How to start a Barbeque Nation Franchise in India?

Relishing a salacious chicken tikka in a classy restaurant like Barbeque Nation franchise on a Saturday night can be real fun…. but what if you enjoyed such a treat each weekend that too without worrying about the bill?

YES! Indeed… turn the tables around and make these mouthwatering kebabs and grills your own, with others having to pay for it! All this is possible with just one idea… why not own a franchise of Barbeque Nation?

Barbeque Nation is a name that stands apart in the world of customized dining. For more than a decade, the brand has carved a niche for itself in the food industry and is setting new benchmarks that give its contemporaries a run for their money.

Pioneering the idea of live food counters and Do-it-Yourself cuisines, Barbeque Nation has expanded from a single outlet in Mumbai to a 140+ outlet chain pan India that has international footprints too.

With the brand roller coasting on the profitability charts and Indian consumers willing to spend handsomely to experience the custom-made dining experience, owning a Barbeque Nation franchise can indeed be a decent business proposition in the years to come.

Grilling Taste for Years….The Journey So Far

barbeque nation franchise

Way back in 2006, Sajid Dhanani – a restaurateur came up with the idea of offering a wholesome dining experience to the customers at a reasonable price. He already owned  the well known Sayaji Hotels in Indore, but wanted to innovate on India’s dining skills and offer Indian customers the concept of ‘live grill’. Thus, Barbeque Nation was born….

Live grills and food counters were always a part of hotels and banquets during weddings, but they were never experimented in restaurants on a customer’s table! Sajid gave a new opening to this idea and introduced it in a personalized format in his restaurant.

The first outlet of Barbeque Nation was opened in Mumbai’s Pali Hills in 2006. Since then there has been no turning around. 18 other outlets of the brand followed soon in different cities of India. Our country was soon witnessing a paradigm shift in the idea of dining, where customers could see their food being cooked on their table rather than behind the walls…. in the messy kitchens.

By 2011, Barbeque Nation reached its first milestone and opened its 25th outlet in Vadapalani, Chennai. However, in 2012 the growing brand faced a major setback with the demise of Sajid Dhanani-its founding father.

But great ideas live beyond their creators….so Kayum Dhanani, Sajid’s brother took over the business and spearheaded Barbeque Nation in India and overseas.

In 2014, Barbeque Nation added another feather to its cap by offering quality desserts to its customers with its concept of ‘Kulfi Nation’. Each outlet has a counter that offers customers 8 basic flavours of kulfi after a sumptuous vegetarian or non-vegetarian cuisine that they choose to eat.

Come 2015, and Barbeque Nation opened its 50th outlet in Mysuru, Karnataka. By now, the brand had clearly made its presence felt across the nation and amongst customers from all walks of life. With its reasonable pricing strategy and unique live food concept it was a major hit amongst the masses, especially the growing youth and the upper middle class.

The 75th outlet was not far behind and it soon came up in the Pink City of Jaipur. As time flew, the brand crossed the 100 outlet mark and today it has around 140+ outlets in India-spread across metros, tier I and tier-II cities. Not only this, the brand has traversed Indian borders and opened 4 outlets in UAE, 1 in Malaysia and 1 in Oman. With this speed Barbeque Nation is sure to sizzle globally and make its presence felt in other continents very soon.

USP of Barbeque Nation Franchise-A Class Apart

Barbeque Nation is no doubt a national brand but it claims to be global in vision and local at heart. So, a Lucknow outlet caters to its customers keeping the Awadhi taste in mind, while the one in Mumbai has a touch of Konkani or South Indian cuisine.

But the biggest USP of the brand lies in its novel concept of ‘live grills’ and counters where one can see their food being prepared and alter its preparation with customized spices. The Do-It-Yourself approach to food adds a personal touch to the platter along with the dramatic sizzle and the smokiness of the charcoal grill. All this comes at an affordable price and makes dining a memorable and pleasing experience for the clients.

Like any successful business, Barbeque Nation too believes in the premise-‘Customer is King.’ The menu is inspired by Asian, American, Mediterranean and Oriental cuisines with a distinct vegetarian and non-vegetarian section. Each section has a set of 5 barbeque starters, a main course buffet, complimented with soups, salads, dips and sauces.

The rustic ambience of the outlets, the culinary skills of the team and the sizzle and smoke of the ‘mera wala khana’ truly makes Barbeque Nation a class apart.

What are the Benefits of Owning a Barbeque Nation Franchise?

Operating under the banner of Barbeque Nation Hospitality Private Limited, Barbeque Nation is a new age casual dining experience that has a lot to offer on its platter.

Owning a franchise of the restaurant chain undoubtedly promises profit and a good return on investment provided it is done with prudence and pure business acumen.

Here is a look at why choosing Barbeque Nation franchise could be a good choice?

  • Barbeque Nation offers good assistance to its franchisees in terms of guidelines, operating manuals, outlet designs, business know-how, staff training etc.
  • Barbeque Nation has not shut down a single store in the last 12-13 years of its existence. This translates into the fact, that each and every store has been successful.
  • The restaurant chain claims that the profitability of their stores is 95% and the remaining 5% attributes to the ones which are still in their gestation period and making a ground in their respective regions.
  • In a study conducted by Economic Times, the brand has been awarded one of the Top 37 best places to work in India, indicating the congenial workplace environment.

