Bengaluru-based Anand Sweets & Savouries Ltd is expanding its footprint in domestic market to cities such as Kochi, Chennai and Dubai. It also plans to diversify into frozen foods segment with an eye on the markets in the US and UK.
Anand, started in 1988, currently operates 17 stores, of which, 15 are in Bengaluru and two in Kochi. Twelve of these stores also have a quick service restaurants.
“In Bengaluru, we are planning to add 10 stores by 2025. We are looking to set up two stores each in Kochi and Chennai. Each store will be set up with approximately ₹2 crore investments. Our long term plans include expanding to other cities within India, including Mumbai and Delhi,” Arvind Dadu, Managing Director, Anand Sweets and Savouries Ltd.
“We are also firming up our global foray. By the end of this year, we will launch our first store in Dubai. We currently export our snacks and some sweets to Dubai. Witnessing the demand for our exports, we are in the process of setting up a store and also manufacturing our products locally in Dubai,” he added. Besides Dubai, Anand also exports to Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and are planning to enter into Australia, Singapore and Qatar.
Frozen products
“We are also venturing into the frozen product category to diversify our export range. We plan to introduce frozen breads, parathas, patties, and samosas into our export portfolio, specifically targeting the USA and UK markets,” Dadu said. “By expanding our product offerings to include frozen products, we aim to tap into the convenience and international appeal of these items among the Indian diaspora,” he added.
The company, which has a 1 lakh sq ft manufacturing facility at Jigani, in Bengaluru is setting up another unit, dedicated to the production of an assortment of snacks, including traditional favourites like murukku and chakkli. Also, the company has expanded into multiple categories such as retail, QSR, e-commerce, quick commerce, corporate gifting, daily essentials, health foods, exports and now FMCG.
“We are also present in dark stores, as part of our omni channel retail approach. We’re essentially a combination of retail and online and FMCG. Our roots are retail, but expansion and growth are coming from online and FMCG. Therefore, we have an omni channel approach.” Dadu said.
Anand’s products are available on Swiggy, Zomato and quick commerce platforms like Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit and more. “These platforms deliver products from our own stores as well as some dark stores/cloud kitchens in partnership with Rebel Foods. Online is a rapidly growing segment and currently 25 per cent of our orders come from there.” Dadu said.
The family-run business is funding the expansion through internal accruals and some bank loans. “We are, however, exploring an IPO in the next three to five years.” he added.