation of those who lost their homes. Several generous individuals and companies are coming together in lending Chennai a hand. Papa John’s, a much-loved global pizza brand, has stepped in with its unique initiative that is sure to bring smiles on the faces of many.

Papa John’s announced its association with an extensive donation drive on Thursday to organize monetary aid for the victims. In association with ACE Events, the program aspires to lend a helping hand with music.

Up to March 26, Papa John’s will collect financial donations across its Chennai outlets via a Drop Box placed in all stores. The massive drive will culminate on March 26 at the Rock n Roll concert at the Music Academy where the proceeds will be handed over to the recipients. At the unveiling of the Drop Box & Concert were Joseph Cherian – CEO, Papa John’s India; Jayashree Chinne and LathaDubay from ACE Events and Celebrity Management. Actor Siddharth and Anil Srinivasan who worked relentlessly during the floods to bring respite to thousands, was present too lending their support. The strong team brings to the table their strengths of deep knowledge of the situation, wide network and passionate people who are determined to make many lives better.

Announcing the program, Joseph Cherian, CEO – Papa John’s said, “Papa John’s has always believed in giving back to society in every way possible. The floods were heartbreaking to see, with such extensive damage and losses. We are delighted to partner with Siddharth, ACE Events,and Rotary who feel as strongly about this as us. Our wide network in Chennai, with outlets across the length and breadth, will help us give the plan a huge infrastructural boost.  It’s our way of giving back to the city that has always showered us with so much love!”

Actor Siddharth, who feels strongly about the cause, said, “What happened in Chennai was sad. This is my home and I felt it was my responsibility to help in every way I could. I’ve seen the situation on the ground level at very close quarters and I’m still monitoring it. There’s a lot of need for many things, even now. I am proud to associate myself with Papa John’s,ACE Events and Rotary Club to help Chennai. Each step is important. I am sure that together, we will be able to make a big difference.”

Latha from Ace Events was very proud of the ambitious plan they’ve set up.According to her, “Ever since the floods, we have been maximum efforts to help the victims in any way we could. What began as tiny steps gradually turned into an organized effort, with socially aware brands such as Papa John’s showing faith and coming on board. With their robust support, the donation drive gets some much-needed muscle. We plan to hand over all the financial aid to the beneficiaries on March 26, the day of the Rock n Roll concert. The audience will get to witness spellbinding performances from renowned artistes such as UshaUthup& Anil Srinivasan. We hope the enthralling evening and the handing over of the proceeds will help spread joy and contribute towards the betterment of the affected areas and people.”

Anil Srinivasan said, “We have been committed to making the world a better place by streamlining resources and help for those in need. We’ve been working for the victims right from the day the floods hit and are grateful to Ace Events, Papa John’s and Siddharth to support with such a massive relief effort. It is sure to help alleviate the pains of many affected people. We will ensure it reaches the right recipients.”

This initiative is a great effort towards relief of the Chennai flood victims. On March 26, the Rock n Roll concert at the Music Academy would sing its way into the hearts of the audience as well as victims. A unique initiative with a widespread reach and committed team, this is sure to make a positive impact in several lives. Chennai’s heart will be warmed with some rock n roll this March!

Food service growth in India has triggered growth across a wide range of industry, boosting the entire ecosystem. The biggest disruption which is shaping growth of food service industry in the major cities in India contributing to premium dining concepts here.

Tighter concepts flexible returns

As people are much more confident and experienced in terms of selecting what they are going to eat, tighter and attractive concepts are wooing them. Today, customers’ are not looking for an exclusive food options, rather they are more attracted towards a concept that sells an overall experience.

“For any business to get easy returns, it is good to have tighter concepts,” shared an expert on conditions of anonymity.

For example, kiosk or the small formats restaurants are doing a good business in India. Brands like Maroosh, Keventers , Falafal, are having a good business in India. Generally, this type of model gives an average of Rs 12-15 lakh returns on one single outlet which chains like McDonald’s or the Domino’s are not able to perform despite running over 1000 outlets in the country.

