They take out a leaf from the culinary extravaganzas of the “Tandoori Cuisines” and bring to you a “repast” of Indian food, in an ambience and hospitality, evocative of those golden times, when every meal was a feast, and every feast, a gourmet’s delight. In an interview, Vikram Malik, Designated Partner of Infinity Foodies LLP, Master Franchisee of WAH JI WAH & GIANI ICE CREAM for Maharashtra, Gujarat & Goa shares the success and expansion plans of the company.
1. Tell us how and when the concept of Wah Ji Wah started?
Wah Ji Wah is one of the Vegetarian specialty chains of quick-service restaurants serving a vast range of Indian Barbeque, Soya Snacks and gravies. It has created a niche in the exotic Indian Punjabi dishes made using fresh vegetables, soya and high quality Indian spices.
Wah Ji Wah started its operations in 1986 with specialization in Veg. Tandoori snacks, but later added gravy dishes as well as other snacks to its menu to become a complete family dining restaurant. In year 2010 the company had 5 outlets in prominent locations of New Delhi.
2. What is the USPs of the brand? What inspired Wah Ji Wah to take the franchise route?
Wah Ji Wah is the only brand serving Vegetarian dishes made using SOYA that replicate texture, taste and aroma of Non Vegetarian preparations for giving its consumers a rich food experience.
The Reason to opt for Franchise Model is:
Faster Growth
Low Capital Requirement
Low Risk Involved
Higher Brand Visibility
PAN nation expansion
3. How does the brand plan to exploit the potential of the Indian market?
Wah Ji Wah has adopted affordable pricing for its menu items in order to cater mass segments. Perceived as a ‘Value for Money’ brand with a strong recall & equity. Wah Ji Wah Restaurants are located in places with a mix of local and floating population, like neighborhood markets, hypermarkets, and high street locations with a heavy footfall.
4. How do you make sure you stay one step ahead of the competition with the other brands into the market?
Wah Ji Wah is the only brand serving Vegetarian dishes made using SOYA. For gaining a competitive edge over local players, Wah Ji Wah will continue to invest significant time on R&D activities for introducing innovative menu with a strong focus on quality. Traditional Punjabi cuisine is already becoming popular & by associating it with quality, delivery innovation, wide-menu, Wah Ji Wah would be a preferred choice.
Wah Ji Wah’s marketing strategy is focused on the continuous changing tastes and preferences of customers. The main objective is to increase customer penetration by targeting new customers and increasing the frequency of repeat visits/orders from existing customers.
5. Wah Ji Wah is focused at establishing a distinctive image in the minds of customers by utilizing four distinct marketing platforms:
National marketing campaigns on print and television
Online marketing –Facebook, Zomato
Local Area marketing (LAM) – Leaflets
Customer relationship management – Loyalty programs, Corporate Tie-Ups.
6. How many franchisees do you have presently in India? What are your plans for the year 2016?
As on Date Wah Ji Wah has 55+ Outlets in India and plans for 2016 is to reach 100+ Outlets including Company Owned, Master Franchise and Franchise / Sub-Franchise.
7. What all parameters do you follow before opening your outlet at a particular location?
Parameters to be followed before opening a Wah Ji Wah outlet is it vicinity, visibility, surrounding areas, key competitors, our brand awareness in the area, etc.
The outlet should be at high footfall areas like College / School area, Office area, Market area, Malls or crowded residential areas should be preferred with basic amenities as power and water connections etc.
What are the qualities and qualifications that you seek for in your franchisees?
Wah Ji Wah is looking for Dynamic, Intellectual, Optimistic, go-getters, loyal, well educated people to be its Franchisee.
8. How much Investment is required by aspiring franchisees?
Capital Investment:
Brand Fee: Rs.6,00,000 plus Taxes
Format:
Takeaway and Home Delivery
Area – 300-500 sq ft, Investment – 18-25 Lacs
Restaurant
Area – 1000-1500 sq ft, Investment – Rs.30-40 Lacs
9. What training and support can the franchisees expect from you?
Wah Ji Wah has got strong background & back up support. The trained staff is provided by the company as well as training is provided to the staff related to running an outlet, cost cutting, man-power management, area selection, etc. We provide all the support in selecting the outlet location, designing and setting up the outlet.
10. How do you analyze this sector?
The organized segment of the food service industry, at 16-20% of the total industry, is growing faster than the overall food service industry, at 20-25% per annum. The organized segment is dominated by restaurants which constitute 40% of the market. Cafes, pubs, clubs and bars together constitute an additional 32% of the organized food service industry. The industry provides direct employment to 5 million individuals, five times the IT industry and 10 times the Hotel industry. India is beginning to show up on the radar of the top food service chains and is likely to account for 10% of new unit growth in the next four to five years. 100% FDI is permissible in the sector under the automatic route.