Maintaining the pull and mysticism of your brand without an advertising budget is not an easy task. Right? But every Indian city has an eating joint that is a legend. They have not just survived, but thrived generation after generation with just word of mouth publicity. How did they achieve this?
| What does the magic? |
| Koshy’s Know the customer, transparency, moderate pricing, old world charm Karim’s Tunday Kababi Azad Hotel Das Khaman House LMB |
| An incomplete list of generations-old eateries |
Karim’s - Delhi |
| Do you know of a business that has survived and thrived for generations? What is their secret? Share your insight at www.dare.co.in |
Across the country, in every city there’s at least one food joint that generations have sworn by; that has passed the test of time to emerge with better brand recall than all others. Be it the Mughlai delight of Karim’s in Old Delhi, the rosgullas of KC Das in Kolkata or the shrewsberry biscuits of Pune’s Kayani Bakery, each has a fan following that crosses local boundaries, and will wait in queues to satisfy their gastronomic desires.
How is it that in today’s age of cutthroat competition, these brands survive and prosper with no advertising, no brand campaign and no repositioning? Are they changing with time? How are they responding to the challenges and opportunities that the current generation has to offer? What is it that these brands have done to maintain that mystical aura around them? What is it that has helped them thrive?
Whether it is Azad of Trivandrum or Koshy’s of Bangalore or Das Khaman House of Ahmedabad, they all have a proud heritage that goes generations back; a heritage and a story that is as much a part of their brand as is the taste of the dishes they offer.
Take the noble man whose name we do not even remember, but whose place in Lucknowi history is ensured forever because of his love for kebabs! As he grew old and lost his teeth, he did not want to let go of his love and so commissioned his one-handed (Tunda) chef to prepare kebabs that would not require chewing. And thus, Haji Murad Ali gave Lucknow and the world, melt-in-the-mouth (galawati) Tunday Kebabi.
In Delhi, fans of Karims will not forget to thank Mughal emperors in their morning prayers. The Mughals are long gone, but the legacy of Mughlai food remains intact in Delhi by the mouthwatering Karim’s. The Karims were hereditary cooks to the Mughals, The sepoy mutiny and the dethronement of Bahadur Shah Zafar saw them flee from the Red Fort to escape the wrath of the British. The year 1911 and the coronation of King George V, saw Haji Karimuddin move back to Delhi to open a Dhaba for the coronation. This Dhaba, serving Alu Gosht and Daal with Rumali Roti was the precursor to today’s Karim’s.
How to build a legacy?
“Our ancestors just gave one advice for running this business: Never compromise on the quality of food. If situation demands, increase the price or let the output be low, but never ever compromise on the quality of food. It is the only reason people come to us”, says Zahamuddin Ahmed, the fourth-generation director of Karim’s. According to Ahmed, the ingredients are the key to what sets them apart. Karim’s recipe is a closely guarded secret. It is the ladies of the house who prepare the spices (masala) to be added in the food. If the recipe were to be disclosed, there would be hundreds of Karim’s, says Zahamuddin.
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