HYDERABAD: It’s been six months since the pandemic put anything ‘normal’ on a halt. The three months of lockdown coupled with the temporary shutdown of restaurants took the food business downhill. Among the 15 million retailers in the country, the most to suffer were restaurateurs and those who ran the neighbourhood bandis or food trucks. The non-functional food apps back then added more to the misery of those who relied heavily on prepared meals either supplied to them or picked up from takeaways.
That’s when the demand for home-cooked food slowly picked up. Some of those entrepreneurs, who had other business plans that had to be pushed into a deep freezer, chose to come up with food startups with delivery facilities. And much to their delight and unfortunately to the dismay of those in the food industry, they got many clients and now even in the unlockdown phase since many executives have been given Work from Home (WFH) and don’t have time to prepare their own meals, they continue to order from them.
Says Anusha, 29, a consultant working for a legal firm, “I live with my younger sister. We both work from home. Our gated community has permitted for the housekeeping staff and cooks to resume their duties, but we both are still sceptical. Cooking requires a lot of time and attention, WFH looks easier but consumes several hours. We have been ordering our food from a caterer-turned supplier, who lives in the next lane.”
Bliss and blessing
Much like Anusha, many in Hyderabad have remained loyal customers to these food supplying channels. “Lockdown came as a blessing. Quite unexpectedly, we received several continuous orders and now people have been ordering so much that I have to say no to people,” says Sharmistha Datta, who runs Sharmi’s Kitchen from her home at Lower Tank Bund. She adds, “I don’t depend fully on my cook. The final touch is always mine. I get the food delivered all across the city, for that I have hired two delivery boys. People connect with her through her Instagram and FB page She also promotes through WhatsApp groups. Her platter consists of items in the category of veg, non-veg, continental, snacks, and main course. One can savour Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Qeema Biryani and other variants. She sells 2.5 Kgs of biryani for Rs 600. Rezala is the best seller sold for Rs 500 for 500 gms.
A royal affair
Shahi Makhsoos, run by food blogger Rizwan Farooqui offers a platter of good Mughlai food. “We started a few weeks ago. I run this food service along with my mother Asma Farooqui, who specialises in preparing Mughlai cuisine.” He runs it from his home in Malakpet and one order cost Rs 999/ serves two. The platter is large enough. Their star dish is Dum Ka Murgh with succulent pieces of chicken cooked in thick gravy. The Shahi Tukda, topped with grated mawa and nuts is quite the delight to cap the meal with. In the same platter, they also offer Rumali Rotis, Chicken Biryani, Chicken 65 along with Raita and Mirch Ka Saalan. “The response during these try times have been really good. Based on demand, we are soon going to add dishes like Mutton Marag, Haleem and Khuboli,” informs Rizwan, who has a huge following on his Instagram page and takes orders via Insta page or WhatsApp.
That sweet tooth
Most of these startups offer complete main courses along with a few desserts. Some offer complete sweet indulgence. a startup named ‘Treat Your Sweet Tooth by Nyla’ came up in Hyderabad to deliver the bowls of fresh homemade phirni. Its 29-year-old founder, Nyla, says, “I started this venture during Ramzan this year. And it turned out to be really fruitful despite the lockdown and the pandemic threat.” She herself drives and delivers the desserts served in a clay plate or cup. As of now she’s serving phirnis prepared with nuts, saffron, litchi, mango, and rose among others flavours. She operates from her Lakdi Ka Pul home and wishes to include more flavours in her menu.Kitchen Kulture, another food startup run by Tahura, a youngster in her twenties, focuses on Hyderabadi desserts and snacks. She operates from her home in Toli Chowki. Her platter consists of Badam Ka Kund, Qubani Ka Meetha with Malai, Shahi Tukda and many other Hyderabadi delights. She says, “It’s been a few weeks since we started. I get orders through my Insta Page.”
And those who want a slice of cake with their cup of tea can always go for one. Danishi Bhagat, a former MasterChef India contestant runs ‘Cupcake Makeover’ and gets many orders for brownies and cupcakes. She says, “Except for brownies, all products are eggless as they have more shelf-life. I receive 10-12 orders on a weekly basis.” She runs it with her sister from her home in Abids.