By Garima Madan
When did you start your company?
I opened my first outlet in Sector-9, Chandigarh, in January 2011. It was the first ‘pizza booth’ in Tricity offering giant slices and giant pizzas. Now, there are about 150 La Pino’z outlets in almost every state of India.
What prompted you to do it?
I was working in an IT company, but I felt there was something missing. I left my job and decided to start something on my own in the IT sector. Because of the financial crunch, I couldn’t do so. Also, I felt that there was always a chef inside me. Both, my drive to be an entrepreneur and my love for food pushed me to start ‘La Pino’z’
How did you educate yourself for this work?
Luckily, I had many chefs around. My frequent visits to the United States played a big role as it helped me acquire a good taste in food. We created products according to my palate.
We were learning while moving forward. Technology, inventions, and new creations were implemented throughout our business and that’s how we flourished.
The initial struggle
We struggled initially because of the limited finances although my father supported me. But the problem was short-lived because of the market response, and we grew steadily.
The biggest roadblock.
Teething issues. It was important for us to scale up. Scaling up demanded a structure where everything needed to be professional, which comes with time and money.
Eventually, we designed a franchise model that has proved fruitful for us.
The biggest success
The customer’s response was very positive. When you get appreciation, you tend to take steps to improve your product. We worked on ourselves, our quality improved and we entertained repeat customers. People across the world loved us. When we realised that our food has recall value, we felt grateful and succeeded.
Plans for the future
This year, we expect to expand in east India and abroad. We have created a master franchise structure. Because of the multitude of investors, operations in Australia, Canada, UAE, and the US are in progress. The goal is to add 100-150 more La-Pino’z outlets in India this year.
Your advice to budding entrepreneurs
You can create your own success story if you combine dedication with consistency and the best possible service. It is difficult to move ahead if any of these factors are missing.
Why does every food business not flourish?
The real estate cost and rent of stores are very high in the tricity, which is a big handicap. A person stepping into this particular field should be aware of the competition, the importance of marketing and should know that there is no room for inconsistency. I feel today’s startups lack these qualities. The food business is not easy, it requires 100% attention and dedication.