Koramangala has a very mature and receptive environment for new concepts, says startup Bhukkad's Aruj Garg

With more than 500 eateries dotted in eight blocks of Koramangala, there is certainly a room for more eateries. The reason can be owed to the fact that half of the Koramangala is habitat to expats and college students who are sick of mess and hostel food. Having gone through the same pain himself, Aruj Garg of National Law School Bangalore taps the growing hunger tatsy yet healthy food by setting up a food outlet called ' Bhukkad'. which serves tasty yet nutritious pocket-friendly meal bags.

In an interview with R Chandra, Garg said that in markets like Koramangala, where customers are aware of different kinds of concepts in food, it's not difficult to establish a brand.

Tell us about Bhukkad, and its journey.

I started Bhukkad in 2011, when I was in my third year of college at National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. Back then, I wanted to provide an alternative to the boring mess and canteen food. In 2014, Bhukkad pivoted to become a natural fast food brand. The focus shifted to serving tasty and nutritious food, in a quick service setting. I was inspired by Chipotle primarily because they cared for what they serve their customers and their food does not contain any preservatives or processed ingredients. My junior and friend from college, Vikram Shah suggested the name Bhukkad. In 2011, the name was perfect as it described every college student Bhukkad's love food and this was food which loves them back.

How is Bhukkad satisfying the hunger pangs of food lovers?

Bhukkad's main philosophy is to make traditional fast food with minimal preservatives and processed elements. We are constantly working to completely eliminate preservatives from our food. We believe that whatever comes from nature cannot harm an individual. We are not a traditional health brand. For example, we believe that all fats are not bad. There are good fats and bad fats. Most fats from natural sources are good for us and we encourage use of that.
We offer a range of salads, sandwiches, pasta's, smoothies and milkshakes. An average spend would be anywhere between 120-150 per person.



Why did you choose Koramangala to start your business?

Koramangala, apart from being the startup hub, has a large number of working professionals who are always looking for a quick bite on-the-go. Also, as a market, it's a very mature and receptive environment for new concepts. The market is willing to experiment with different kinds of cuisines and types of food. There's no doubt that if you arer selling something in Koramangala, there will always be a buyer-provided you don't compromise on the quality and quantity.

What sells the most at Bhukkad? What is the average bill size at the eatery?

Our bestseller is the Smoky Joe Chicken sandwich. We use garlic, caramelized onions and grilled chicken in whole wheat bread. People love this meaty delight and keep coming back for it. Our Hummus Bean Salad is also one of the customer favourites. On an average a person would end up spending Rs 140.

What are the top localities of Bengaluru which you are targeting?

In Bangalore I would say Koramangala, Indiranagar, Whitelfield, Marathahalli and Electronic City are the top localities. I believe location is extremely important, being visible to your target audience is a marketing tool in itself. However, Koramangala is an informed and aware market so they know exactly what they are going to get-there's no fooling anyone here. In such a market where customers are aware of different kinds of concepts in food, it's not difficult to establish a brand.

How many clients do you have from the region?

A majority of our customers are from Koramangala, however, recently we have seen a surge in demand from adjacent areas like HSR and BTM layout which is why we now offer delivery to these areas as well. We are currently in the process expanding operations in and around Electronic city.

What is Bhukkad's business appetite and how it is growing?

We have a customer base of 10,000 patrons from our brick and mortar store, our website and through our delivery partners. Our growth is about 30 percent month-on-month so far and it's only growing. Also, we are in the process of fund raising right now. Some people have already committed some funds and we are about to finalise a small fund raise to expand our operations on our new initiatives. Our prime focus has shifted towards the Bhukkad Meal Bag. We are also expanding operations for the same. We want the Meal bag to be available in every corner of the city and for every meal, whether your at home for breakfast, at the office for lunch or at the gym for dinner. We are currently doing our Lunch Meal Bag which comes with a salad, a sandwich and a drink. It is packed conveniently, easy to transport and delivered in a timely manner. It facilitates easy eating with no mess or fuss.