Franchising as a medium

In the last two years, we have seen over a dozen of restaurant chains entering Indian market and spreading their wings. Growing organically in country like India is actually tough because other day a restaurant is opening here. And, to keep a pace with the growth and know the market well, global chains have partnered with locals in the country as a franchisee to grow their brand in India. Tweaking their menu, getting the best locations and cracking the best deals are what these brands are doing to establish themselves in fast evolving Indian market.

Meanwhile, India made brands are also looking for a quick return and fast growth are entering franchising model to grow big. Restaurants like Macchiato Pizzeria Grill & Bar, Keventers, Green Chick Chop are all taking franchisee route to grow their businesses.

“We are planning to enter other cities by March and there is already 6-7 franchisee enquiry down the lane,” shared Alok Tiwari, Co-Founder, Macchiato Pizzeria Grill & Bar.

Commenting on the same, Aman Arora, Partner, Keventers said, “We believe that in order to expand and grow fast, franchising is the best and quickest medium.”

On an average a unit level franchisee gives 30-40 per cent of return while a multi level franchisee builds 15-20 per cent returns.

“We are doing very good business. At our company owned outlets we are doing business of around 14-15 lakh per outlet per month. Whereas, the franchised outlets are doing 12-13 lakh per outlet per month,” added Arora.

Thus, with franchising as medium to grow the brand, we would see more development happening in the restaurant business in next two years.

It’s trendy, chic, new Asian dining and a cool bar experience. The Fatty Bao, which has created waves in dining circles in Bangalore, has expanded to Mumbai and Delhi.

Off the street, tucked behind an unassuming red door, lies this lazy, happy creature in its cozy abode. This space brings to your plate all that the name whips up – not just any Bao, this is The Fatty Bao! Amply fed with sensory elements evocative of its meanderings through Asia.

The Fatty Bao is the manifestation of our love for innovative Asian fare, a cool bar, great service, attention to detail and mint-fresh ideas. It's the perfect destination for a quick lunch, a leisurely afternoon or an evening get-together among friends, al fresco dining, cool cocktails and a relaxed evening by the bar.

Interiors have been designed by Anshu Arora, while Ayeshe Sadr and Ishaan Dasgupta of 211 Studio, have joyfully contributed to bringing alive the walls with art.

Walk into the patio with a tiny bar and dining space that is overhung with lights that remind one of giant droopy succulent red flowers and a food story map. You are then led inside to a space with tangram-inspired patterned floor, plump furniture, with enough natural light to make for an invigorating lunch hour or a fun night.

The paintings focus on the beautiful ceramics and kitchen implements weaving them into the topography along with motifs, which tie it all together against the background of a dreamy landscape. There is also a Samurai Panda with a quintessential peace offering, to keep you company at the bar. 

Large glass windows offer views of surrounding greenery, while arches frame almost all private dining spaces, creating cozy nooks, yet maintaining a visual connect with the main space. The seating is plump and comfy and when the food arrives, you see that those colors of the space and the food, in fact, belong to the same landscape.

You could choose to settle under the praying mantis lights on a plump couch or move to higher ground – a curated section of a smattering of Asian-style art and graphics… an ode to all things Asian– both old and new!

Artist Bianca Ballantyne has created some of these. Each table has a set of Channapatna Kokeshi dolls in the form of a cruet set, from Varnam, to greet you. These have been handcrafted in Channapatna, a small heritage town in Karnataka, famous for its toys made with lacquered wood from the Aale Mara (ivory wood).

Keep an eye on the red cave, it leads to the temple of food – the hearty soulful food will emerge at any moment.

What made you open an Italian restaurant when there is so much liking for Chinese food?

