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Restaurants
The quality of success
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Dhruv Lamba
Executive Director
Kwality Group
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One of India's best-loved ice cream and restaurants brands
is stepping out of its traditional mould. Dhruv Lamba, executive director
of Kwality Group, speaks about is brand consolidation
When executive director of Kwality Group, Dhruv Lamba's grandfather set up
a three-man ice cream outlet at Regal cinema in Delhi, little did he know that
Kwality would continue to rule the roost in the Indian gastronomical landscape
even after six decades.
Today, the brand is present across India and in London, its culinary spectrum
ranging from fine dining speciality restaurants, food courts, bakeries and confectioneries,
ice cream manufacturing units and outdoor catering.
The game plan
Lamba says, malls, highways and hospitals are where the real opportunity of
expansion lies, especially in the QSR segments. "These avenues, including
airports, are going for makeovers and are important for industry growth. The
formats for our expansion are QSR through Bread & More and express outlets
namely Chopsticks Express and Kwality Express," he says. However, not dismissing
standalone formats, he adds, "Growth opportunities have multiplied manifold
due to malls, but even standalones have created an undisputable niche."
With expansions on top of the agenda, Kwality has computerised all operations
and optimised its use in its marketing strategy as well.
On the horizon
"We will soon unveil our new corporate logo and all our existing brands
will be consolidated under the Kwality umbrella," he says, an indicator
that the Rs 70 crore group has set sights on a singular brand growth model.
He adds that the group's target is to reach an annual turnover Rs 100 crore
by March 2008. The group is contemplating a franchise model. "With escalating
real estate prices, the franchise model makes more sense to save costs, and
even we intend to follow it after we have crossed the 51-outlets mark by the
end of 2007," he adds. Currently, the group has 36 outlets across Delhi,
NCR, Mumbai, Goa, Chandigarh and London. The group is also adding 100 to 150
new professionals every year to its current strength of 1,500.
Lamba believes…
With over half a century of satiating loyal clientele, Lamba is of the view
that in the coming years more people will eat out as they have less time. Dining
out is no longer a luxury," he explains adding that non-metros is where
the real potential exists. This increases the scope for homegrown chains to
explore newer destinations abroad.
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