Imagine how proud it feels to be associated with a brand that is growing and spreading taste in the entire nation and to be a part of this success story.

Regions of Operation & Wings of Expansion

You name it and the brand has outlets in almost all major cities and towns of India. Today you can dine at Barbeque Nation in different states across the length and breadth of India.

It has almost 5 outlets in Mumbai, where it has roots and besides that all other metros has its presence. It also offers exquisite dining experience to customers in cities like- Ludhiana, Amritsar, Nagpur, Pune, Bhubaneshwar, Thiruvananthpuram, Mysuru, Ghaziabad, Patiala, Tiruppur, Raipur, Jhansi, Dimapur, Guntur, Varanasi, Belgaum, Prayagraj, Ranchi and Aurangabad to name a few.

Reaching out globally, it has set up its international base in Dubai with 4 outlets in UAE and a couple of them in South-Asia. Barbeque Nation further aims to mark its international presence in North Africa, North America and penetrate further in the Middle East. With a franchise model, the brand is also eyeing the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.  

What are the Requirements of Owning a Barbeque Nation Franchise?

Owning a franchise of the prestigious Barbeque Nation requires certain pre-requisites. Let us have a look at them.

Area

To set up an outlet of Barbeque Nation entailing the kitchen, store and the restaurant area, you need a minimum area of 4000 to 5000 sq ft. The preferred location for the restaurant is ground floor that makes movement convenient; however a top floor with terrace and an exotic view is also acceptable in certain locations. Prime locations in city malls and shopping centres are also welcomed.

Investment

Owning a franchise of the brand requires a minimum investment of 1 Crore to 2 Crores. The amount may seem exorbitant, but considering the share that one puts in rent, interiors, cutlery, staff handling and setting up the outlet as per brand standards, the amount is justified. Not to mention, that ones the outlet starts operating and is in full swing, the investment is quickly reaped back by the franchisee.

Skills & Training

Any venture in the food and beverage industry requires in depth knowledge and skills of the industry. The franchisee should be passionate to perform in the dynamic food industry and use his exemplary entrepreneurial skills.

The staff requirements depend upon the class of city in which the outlet is opened but usually comprises of an executive chef, other chefs, store keepers, helpers and stewards. In some cities like Delhi they have a centralized kitchen where the basic cooking is done and dispatched to other outlets, where the marination and  grilling is done on orders.

This reduces the cost of staff per outlet. Besides this, franchisee training requirements are fulfilled on site through hands on training method provided by the franchisor.

Agreement and Legal Aspects

The franchisee needs to enter into a legal standard agreement with the franchisor for obtaining the franchise. The agreement is usually for a period of 9 years and is renewable mutually between the parties.

The franchisee is also required to pay a franchise fee of Rs.25 Lacs on commencing the franchise and a yearly royalty of 8% for partnering with the esteemed brand.

Step into the Shoes…Profitability Check

So, now you have a brief idea about the potential that a franchise of Barbeque Nation holds…but at the end of the day does it really promise good profit?

Come let us check it out with a hypothetical example…..

Rent paid monthly for a 4000 sq.ft of area=Rs. 100000
Salary paid to 12 employees on a monthly basis
           (2 Chefs@20000=Rs.40000+ 10 employees @ 10000=Rs.100000)
            Total=Rs.140000    
         Miscellaneous Expenses=Rs. 50000
   Total Expenses incurred in a month= 100000+140000+ 50000=2,90,000    

• Average footfall of customers at an outlet during a day=30 people
• Average amount per order billed in a day =Rs.1600
• Total Income earned in a day= (30*1600)=Rs. 48000

Total Income earned in a month= (Rs.48000*30) = Rs.1440000

Gross Profit for the month (50% of Rs.1440000) = Rs.7,20,000
So, Total Profit for the month= Gross Profit for the month-Monthly Expenses
= Rs.720000-Rs.290000
= Rs. 4,30,000
The above figures clearly indicate that on setting up a Barbeque Nation franchise and running it successfully as per brand guidelines, you can recover your entire investment within a period of 5-6 years.

Conclusion

With more than a decade and half of experience in the gourmet industry and with its unique selling proposition of ‘live grill’ and customized food on your table, Barbeque Nation has surely made a mark for itself in India and is topping the charts in terms of the favourite places to dine among the new age Indians.

The pan India presence of the brand is promising and with its expansion plans in the Far East and overseas, Barbeque Nation promises a bright future. Though the concept of customized food and live grills has been replicated by a few more restaurants, yet Barbeque Nation continues to be the foremost runner in this domain and will always rule the race.

The exotic food, great ambience, customized dining experience is like the icing on the cake and add to the prominence of the brand.

Owning a franchise of the reputed brand and being associated with one of the best restaurants in India can surely be any entrepreneur’s dream…then why not make it your own and consider this business proposition as your next big investment.

With a little effort and a decent investment, franchise of Barbeque Nation has the potential to give you profound returns and grow your profitability manifold in a few years. So, the next time you reserve a table at Barbeque Nation…consider securing a franchise of the brand rather than just a platter…it will give you appetizing profits and sumptuous gains…such that you will always be proud of your decision to own its franchise!

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