ITALIANO means Italian in Latin. Frequent visits to Italy and personal liking for Italian cuisine by me, a Director in Himanshu Resorts Pvt. Ltd and a natural Chef and foodie, inspired me to open this restaurant and named it ITALIANO. Moreover, there was no specialty restaurant for Italian food lovers in Gurgaon      

Tell us about the first store of the brand. What is the design element incorporated and what is the average store size?

The first store was established in 2001. The somber decor captivates your heart. Set in a backdrop of white it gives a statement of its own. The selection of the furniture along with the crockery is marvellously done. The restaurant is spread in an area of 1500 sq ft. with 50 covers.

What are the challenges you are facing in growing your business?

It is always a challenge to maintain high standards and hence we follow standard operating procedures of production and service to ensure top quality experience for the customer.

How tech-friendly your restaurant is?

We follow the latest trends when it comes to technology, whether it is using the latest billing software, payment gateways or the latest online ordering for home deliveries. We follow strict protocol when it comes to material sourcing, vendor selection as well as talent recruitment.

As you are serving the most fresh concept? How is the response so far?

We have received tremendous response from all age groups.

What trend do you see in the fine dine segment as you are operating under it?

We see a lot of experimenting with fusion of different cuisines. Also, new innovative ways of presentation of food and service is rising. People are open to all kinds of ideas when it comes to food.

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, we are poised for expansion and may add a new brand (on the lines of a neighbourhood café) to our portfolio very soon. We will also be looking at tier 2 and tier 3 cities for expansion as we see a lot of potential in these markets. During the next 5 years we look at going PAN INDIA and plan to open 20 more outlets in various Metros and towns.

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.

How is the business cafe different from normal cafes?

There is no such big difference in a business and a normal cafe, apart from may be the timings and its projection. A business cafe or a dedicated work place in a cafe is much quieter than a normal cafe; customers are allowed to sit for longer hours with a smaller orders also. (this makes them your loyal customers).

What are extra advantages that you are giving to your customers?

In our cafes there are charging points for laptops and mobiles for the guests' and as it is based on convenience, we offer a smaller menu as compared to a normal cafe.

Who is the target customer?

The target customer is anyone who has the liberty to work by himself and doesn't need a cubicle for himself, someone who deals in services and hence needs a place for his/her meetings and also it could be anyone, who seeks a more lively environment than his/her office. This customer would be someone who will spend on a coffee and may be on some fast food with it and a coffee again, or may be just 4 coffees in a row. 

What are unique services provided at these cafes?

The unique service would be full facility to charge mobiles & laptops, a printer and a pc would be a great idea, a high speed wifi connection and most importantly quick service by the waiters and restaurant staff

What is the revenue generated out of this concept?

The best part of this kind of a business is that, one builds a permanent clientèle which results in more business as they refer the place to a lot more people. Business meetings at the cafe leads to more people getting to know of the place and so there is less expenditure on the marketing as well.

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.

Tell us about your entrepreneurial journey. What led to the birth of this brand?

We are both childhood friends and are architects by profession. Siddharth has his real estate firm where I design his projects. We love and cook food at home regularly. And, being a born foodie, we both love playing with flavours.  We started working on this concept last year out of the need for a good and gourmet sandwiches. The typical sandwich that people use to get when they want to have it is either available in typical potato filler or the tandoori filler.  We felt that a different flavour and a different concept of sandwiches need to come in India where people understand flavour, but at the fast food price level so that the masses could taste it.

What was the initial investment done to launch this project?

All investments are done between both of us. It’s a passion project. Initially, every sandwich was cooked by us before we brought chefs on board. So, it’s a baby for us.

How many varieties of sandwiches you are serving presently?

We have 16 varieties of sandwiches, including 8 veg and 8 non-veg sandwich.

Do you believe in freshness of food served?

