International Women’s Day 2024: Female Entrepreneurs In Food Industry With Innovative Success Stories
This surge is attributed to many women stepping into these roles, driving the growth of women entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry.
Driven by India’s unique demographic advantage, it is becoming more diverse with an increasing number of women initiating their ventures or managing existing ones. According to a report from the last two years suggest that women are more likely to start a business than men.
Despite anecdotal evidence indicating that women-led businesses are often highly successful, they are less likely to survive. Government initiatives have also played a pivotal role in supporting women entrepreneurs.
However, the journey is particularly challenging for many women entrepreneurs, especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities with well-established culinary traditions, where established players dominate, leaving little room for innovation. Food delivery platforms like Swiggy emerge as essential allies, accelerating the ambitions of these entrepreneurs and supporting their need to succeed, grow, and make an impact.
Hear from these four incredible women-owned restaurant businesses from across the country.
Renu Mulik: Tuljai Swayampak Ghar
One such story is Tuljai Swayampak Ghar in Aurangabad, run by Renu Mulik, a visionary young woman who embarked on her entrepreneurial journey. Initially, Renu faced challenges in establishing her online business in a competitive environment. She recalls, “I knew nothing about running a business, let alone a restaurant, so when I onboarded with Swiggy I was clueless. But I am thankful to them for patiently teaching me the ways of working. Never did I imagine that life would bring me to this point. Back then I would only receive 3-4 orders from the platform in a day, soon it turned into 18-19 orders and that number kept increasing.”Despite their potential and aspirations, small businesses with limited capital often grapple with strategic investment in products and inventories.
Krishnapriya Hariharan: E=mc2
Krishnapriya Hariharan, the founder of E=mc2 from Kozhikhode, started to run out with orders clocking no more than 10-15 in a day. Krishnapriya recalls, “Working with Swiggy has benefited us in numerous ways. We are now more aware of our sales and our customers, and the best part is that delivery is handled. Swiggy’s support allowed us to invest more strategically in our products and inventories, helping us regularly update the menu with new dishes over the past two years. This also gave us a chance to develop and launch a new brand, Burg 99, which is exclusively available through Swiggy.”
Priya Sharma: Bonfire Pizza
Similarly, Priya Sharma, Owner of Bonfire Pizza in Rishikesh, shares her journey, “When I started my online venture, we were making just 30 pizzas per month, and I considered quitting. That’s when Swiggy’s Account Managers came to the rescue. With their expert strategies, we started doing 300 pizzas per month. Swiggy’s support renewed my confidence, and I’m now eager to explore more expansion opportunities.”
Managing the complexities of online platforms, from maintaining menus to running ads and meeting customer expectations consistently, is another challenge.
Suviggya Bansall: Gopaljee Café, Debjani Sahu: Garam Masala
Owners like Debjani Sahu of Garam Masala in Bhubaneshwar and Suviggya Bansall of Gopaljee Café comment, “We started with small basic checks, ensuring the menu, pricing, and descriptions were updated. Later, when we ran our first campaign – an ad carousel – the business picked up faster. Customer expectations improved as they received what they saw on the app.”
Despite challenges in non-metro areas, quick commerce platforms have emerged as essential allies, empowering visionary women entrepreneurs and propelling the growth of dynamic women entrepreneurs in the Indian restaurant industry.
