Mama Mia eyes dessert-dairy FMCG biz

Source:timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Following its decade-long dessert drive in the City of Joy, gelato chain Mama Mia Foods is planning to taste other dairy-based domain in both restaurant and retail formats across India. The dessert maker is also embarking on a pan-India mission with a focus on FMCG distribution of its own pre-packaged products. Being the first mover in the frozen dessert quick service restaurant (QSR)-cum-FMCG ‘take home’ segment, the gelato brand will be available in the 500ml tub from multiple organized sector retailers in the coming months.
Mama Mia, owned by young entrepreneur duo Adhiraj Thirani and Akshat Singhania, has launched four new stores in the Delhi NCR region with an exclusive tie-up with PVR Cinemas bringing its total outlet count to 17 across three states — West Bengal, Delhi and UP. “In terms of number of outlets or business, we want to grow 100% year on year. By 2016-end, the store count will be 28. We want to add 5-10 company-owned outlet/kiosk each year,” Thirani, director, Mama Mia. The firm has launched a franchise model and is keen on collaborating with entrepreneurs focused on investing in scalable businesses. It takes Rs 25-30 lakh to set up each Mama Mia store.
For the ambitious expansion drive, the mid-premium player in the dessert market is trying to tap fresh investment from fund houses and angel investors. “We are already in talks with Calcutta Angel Network (CAN), Indian Angel Network (IAN) and Mumbai Angels,” said Singhania.
Mama Mia, which started its journey in Kolkata in 2005, took a leap by clinching a tie-up with INOX, opening new outlets, kiosks and introducing novel concepts of frozen cakes and patisserie line as well as a unique retail concept of ‘gelato ATM’.
The new faces of Mama Mia since it changed hands in 2014 — Thirani and Singhania — have zeroed in on innovation and promoting the brand as the one-stop dessert destination for experimental as well as basic flavours.

Mama Mia has also introduced specialty products such as zero sugar gelato, a premium offering for customers with sugar sensitivity, which they claim tastes better than anything on the market. “Breaking away from the monotony of vanilla and strawberry, we try to plate up innovation. We also have additional plans of opening up more than ten outlets across the NCR over the coming year,” signed off Thirani.
Also in the works is a home delivery model “Gelato Pronto”. Be it new gourmet creations or the old favourites, innovation with gelato and utmost dedication to quality has always been the mantra for Mama Mia!
“Our focus towards providing premium products superior in terms of health (gelato has 4-6% of fat content compared to 16% in normal ice creams) and quality has always been a core value,” added Singhania.

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