We are very much focused on Fresh herbs, sauces which are made by us. Hence, we focus on locally sourced organic product. We have partnered with Artful Baker of Lite bite Group to deliver freshly baked bread. For meat, we do it our self, get it from local market and mince it our self.  We are not Investing into restaurants, we are going into quick service restaurant and are focusing much on sandwich quality.

How has been in the response?

Being a five months old brand, people are craving for our sandwich.  And, we are getting great footfall at our outlets. On an average, we see 200-300 orders a day. We are also doing good number for other side orders including coffees, crispy fries and onion rings.

What is your expansion plan?

We are planning to open 4-5 outlets in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru. We are going to open our next outlet this month at Select Citywalk food court for six months and then we will look for a restaurant space in the mall based on the response.

Do you see any competition from the market?

We are working on very different concept. We want to introduce something different, we serve highly customise products, we marinate paneer overnight and then grill it in front of customers. Everything is served fresh in an open kitchen format.

How are you marketing your brand?

We believe in word-of-mouth publicity. Personal attention to customers, going back to their table, waiting for them which is actually lost in Delhi are some of the experiences we take care of at our outlet.

Started by Manish Sharma, Varun Puri and Vivek Bhargava, Molecule has become one of the most trending places in Gurgaon to be. Within a short span of time this restaurant has attracted a good business coming from the corporate. Here are the excerpts from interview.

How is the business cafe different from normal cafes?

Normally there is very thin line between normal cafés and business cafés. Gone are the days when there had to be too much of the polite environment to do business deals. We feel and believe that the most intelligent decisions are made over drinks. Thus, we turn our normal cafés into business cafés by incorporating special deals, packages, separate PDR’s or we offer the space where staff would always be present to take the best care of your needs. But yes, we have to be sure about the service we are offering for pre booked business queries.

Who is the target customer?

Any working person and entrepreneur is our target audience. Being located in corporate hub Gurgaon, we enjoy footfall from all sorts of corporate and creative offices.

What are unique services provided at these cafes?

We at molecule are very particular about business package. We want our customers to take experience which gives them lot of reasons to keep coming back. We are blessed to also have brewery. The business post 8 is lot about meetings with dears over beers! We have package where we offer 4 beers at affordable prices. We also offer 20% corporate discount within our segment called business with pleasure. We also serve molecular signature cocktails and dishes as part of the business with pleasure package.

What is the revenue generated out of this concept?

Business over beers is definitely more profitable then business of Coffees. Our 50 percent revenue of total sales is dependent on business we do post 8 we our cafes. Though at the same time is difficult to filter business post 8 which is coming from meetings.

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

Born out of passion for food, this exquisite food chain is truly a celebration of love for food, family and friends. After having watched a documentary on national TV about food adulteration, Raman Kapoor decided that he would only give the best and purest to his family. Upon acquiring cows at his farm in Aurangabad, he went on to supply the surplus to his neighbourhood. Enter his lovely wife, generous host and chef-d’oeuvre in to the scene. She churned out delicious milkshakes and bakery products that soon became the talk of the town. The 16-seater eatery, gained appeal because of its wholesome and good quality products, the restaurant also had cute ‘cow’ motifs running through its décor and menu, making it a delightful conversation starter.

Now, we have moved to a 90-seater plush location and under the belt is not only the signature restaurant but also a lounge/resto-bar that is seen plating delicious pan-Asian cuisine. Apart, from the two restaurants we have also ventured into catering, a food truck called ‘Kake da Truck’, which is the first food truck in Aurangbad serving the best of Knk’s food on the go.  In March, we are opening Aurangabad’s first live music lounge too.

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

We started with one restauraunt called Kream N Krunch, now in addition to this; we have one lounge and one food truck. Kream N Krunch has 94 seats, Ka Lounge – 36 seats and Food truck – Kake da truck.

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 initial challenge that any restaurunt faces is building a brand’s name. When we opened KnK the only strategy was to give everyone the best food in Aurangabad. Once we were successful in doing that the business grows by word of mouth.

