BENGALURU: If you have been on social media recently, you’re likely to have come across several ‘inspirational’ stories about a Bengaluru-based couple’s phenomenal success selling samosas.
The couple, supposedly, has built a business empire that has earned over Rs 600 crore in lifetime revenue within a span of just eight years. Nidhi Singh, the co-founder of Samosa Singh, the city-based company, that is at the centre of these stories, is bemused by such claims.
“I don’t know how these numbers out there are going viral. I know people are saying we are earning Rs 45 crore per year. I wish it was true, but it’s not. That’s our annual run rate (ARR), not actual earnings,” she shares.
Started in 2016 in a 1,000 sq. ft location in Electronics City, Samosa Singh is a food-tech company that offers traditional Indian snacks, especially samosas, with a modern twist – Manchurian samosas, chilli cheese samosas and more. Founded by two former corporate professionals who quit their jobs to ‘start something of their own’, the company’s story is that of success driven by innovation. While it doesn’t live up to the lofty claims going viral around social media,
Samosa Singh has still managed to create a brand that has expanded rapidly across South India with plans to expand outside the country already in motion.
“We realised that samosas, which resonate with many, were only available in a highly unorganised sector. This meant that you wouldn’t be able to get the same kind of quality and flavour every time even if you go to the same vendor. So there was a market need for samosas that were consistent in quality,” says Shikhar Veer Singh, co-founder and Nidhi's husband. “So we took the plunge, quit our jobs and put everything we had into the business,” he says.
Despite having no relevant experience, the duo had a clear vision. “From day one, it was all about creating a business that could offer Indian snacks that global food brands such as McDonald’s and Domino’s are doing with burgers and pizzas,” Nidhi adds. Using their shared background in science, the couple tackled the challenge head-on, creating techniques and automated machinery to resolve operational issues, including ensuring consistency and quality at scale, and reducing human input, thereby scope for error.
“While our background didn’t have a direct impact on the business, it certainly helped us tackle some of the biggest obstacles,” says Shikhar. “It was basic science. If you want to make a samosa crispy, you have to break down the gluten in the dough by kneading it longer. Small things like that helped us ensure quality control,” adds Nidhi.
Initially, Samosa Singh focussed on B2B operations, mostly due to financial restrictions, catering to corporate clients, cinemas, and the aviation industry. While the strategy paid off during their first four years of operations, the lack of attention towards B2C came back to haunt them during the lockdown.
As their clients ceased operations, their revenue plunged to net zero within days. Despite the setback, the couple quickly pivoted and entered the cloud kitchen business. “We have learnt a lot through our journey building this business from scratch. We have made our fair share of mistakes, but we still keep evolving,” says Nidhi.