A unique brand that brings nostalgia – The Bhukkad Cafe

Passion and dedication into every tiny detail of their brand, food and ambience. The Bhukkad Cafe has built itself a quirky and distinctive image among the young and old in terms of branding that re-connects you with India and its Street Food. Find out more about a unique brand that brings nostalgia – The Bhukkad Cafe and what makes this brand so popular from Reshmi Mukherjee & Parth Kapur, Co-Founder & CEO.

1.How did you enter the franchise business?

Very often we are asked this question, and we always say that we are NOT in the business of FOOD – we are in the business of BRANDS. And we were crystal clear from day one that we are creating a brand that is unique, original, quirky & fun. Most importantly, it had the potential to leave behind a legacy. We want to share the uniqueness of The Bhukkad Cafe all over the world – and hence, work with like-minded visionaries to expand via franchising.

2. Where and how did the idea of your concept come from?

The idea of our concept is NOSTALGIA. We live away from our country, our families & our culture, and while working & living in Dubai, we began missing the very essence of India. And that is not just the food – we missed the vibe, the smells, the aura & the overall ethos of India. We missed the narrow streets, the variety of food in each state & how “hungry” India was as a country. Putting all of this together, The Bhukkad Cafe came to life, paying homage to the street food of India & all the memories of our growing-up years.

3.What inspired the brand name?

Bhukkad means Hungry – someone who is always hungry, never fully satisfied. This relates to food but also our never-satiated outlook towards life & learning. We wanted a STRONG brand name.

Cafe was added strategically to differentiate us from traditional Indian restaurants. The Bhukkad Cafe is a trip down memory lane, with every dish curated with a back-story & every nook reminding us of a time, a place & a feeling.

4.What is the story behind the brand’s logo?

Our brand logo is minimalistic with a Chai Glass taking the centre stage. Once again, paying tribute to India & its streets, where every morning begins with roadside vendors boiling umpteen vessels of the magic concoction, before the day even begins. Chai has been an integral part of the Indian Street food scene, where office-goers & students alike begin their day, chitchatting with a cutting glass of their favourite drink. Chai is a steady companion amongst exams, discussions, evening rituals & gatherings – hence, our logo is apt for everything we stand for.

5. What makes your brand different from your competitors?

We do not have any direct competition in the region we are operating. The only reason for that is, every wall, each dish, every artefact of The Bhukkad Cafe has been created from scratch, designed by us & packaged as our interpretation of Indian Street Food. Our huge contribution to our customers creates us not into a restaurant but into a community. Live Jam sessions, Mentorship Programs, Stand Up Comedy, Poetry Nights are some of our community building exercises that differentiate us greatly.

6. What are the essential qualities that you look for in a franchisee?

As we are highly ambitious about expansion of The Bhukkad Cafe, we look for equally driven & ambitious individuals that are able to match our vision for the brand. A sound sense of business & finance is definitely a pre-requisite. Prior experience in FnB & a deep understanding of the franchise business model is a plus too. But most importantly, a potential franchisee should relate to the same ethos of the brand as we do, to ensure sustainability & growth of the brand.

7. How long does it take, on average, for your franchisee to realize their investment?

As per the feasibility study of our business model, a franchisee should look to break even within 12 to 14 months from start of operations, which may seem optimistic, but totally possible, given the viral nature of our brand.

8. What was the major challenge you faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?

One of the major challenges we faced in our career was people-related. It is very difficult to find people who are genuine, trust-worthy & have a basic sense of integrity. Incorrect selection of personnel has been our challenge & we have learnt from the same. Now, we have better protocols in place to keep our hiring & engagements in check. A thorough process was created so that incorrect associations are kept at bay.

8.1.What is your best achievement?

Our best achievement is to create The Bhukkad Cafe – a brand that is loved & adored by people – a brand that went viral on social media just because people loved it so much – a brand that is now at the tip of the tongue of the local population. We are proud of the community we have created & we are excited for the franchisees who will be able to take advantage of being an early part of our massive growth plan.

9. How does your business day start?

Our day usually starts at 5 am – We have a secret process we follow every morning & like to call it MAGIC – Meditation, Affirmation, Gratitude, Intention & Coffee.

We finish our personal tasks & workouts & begin work by 9 am. We create an in-depth to-do list for ourselves & our team so that everyone is on track with reference to their daily & long term goals.

10. What was your best moment throughout your franchise career?

The firsts are always the best.

We began officially franchising only a month ago & we currently have 60+ enquiries for UAE, KSA & other countries. We sold two franchise outlets in the last ten days.

We are expanding quickly & the experience so far is exciting, to say the least.

11. Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years?

In the next five years, The Bhukkad Cafe will be present in every major city in the world. Our vision for the brand is simple – share our story with as many people across the globe as possible. Take Keema Pav to the world! Grow strategically! Find your ground! Improve Yourself! Keep working on the brand to make it relevant! Invest in research & development! Create great customer experiences! Build a community! Leave a Legacy!

12. Any tips you want to impart to our readers who want to be in the franchise industry?

The only reason someone would want to take a franchise of your brand is if you are a BRAND. It is not about food, or the ambience or what you offer. Anything you may offer is probably being offered by someone else. What differentiates you is YOUR BRAND. What sets you apart is your uniqueness, your DNA – your brand needs to be super distinct. There are so many aspects to this – distinct colours, fonts, names, places – You are trying to get a mind-share of your consumers. Anyone who takes up The Bhukkad Cafe franchise stands to have lifelong gains, because what we have created is a brand – one that has nailed all the above factors.

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