Once the brands was established and keep getting customers back was the second challenge. We continously upgrade our menu, add new items, hold food festivals to keep people excited about Kream N Krunch. Also, finding talented chefs who can keep up with the innovative menu and the customer base in a citly like Aurangabad is an ongoing challenge.

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?

Currently, we don't have a loyalty program or an application for online delivery (it’s in the work).

For raw material, we source our stocks from all over the country. Since, Aurangabad is a small town and we don't want that to limit us. So, we get our stock from Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and from wherever else we can get.

What are the different types cuisines served at your restaurant?

Indian, Chinese, Italian, American is what we serve to our customers.

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

We intend to expand the brand within Aurangabad and neighbouring tier-3 cities.  We want to add a couple of more food trucks under our banner, open a live music bar/lounge and focus on building out door catering capcity to increase the reach of our food.

Informal is one of the happening cafes in CP today after sundown. Spread across 6,000 sq ft and three floors of sprawling space with a fairy light, illuminated terrace garden and a cosy rooftop away from the buzz of CP, it has got the best interiors when it comes to designing. Curated by young Entrepreneurs Sharad Madan and Chef Nuria, this cafe is doing good business when it comes to late night meetings.

What makes your cafe different from others cafes?

When you are focused on business people, you need to understand that they are people with a high level of expectations and you need to be at 100% the seven days of the week. It is about the music, it is about the atmosphere in the place, it is about best international and local food, it is about to have the best drinks brands on the world. This kind of costumers needs to feel in the Paradise after a hard day of work.

Who is the target customer?

We are placed in the heart of Delhi, the Indian capital, so we always have that in mind. There are a lot of strong companies in the area and many of their employees are our customers. From companies of IT, finances or international journalists whose offices are based in Connaught Place are all our customers.

What are unique services provided at these cafes?

We have 20% corporate discount, happy hours, menu combos... But we know that every offer in the world never will work if the costumer does not feel wonderful in our place, so we take care a lot on the type of staff we hire (waiters, managers, chefs) with the best CV and manners, some of them with experience in VIP restaurants and bars).

What is the revenue generated out of this concept?

When Informal is at its best is when the night starts to become closer and people forget about the four walls of the office or the class room in the University. It is then when everybody mix in our cocktail party and begin to join the night like there will not be tomorrow.

The idea for potbelly was born 5 years back. I had no big plans; it was started with the desire to do something I was passionate about. I had been a designer for 12 years and that profession had lived its natural course and I felt the need to take a leap of faith and take the plunge. We liked the view from a terrace in shahpurjat and decided to convert it into a beautiful cafe space.

What are the challenges you face in growing your business?

We face challenges every now and then that are maintaining consistency with food and service, making sure supplies for our raw material is smooth, staffs is working harmoniously, meeting customer expectations, controlling pilferage etc. The best marketing tool for us has been word of mouth and the coverage on several publications and blogs and television. We have hardly ever resorted to loyalty programmes as it has never appealed to me.

How are you competing with your competitors?

Being on the fourth floor, we realised we had to think out of the box as no one would climb all the way to taste something that the market was already flooded with. Thus, the idea of Bihari food was born. We decided to name our restaurant ‘The Potbelly’ because it's a food centric restaurant.

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

We have grown organically and spent considerable amount of time in training the chef’s and staff. We decided to move at a steady pace so that we could first lay a solid foundation. We have the necessary software’s for billing and for our purchases.

What are your marketing strategies?

There is a team, which handles our social media marketing and we organise events like open mics (comedy), poetry slam, live music, etc to keep our restaurant a buzz.

What is your expansion plan?

Currently, we are in two locations- Shahpurjat with a seating capacity of 55-60 (five years old) and one inside The Bihar Niwas in Chanakyapuri (a year old), which has a seating capacity of about 80.  We are looking at more locations in and around Delhi and hopefully in next five years, we are in at least seven locations.