BombayBelly is a catering service for house parties

BombayBelly

WHAT: BombayBelly is a catering service for house parties. For large gatherings, it offers options from Indian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican cuisines, including dessert. For smaller get-togethers, people can order by the kilo. It delivers its food in insulated packages anywhere in the city so that it remains hot. It allows people to place orders online or over the phone

WHO: The founder, Gautam Gupta, 45, moved back to Mumbai in April from Hong Kong, where he had been a running a business that exported household appliances, motorcycles, motorcycle parts and tyres, since 1996.

WHEN: After doing three months of groundwork, Gupta launched the service last month.

HOW: Gupta had no experience in the food business, but his wife, who manages events for the banking industry, did. She helped him ensure the food was of good quality and that it was priced appropriately. Using her help, Gupta set up a kitchen in Malad (E) and hired cooks. He then conducted tastings with friends and family to finalise his menus. Finally, he selected packaging for the food so that it could be delivered piping hot. When the economy improves, he hopes to open eateries.
WHY: Gupta found his business becoming riskier over the past two years, having to increasingly chase clients abroad to make payments. At the same time, on his trips to his home in Mumbai, he noticed that although the economy was slowing down, it was still doing better than other international markets he was dealing with from Hong Kong. He also saw that the Indian food industry was growing robustly at this time.

‘Throwing parties outside has become very expensive’

BombayBelly, founded by Gautam Gupta (left top), wants to cash in on the rising number of house parties by delivering piping hot, ready-to-serve bulk orders of food such as biryani, as seen above with his marketing head Roopam Lakhanpal.

“In the food industry, there isn't really a bad time to invest, since it is one-third of the basic 'roti, kapda, makaan' triad. In fact, when the chips are down, you get essential elements such as property and skilled labour at cheaper prices. A food business runs on the quality of its people, so well-trained staff and a creative chef are critical, but usually very expensive. However, you have to be sensible with your pricing during a slowdown. Don’t be afraid to take risks at such a time, especially if you identify a gap in the market. People are willing to experiment with exotic cuisines now.”