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Being passionate about something is the way to success and this story will inspire you. It is the story of ordinary people obtaining extraordinary goals.
The Belgian Waffle Co. serves freshly baked eggless waffle-wiches, the perfect on-the-go snack at small kiosks in malls, cinemas and on high street locations.
The tempting aroma of waffles served in the lanes of a foreign land allure Shrey Aggarwal to bring this concept home.
27 years old, Shrey Aggarwal, said, “While in Manila, I encountered many quick-service waffle brands that operated everywhere, be it at a railway station or a high street location in a mall. Although I did not want one, their aroma and inviting branding made me go and get one. I wanted to recreate that concept in India.”
His model was a line of on-the-go waffle sandwiches, which he went on to name waffle-wiches.
Shrey and his wife, Alisha, 27, soon founded Mumbai-based Belgian Waffle Co. (BWC) in May 2015 with one kiosk at an INOX cinema. Today, the company has 25 outlets, including franchises, and plates up a wide variety of yummy waffles across Mumbai and Gujarat.
Challenges in their ways
Shrey feels that a quick service market is lacking in the Indian food and beverage space. This is even rarer if you consider quality and affordability. Shrey believes that their light and delicious eggless batter sets them apart from others in the market.
He said, “The batter was something that we took a long time to finalize. We went through multiple rounds of testing and a lot of R&D with industry professionals before we were able to perfect an eggless batter that did not compromise on taste or consistency.” They faced challenges in searching the right equipment, operating and refining the operational process.
Shrey said, “We are serving up to 1,800 waffles per day”. The waffle prices range from Rs 80 to Rs 140, depending on the choice of fillings and batter. Shrey believes BWC can take the reach of their waffle-wiches even further. The franchising model investment ranges from Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh, depending on the format of the outlet location.
Working with the spouse
On working together with wife, Shrey explains that it comes with its own pros and cons. He said, “You get to spend time together, bounce ideas off each other and create something meaningful as a team. However, you also end up always being switched on when it comes to working and not really being able to discuss or think about anything else”.
They both have divided their responsibilities and take their work seriously. Alisha handles the HR, business development and marketing while Shrey takes care of operations and finance.
On the success of the Belgian Waffles, Shrey said, “If you get the recipe correct you can survive the competition. I think the quality of our product, the uniqueness of the concept of a waffle-wich and the consistency with which we have operated definitely sets us apart. In addition, we also try to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that makes consumers stay connected to our brand and want to come back”.
Shrey believes that “There is an open market for everyone. The key is to get your P’s right – that’s product, price, and place – and ensure constant innovation along with consistency”.
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